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In a community mandir, the shrine, where the murti are kept, is the central and most important part. There is often a tower, which signifies the presence of the murti.

Some community mandir are dedicated to a particular Hindu god or goddess, whose murti takes pride of place and is the main focus of worship.

Generally there are three main traditions within Hinduism.

• Vaishnavism - devotion to God in the form of Lord Vishnu.
• Shaivism - devotion to Lord Shiva.
• Shaktism - devotion to Devi, eg Durga Mata.

People are asked to remove their shoes and sometimes to wash their hands before entering the mandir, as it is considered respectful to be clean before God. There may be singing of bhajans and sometimes a learned scholar may read aloud or explain a passage from the Bhagavad Gita or the Devi Mahatmyam.

A special type of puja called yajna (or havan) is the ritual of the sacred fire found in the Vedas. The priest recites mantra from the Vedas as ghee is poured into the fire. Rice, coconut and other foods are offered as a sacrifice to the fire god Agni, and placed in the flames.

Some Hindus have yajna/havan to wish for special blessings, eg as part of a wedding ceremony or when they are moving into a new home.