samagri

Samagri, also transliterated as samagri, is a term from Sanskrit that denotes the materials required for a task, especially for religious rites and rituals. In Hindu worship, it refers to the set of items prepared for a puja or yajna. The exact list varies by tradition, occasion, and region, but it typically includes flowers, fruits, coconut, rice, sesame seeds, betel leaves, areca nut, turmeric, kumkum (vermilion), sandalwood paste, incense, lamps, ghee or oil, water, and sacred substances such as sacred ash or camphor. The samagri is usually arranged on a plate or tray and used or offered during the ceremony. Some rites require purity and follow prescribed rules for gathering and handling the items, with scriptures specifying particular components for specific deities or festivals.

In everyday usage, samagri can also mean the ingredients or supplies needed for cooking or for preparing a festival meal. In this sense, it covers staples, vegetables, spices, oils, and other items required to prepare a dish or feast. The concept underscores preparation, order, and the symbolic meaning attached to each ingredient within a ritual or culinary context.

Regional and linguistic variations exist, and the term appears in multiple Indian languages with similar meanings. While primarily associated with religious practice, samagri also reflects broader cultural notions of hospitality, purity, and ceremony, illustrating how material items are embedded with symbolic significance in communal activities.