Refund & Cancellation Policy

This policy explains how cancellations, rescheduling, and refunds are handled for ceremonies booked through Poojaradhana (the "Platform"). The specific charges and timelines applicable to your booking are shown to you at the time of booking and may vary by ceremony, scheduling, and timing. Where this policy and the terms shown at booking differ, the terms shown at booking apply.

1. How bookings progress

Poojaradhana is a managed platform: you book a ceremony, and the Platform assigns a verified pandit. A booking moves through these stages — Booked, Pandit Assigned, Confirmed, and Completed. The refund you are eligible for depends on the stage at which the booking is cancelled.

2. Customer cancellation before a pandit is assigned

If you cancel while the booking is still being processed and before a pandit has been assigned and confirmed, you are eligible for a full refund of the amount paid, excluding any non-refundable payment-gateway charges where applicable.

3. Customer cancellation after a pandit is assigned

Once a pandit has been assigned and confirmed, a cancellation may be subject to a cancellation charge to cover allocation and preparation effort. Any such charge and the resulting refund amount are determined by the cancellation terms shown at booking and the time remaining before the scheduled ceremony. The balance, if any, is refunded to the original payment method.

Cancellations very close to the scheduled time, or after the ceremony has started, may not be eligible for a refund. For help with a cancellation after assignment, please raise a request through our support channels.

4. Rescheduling

You may request to reschedule a booking through our support channels, subject to pandit availability and a suitable muhurat (auspicious time). Rescheduling requests made within 48 hours of the scheduled time may not be accommodated and may be treated as a cancellation under Sections 2 and 3. Rescheduling does not, by itself, create an additional charge except where a price difference applies to the new selection.

5. Pandit unavailability

If an assigned pandit becomes unavailable, the Platform will attempt to assign another suitable verified pandit at no additional cost to you. If a suitable replacement cannot be arranged for your scheduled time, you may choose to reschedule or to cancel for a full refund of the amount paid.

6. Platform-initiated cancellation

In exceptional circumstances the Platform may cancel a booking — for example, where the service cannot be delivered, where required details are incomplete, or for reasons of safety, fraud prevention, or compliance. Where the Platform cancels a booking that you have paid for and the cancellation is not attributable to you, you are eligible for a full refund of the amount paid.

7. Refund method and timelines

Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method used for the booking. Once a refund is approved, the Platform will initiate it within 3 business days. After initiation, the time for the amount to reflect in your account depends on your bank or card issuer and is typically completed within 5–7 business days.

8. Payment processor delays

Refunds are processed through our third-party payment processor. Once the Platform has initiated a refund, the time taken for it to settle is governed by the payment processor, banks, and card networks involved, and is outside the Platform’s control. The Platform is not responsible for delays caused by these intermediaries, but will assist you in tracing a refund on request.

9. How to request a cancellation or refund

You can request a cancellation, rescheduling, or refund from your bookings in the app or website, or by contacting us through the channels listed in our Consumer Support Policy. If a refund matter remains unresolved, you may escalate it as described in our Grievance Redressal Policy.