most common is Shodashopachara (16 steps), covering invocation, bathing, clothing, and food offerings. A common, shorter form is Panchopachara (5 steps) and the most extended form is catuṣṣaṣṭiḥ (64 steps)
Upachara refers to the respectful offerings and services rendered to a deity during a Pooja, treating them as an honored guest/Diety of you choice.
Pancha Upachara .
| Sr.No | Upachara | Item to be offered | Hand Gesture |
| 1 | Gandham(Sandal wood) | Apply Sandalwood paste and then apply kumkum | Touch the little finger with thumb |
| 2 | Flower(Pushpam) | Flower | Touch the thumb with Index finger |
| 3 | Dhupam | Inscene sticks | Touch the Index finger with thumb |
| 4 | Deepam | Light | Touch the middle finger with thumb |
| 5 | Naivedyam | Prasadam | Touch the Ring finger with thumb |
Shodashopachara
| Sr.No | Name of Upachara | Item to be offered |
| 1 | Aavahanam | Offer Akshatas |
| 2 | Ratna Simhasanam | Offer Akshatas |
| 3 | Padyam | Offer water |
| 4 | Arghyam | Offer water |
| 5 | Achamanam | Offer water |
| 6 | Snanam | Offer water |
| 7 | Vastram | Offer Clothes /Akshatas |
| 8 | Yagnopavitam | Offer Yagnopavitam/Akshatas |
| 9 | Gandhma | Offer Sandalwood |
| 10 | Abharnam | Offer ornaments |
| 11 | Dhupam | Offer Inscene sticks |
| 12 | Deepam | Offer deepam |
| 13 | Naivedya. | Offer Prasadam |
| 14 | Tambula. | Offer beetle leaves and Bettle nut |
| 15 | Neerajana.m | Offer Camphor aarti |
| 16 | Mantrapushpam | Offer flowers along with Akshatas |
Catuṣṣaṣṭiḥ Upachara’s
| Sr.No | Upachara | Washing the feet to deity |
| 1 | Paadyam | Offering water to deity |
| 2 | Arghyam | Offering a seat with mat |
| 3 | Aasanam | Offering a seat with mat |
| 4 | Tailaabhyangam | Perfumed oils/powders |
| 5 | Majjanashaalaapravesah | To take her to the bathing place |
| 6 | Peetopavesanam | To making her sit on the bathing place |
| 7 | Divyasnaaneeyam | Celestial bath |
| 8 | Urdhvarthanam | Offering herbal powder to deity |
| 9 | Ushnodakasnanam | To bath her with hot water |
| 10 | Teethabhishekam | Ceremonial ritual of bath with sacred water |
| 11 | Dhowtavastraparimaarjanam | To wipe her with a dry towel |
| 12 | Arunadukoolaadharana | To offer red silk saree or cloth |
| 13 | Arunoothareeyadharana | To offer red silk blouse or clothe to cover devi |
| 14 | Aleypamandapapravesam | To take devi to room filled with frangrances |
| 15 | Peetopavesanam | To make devi to sit in the fragrance filled room. |
| 16 | Chandanaadi Divyagandhaanulepanam | Applying different kinds of perfume /frangrance sandal |
| 17 | Naanaavidhapushpaarpanam | Offering Different types of flowers |
| 18 | Bhooshanamandapapravesam | Making room/mandapam to devi made of ratnas |
| 19 | Bhooshnamanipeetopavesanam | Making devi to sit on a peetha/chair made of ratnas |
| 20 | Navaratnamukutadharana | Offering 9 gem stones of crown |
| 21 | Chandrashakalam | ornament like the 3rd phase of moon from amavasya |
| 22 | Seemantadindooram | red sindooram(papita-central part of head before forehead) |
| 23 | Tilakaratnam | Offering tilakam on her forhead |
| 24 | Kaalanjanam | Make her eyes beautiful(kajal) |
| 25 | Karapaalee | Offering ornament for both ears |
| 26 | Naasabharanam | Ornament for nose |
| 27 | Adharayaavakam | Offering red/pink colour for her lips |
| 28 | Grathanabhooshanam | Devi mangalsutram |
| 29 | Kanakachitrapadakam | Gold Necklace |
| 30 | Mahaapadakam | Huge or big ornament |
| 31 | Muktaavali | 3 rows of pearl necklace |
| 32 | Yekaavali | Necklace made of 27 pearls |
| 33 | Devachhadakam | Type of ornament made of specific number of strings |
| 34 | Keyoorachatushtayam | Ornament worn on biceps of all 4 hands of devi |
| 35 | Valayaavali | Offering full set of bangels |
| 36 | Oormikaavali | Offering ring for the finger |
| 37 | Kaacheedaasakatisootram | Ornamant worn around the waist |
| 38 | Shoobhaakhyaabharanam | Ornament like a leaf of ashoka tree |
| 39 | Paadakatakam | Ornament worn on the stump of the leg |
| 40 | Ratnanoopuram | Anklets |
| 41 | Paanguleekayam,Hastaanguleeyakam | Ornamnet worn in leg fingers(Mettallu)Rings for hands |
| 42 | Ankusham | A hooked instrument like elephant goad in upper left hand |
| 43 | Paasham | Rope in upper right hand |
| 44 | Pudreekshuchaapam | Bow made of sugarcane |
| 45 | PushpabaanaDharam | Arrows made up of flowers in bottom right hand |
| 46 | Maanikyapaaduka | Shoes made of red glittering stones |
| 47 | Simhaasanaaroohanam | Offering golden throne to deity |
| 48 | Paryankoopaveeshanam | Sitting in a kind of yoga pose |
| 49 | Amruthaasavaseevanam | Offering honey |
| 50 | Aachamaneeyam | Offering water service to deity |
| 51 | Karpooravatikaa | Offering bettel leaves |
| 52 | Anandoollasavilaasahaasam | The joyous play of the waves of bliss |
| 53 | Mangalaartikam | Waving of lamps |
| 54 | Shwethachhatra | Offering /Wearing umbrella over her head |
| 55 | Chaamaradwayam | Ritual fan made of yak tail |
| 56 | Darpanam | Showing Mirror to devi |
| 57 | Taalavruntam | Offering fan made from a palm leaf |
| 58 | Gandham | Sandal powder |
| 59 | Pushpam | Offer Flowers |
| 60 | Dhoopam | Offering incense |
| 61 | Deepam | Diya/Light |
| 62 | Naivedyam | Offering food and water |
| 63 | Aachamanam | Offering water to wash mouth |
| 64 | Punarachamanam(Tambulam,Vandanam) | Offering tambulam and namskaram |