Puja guide · Durga

Navratri Ghatasthapana and Durga Puja at Home

Navratri begins with ghatasthapana — the installation of a sacred pot (ghata or kalash) that invokes the Goddess for nine nights, often with barley sown in soil beside it. Each day honours one of the nine forms of Durga, ending with kanya puja on Ashtami or Navami.

When: On the morning of Pratipada, the first day of Navratri, within the first third of the day; the exact window is given by your local Panchang.

Step-by-step puja vidhi

1. Prepare the place

   Clean the north-east corner of the home and spread a red cloth on a chowki with the image of Durga.

2. Sow the barley

   Fill the clay pot with soil and sow barley seeds. Their sprouting over nine days is traditionally seen as a sign of prosperity.

3. Install the kalash

   Fill the kalash with water, add a coin, supari and akshat, tie mauli around its neck, place the mango leaves and set the coconut on top. Place it on or beside the barley pot.

4. Invoke the Goddess

   Take sankalpa for the nine days and invoke Durga into the kalash and image, offering kumkum, flowers, akshat and the red chunari.

   ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः

   oṃ duṃ durgāyai namaḥ

   Chant with the mantra counter →

5. Light the jyoti

   Light the lamp — if keeping an akhand jyoti, ensure it can burn safely for nine days.

6. Daily puja

   Each morning and evening, offer flowers, incense, the lamp and naivedya to the form of the day — Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri — and sing the aarti.

   सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।
   शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

   sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalye śive sarvārthasādhike | śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo’stu te ||

7. Kanya puja

   On Ashtami or Navami, invite young girls (often nine) and a boy, wash their feet, apply tilak, and feed them puri, chana and halwa, honouring them as forms of the Goddess.

8. Close the Navratri

   On the last day, perform a farewell puja, distribute the barley sprouts as blessings, and immerse or respectfully dispose of the soil.