Pujaka
/ˈpuː.dʒə.kə/noun
A person who performs or conducts a puja, or Hindu worship ritual.
Did you know?Pujaka comes from Sanskrit pūjaka, an agent noun meaning “one who honors or worships,” formed from the same uncertain Sanskrit base as pūjā, the ritual of offering reverence to a deity.
Etymological Timeline
Sanskrit, Classical period
Sanskrit
pūjaka
“A worshipper or person who honors a deity”
Sanskrit, Classical period
Sanskrit
pūjā
“Honor, reverence, or ritual worship offered to a deity”
Medieval Indian languages
Prakrits / Indo-Aryan
pūjā / pūjaka
“Ritual worship and its performer”
19th Century
English
puja
“A Hindu act of worship, especially involving offerings”
20th Century
English
pujaka
“A person who performs a puja”