Ashadha Navratri Ghatasthapana puja samagri, vidhi and other important details

Navratri celebrations commence on the Pratipada Tithi (Day 1) with a ritual called Ghatasthapana or Kalash Sthapana. This tradition invokes Mother Goddess Durga in the Kalash (sacred pot), and with this practice, the auspicious nine-day-long festival of Navratri begins.

Kalash sthapana is an elaborate process mainly requiring a few things: a Kalash, a brown coconut with husk, nine food grains, mango or beetle leaves, mud/soil and a big shallow pan. Scroll down for the complete puja samagri list and Ghatasthapana Vidhi.

Puja Samagri for Puja of Nav Durga

Here's how the sthapana is done:

You may place the Kalash on or next to the altar, the most sacred place in your house. Therefore, make the preparations accordingly.

There are various ways of doing the Kalash Sthapana. Here's one of the methods:

Place an earthen pan on a wooden stool (chowki). Spread the mud in the pan and evenly sow the nine different grains. Then cover it with another thin layer of soil and sprinkle some water.

Then, take a copper /brass/bronze/silver Kalash. Apply Haldi and Kumkum. Add water, and put mango leaves inside the mouth of the Kalash so that the leaves face upward and spill over its neck. Then place a coconut on the mouth of the Kalash. Now drape the Kalash and coconut with a fresh red cloth and garland it. Now carefully place the decorated Kalash in the centre of the pan. Make sure you water the pan every day.

Then light an earthen or traditional lamp made of brass/ bronze/ copper/ silver with ghee or sesame/mustard oil. Offer incense stick and dhoop, flowers, fruits, paan, supari and bhog. Worship Goddess Durga and conclude the Panchopachara puja by singing the aarti.

Food grains represent life, while mud and water are lifelines. During these nine days, the grains germinate and grow into tiny sprouts. This process symbolises growth and prosperity.