How many times should we ring the bell or do pradakṣiṇā?

there is no fixed count for the bell; pradakṣiṇā is done clockwise, usually one or three rounds, and a half-round for the Śiva-liṅga.

The bell is rung at the start of pūjā and during ārati and naivedya. Tradition says its sound welcomes the divine and drives away distraction. There is no prescribed number of strokes; ring it steadily while offering, without banging it.

Pradakṣiṇā means walking around the deity with the deity on your right, that is, clockwise. One or three rounds is the most common practice; temples and texts give different numbers for different deities, and families follow their own custom. For the Śiva-liṅga, many traditions go only halfway and turn back, without crossing the channel through which the abhiṣeka water flows (the somasūtra).

At home, where there is no room to walk around, simply turn around clockwise once on the spot with folded hands. The meaning — keeping God at the centre of your life — matters more than the count.

Clockwise, deity on your right · Source: temple tradition; common practice

Dharma Q&A — worship at home · Ask a Jyotishi your own question