How to book a pandit online for a puja in the USA, UK or Canada
How booking a pandit online works with ProperPandit if you live in the USA, the UK or Canada: what to send on WhatsApp, how time zones are handled, what the listed prices mean, and what is still coming soon.
About 4 min read
Checked by an AI-assisted fact-check on 24 October 2026. Human review by Abhishek Kumar: pending. Fact-checked against the cited sources. Not yet reviewed by a pandit.
How do you book a pandit online for a puja when you live in the USA, the UK or Canada? With ProperPandit, you send us a WhatsApp message with the puja, your city and your time zone, and we arrange a pandit and agree the details with you in that chat. That's the whole process today. Nothing is booked or paid on the website, and live online pujas are open. This page explains each step honestly, including what we don't do.
If you'd rather book a priest through a local temple, our guide to booking a Hindu priest abroad walks through how temple bookings work. This page is about booking with us.
What's available now, and what isn't
| Status | |
|---|---|
| Booking a pandit through WhatsApp | Available now |
| Listed puja prices in INR, with approximate USD and AED | Shown on each puja's page |
| Paying on the website | Not offered. Nothing is payable on the website |
| Live online puja | Open: book on WhatsApp |
| A pandit visiting your home | Not offered. Our listings say every puja is done online and a pandit does not come to your home. The pandit performs the puja for you live over a video call |
We'd rather you know this before you message us than after.
Step 1: choose your puja
Browse the puja listings. Each page shows what the ceremony includes, its duration and the listed price. If you're not sure which puja fits your occasion, Find my puja lets you choose by occasion, deity or what's on your mind.
Two examples, with prices from our catalogue:
- Satyanarayan Katha: ₹2,100 standard (about US$22 or AED 81), ₹4,999 premium (about US$52 or AED 193). More in Satyanarayan Puja cost and samagri.
- Griha Pravesh Puja: ₹5,100 standard (about US$54 or AED 197), ₹11,000 premium (about US$116 or AED 425). More in Griha Pravesh Puja cost and samagri.
Listed prices are for information only. The details are agreed with you on WhatsApp.
Step 2: message us on WhatsApp
Tap Book on WhatsApp on any puja page. It opens WhatsApp with a message naming that puja. Add:
- your city and time zone (for example "Edison, New Jersey, Eastern time")
- the date you have in mind, or the occasion if you'd like a date suggested
- the language you'd prefer
- anything particular to your family's tradition
Step 3: agree the time in your time zone
Time zones are where online pujas go wrong, so we fix the time in your local clock, not India's. A few things worth knowing:
- Muhurats are local. A festival window is worked out from your own city's sunrise or sunset. On Diwali 2026, for example, the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 5:04 PM to 6:52 PM EST in New York, per Drik Panchang. Our Lakshmi Puja muhurat by city table shows how much the windows differ.
- Dates can differ too. Drik lists the January 2027 Satyanarayan Puja on Thursday 21 January for New York and Friday 22 January for New Delhi.
- Clocks change. The USA and Canada move between daylight and standard time on different dates from the UK. If your puja is near a clock change, confirm the time again a few days before.
Use our panchang page to see the tithi, sunrise and sunset for your own city.
Step 4: get ready at home
Even with an online puja, you'll usually want a few things at your end: a lamp, flowers, a picture of the deity and some prasad. Ask in the chat what to keep ready. Customs vary by family and region; your family pandit's guidance comes first.
If you live in a flat, our guide to diyas, incense and smoke alarms is worth a read before the day.
What we won't claim
- We don't promise results. Pujas are devotional practices; no particular outcome is promised.
- We'll tell you if we can't arrange what you're asking for.
Book on WhatsApp
Ready? Pick a puja and message us. Book on WhatsApp
Questions people ask
Can I book a pandit online from the USA? Yes. Message us on WhatsApp with the puja, your city and your time zone, and we'll arrange the details with you there.
Can I book a pandit for a puja in the UK or Canada? Yes, the same way. We help families in the USA, the UK, Canada, the UAE and India.
Does the pandit come to my house? No. Our listings say every puja is done online and a pandit does not come to your home. The pandit performs the puja for you live over a video call.
Do I pay on the website? No. Nothing is booked or paid on the website. Details are agreed on WhatsApp.
Is live-streamed puja available? Live online pujas are open: book on WhatsApp.
How do you handle time zones? We agree the time in your local clock. Muhurats are worked out for your city, not converted from India's.
About this article: it is for general information only, researched from the public sources listed above. It may contain errors or leave out local customs, and it is not religious, medical, legal or financial advice. Practices vary by family, region and tradition, so please follow your family pandit's guidance. Spotted a mistake? Tell us on WhatsApp and we'll correct it.