घरमा पूजा गर्न पूर्ण चरण-दर-चरण गाइड
समर्पित Goddess Durga (Shailaputri on Day 1)
On the morning of Pratipada, fill a wide clay pot with fresh mud and spread barley seeds evenly across. Lightly water the soil. This bed will be the Jayanti — the sprouts rising over nine days symbolise Durga's abundance.
Sit facing east or north. Hold water, akshat (unbroken rice), and a flower in your right palm. The Sankalp mantra below is pre-filled with today's panchang (tithi, nakshatra, samvat year, lunar month, and weekday) — only the bracketed cues marked [say "…"] remain for you to fill in: your city, your gotra, and your full name. Women replace गोत्रोत्पन्नः with गोत्रोत्पन्ना. Release the water, akshat, and flower onto a plate as you finish the mantra.
ॐ विष्णुर्विष्णुर्विष्णुः। श्रीमद्भगवतो महापुरुषस्य विष्णोराज्ञया प्रवर्तमानस्य अद्य ब्रह्मणो द्वितीये परार्धे श्वेतवाराहकल्पे वैवस्वतमन्वन्तरे कलियुगे प्रथमचरणे जम्बूद्वीपे भारतवर्षे भरतखण्डे आर्यावर्तान्तर्गते [say "your city name"] नगरे, विक्रम संवत्सरे 2083 (सिद्धार्थी) वत्सरे, आश्विन मासे, शुक्ल पक्षे, प्रतिपदा तिथौ, रविवासरे, चित्रा नक्षत्रे, [say "your gotra, e.g. Kashyapa"] गोत्रोत्पन्नः, [say "your full name"] नामाहम्, सकल दुरित क्षय पूर्वक सकल अभीष्ट सिद्ध्यर्थं श्री दुर्गा प्रीत्यर्थं शारदीय नवरात्रि पूजनम् अहं करिष्ये।
The tithi, nakshatra, lunar month, weekday and samvat year in the mantra above are for Navratri Ghatasthapana's upcoming date: २०२६ अक्टोबर ११, आइतबार. These values auto-update each year.
Place a kalash at the center of the barley pot. Fill it with Gangajal, a coin, akshat, supari, and five types of leaves. Insert five mango leaves at the rim and top with a coconut wrapped in red cloth. Tie moli around the kalash. Invoke all holy rivers into the water.
गङ्गे च यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वति। नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरि जलेऽस्मिन् सन्निधिं कुरु॥
Worship Lord Ganesha first with durva, flowers, and akshat to ensure the nine-day vrat is free of obstacles.
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः॥
Invoke Goddess Durga (specifically Shailaputri for Day 1) into the idol and the kalash. Offer the Shodashopachara — sixteen items of worship. Drape the idol in the red chunari and adorn with red flowers, jewellery, and kumkum.
ॐ शैलपुत्र्यै नमः॥ (Day 1) — or ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः॥
Light the Akhand Jyoti — a ghee lamp that must burn uninterrupted for all nine days. Place it at the right of the goddess. Refill ghee periodically. The unbroken flame is a symbol of the unbroken devotion of the Sadhaka.
Begin recitation of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmyam) — 700 verses from the Markandeya Purana. Chapter 1 is read on Day 1. Alternatively, recite 'Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu' and the Navarna Mantra.
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे॥
Offer fruits, sweets, and kheer as naivedya. Perform the Durga Aarti with camphor and sing 'Jai Ambe Gauri'. Ring the bell throughout the aarti.
जय अम्बे गौरी मैया जय श्यामा गौरी। तुम को निशदिन ध्यावत हरी ब्रह्मा शिवरी॥
Offer a handful of red flowers as pushpanjali and ask for forgiveness for any errors in the ritual. Prostrate before the goddess (Sashtanga Pranam).
For the next nine days, water the jau pot each morning, light incense, and repeat a short form of this puja — invoking the appropriate Navadurga form of the day. The kalash and akhand jyoti are dismantled only on Dashami after Visarjan.
यस मार्गदर्शिकाले शास्त्रीय पराश्री परम्परालाई प्रतिबिम्बित गर्दछ। क्षेत्रीय भिन्नताहरू अवस्थित छन्-विशिष्टताहरूका लागि पारिवारिक पुजारीसँग परामर्श गर्नुहोस्।
