One question for which most of us will have a 'negative' or 'doubtful' reply is, do you know how to do puja? Honestly look back, how many times others (in particular, the senior ladies of the house or the pujari himself) have guided us in this simple practice.
Primarily because there is nothing to fear if the procedure is not followed impeccably; we are strongly supported by the 'kshamaa yaachnaa' at the end of the puja. The smart ones among us sometimes justify our ill information by taking refuge in Bhagvad Gita Ch IX Shl 26
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति ।
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ।।
God couldn't be bothered about the errors in our puja, neither are we.
But now we are neither going to justify our shortcomings nor let them continue unheeded. After all, all pujas are not as elaborate as the yagnas that are performed. There is no reason that we should not correctly do a simple short five minute puja.
Do not miss our postscript which will reduce the time further.
1 ध्यानं समर्पयामि Think or meditate upon the Lord
2 आवाहनं समर्पयामि Invite the Lord
3 आसनं समर्पयामि Offer a seat to the Lord
4 पाद्यं समर्पयामि Offer water to wash the feet
5 अर्घ्यं समर्पयामि Offer water to wash the hands
6 आचमनीयं समर्पयामि Offer water to drink
7 स्नानं समर्पयामि Bathe the Lord
8 महाभिषेकं समर्पयामि Give the main head bath
9 प्रतिष्टपयामि Make Him seated
10 वस्त्रं समर्पयामि Offer clothes to the Lord
11 यज्ञोपवीतं समर्पयामि Offer the holy yagyopaveeta
12 गन्धं समर्पयामि Offer sandalwood paste/powder
13 अक्षतं समर्पयामि Offer akshatha to the Lord
14 पुष्पं समर्पयामि Offer flowers to the Lord
15 धूपं समर्पयामि Offer agarbathi (incense) to the Lord
16 दीपं समर्पयामि Offer light to the Lord
17 नैवेद्यं समर्पयामि Offer food to the Lord
18 फलं समर्पयामि Offer fruit to the Lord
19 तम्बूलं समर्पयामि Offer betel nuts & leaf to the Lord
20 दक्षिणां समर्पयामि Offer money to the Lord. It may be a small token
21 महा निराजनं समर्पयामि Recite the Aarati
22 प्रदक्षिणं समर्पयामि Turn round ( to your right) in front of the idol
23 नमस्कारं समर्पयामि Offer prostrations to the Lord
24 मन्त्र पुष्पं समर्पयामि Offer both incantations and flowers
25 प्रार्थनां समर्पयामि If you seek something from the Lord. Pls do now.
26 क्षमापनं समर्पयामि Seek forgiveness of the Lord for any mistake committed during puja
P.S. We have deliberately placed the puja steps first. It is only natural that you may not have all the ingredients (for example, betel leaf and yagyopaveeta may not be readily available) to perform this short puja. In that case we are to suggest that you first prepare your check list of stuff that you have, and then recite the 'samarpayaami' for only those.
It will be good to maintain the order.