# Ghatasthapana: how to do kalash sthapana for Navratri

> Ghatasthapana (kalash sthapana) is the first-day Navratri ritual of installing a water-filled pot as the seat of the Goddess, usually over a tray of soil sown with barley (jau) that sprouts during the nine days. It is done on Pratipada, the lunar day that follows the Mahalaya new moon (Saturday 10 October 2026), in an auspicious window that you should take from your local panchang because it depends on place and tradition. The kalash stays in place until the festival ends, when the sprouts are distributed and the water is respectfully returned to the earth.

Source: https://pujoparikramaguide.in/navratri/ghatasthapana/ (updated 2026-10-06)

**Ghatasthapana** (*ghata*, pot; *sthapana*, installation), also called **kalash sthapana**, is the ritual that opens [Navratri](/navratri/). On the first day, Pratipada, a pot filled with water is installed and worshipped as the seat of the Goddess for the next nine days. In many homes it stands over a tray of soil sown with **barley (jau)**, which sprouts green by the end of the festival. In 2026, Navratri begins after **Mahalaya on Saturday 10 October**; check your local panchang for the exact first day and the auspicious window.

## What the kalash represents

A kalash filled with water, crowned with mango leaves and a coconut, is one of the oldest auspicious symbols in Hindu worship. The water stands for life and purity, the leaves for growth, and the coconut for the divine presence. A well-known verse describes the kalash as holding all the gods:

> कलशस्य मुखे विष्णुः कण्ठे रुद्रः समाश्रितः। मूले तत्र स्थितो ब्रह्मा मध्ये मातृगणाः स्मृताः॥
> Kalashasya mukhe vishnuh kanthe rudrah samashritah, mule tatra sthito brahma madhye matriganah smritah.
> Vishnu dwells at the kalash's mouth, Rudra at its neck, Brahma at its base, and the Mothers in its middle.

The barley sown around it is a sign of prosperity, and watching the sprouts grow gives the nine days a living rhythm. Bengali families use a very similar pot, called a **ghat**, in their own [Durga Puja at home](/durga-puja/at-home/), usually seated on a small heap of earth or rice.

## Choosing the muhurta

Ghatasthapana is done on Pratipada, the first lunar day of the bright fortnight of Ashvin. Because a tithi starts at different clock times in different places, the right time in Kolkata may not be the right time in Ahmedabad, Delhi or London. Panchangs typically give:

- the start and end of Pratipada for your location;
- a preferred **ghatasthapana muhurta**, often in the morning;
- a fallback window if the morning one can't be used;
- any periods traditionally avoided, per your panchang.

We deliberately don't print a time here. Use your local panchang, a trusted temple calendar or your family priest.

## Supplies

Gather everything the evening before: the soil tray, barley, kalash, mango leaves, coconut, red cloth and thread, roli, rice, lamp and flowers. The supplies list above covers the full set, and our [samagri list](/durga-puja/samagri-list/) adds items for the whole festival.

Tips:

- **Soil:** use clean garden soil; mixing in some sand helps drainage.
- **Barley:** soaking seeds for a few hours speeds sprouting. Sow thickly for a green carpet.
- **Coconut:** choose one with its husk. Many families keep the tufted end up; follow your custom.
- **Lamp:** if you plan an *akhand jyoti* (continuous flame), use a large lamp with a glass cover, keep it away from curtains, and never leave it where children or pets can knock it over.

## How to do it, step by step

1. Clean the space, set a low stool with red cloth, and place the Goddess's picture.
2. Spread soil in the tray, sow barley, cover lightly and dampen.
3. Draw a swastika on the kalash, tie red thread, fill with water and add a coin, betel nut and a few grains.
4. Put five mango leaves in the mouth; place the cloth-wrapped coconut on top.
5. Set the kalash in or beside the barley tray.
6. Light the lamp. Make your sankalpa: in your own words, say who you are, that it is the first day of Navratri, and that you will worship the Goddess for nine days.
7. Invite the Goddess into the kalash, offer roli, rice, flowers, incense, lamp and food, and perform aarti.
8. A simple mantra many people use throughout is:

> ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः
> Om Dum Durgayai Namah
> Salutations to Durga.

On the same day, many people also begin worshipping [Shailaputri](/navratri/navadurga/), the first of the nine forms.

## During the nine days

- Worship morning and evening; read a portion of the *Durga Saptashati* if you can.
- Water the barley lightly every day.
- Keep the area clean; don't move the kalash.
- Many families follow a [Navratri fast](/navratri/fasting-rules/) and end the festival with [kanya pujan](/navratri/kanya-pujan/).

## Closing the ritual

On Navami or [Vijayadashami](/navratri/dussehra-vijayadashami/), depending on family custom, do a final puja and say goodbye to the Goddess. Lift the coconut and leaves respectfully; the coconut is often broken and shared as prasad. Sprinkle the kalash water through the home and pour the rest into plants. The barley sprouts (called *jamara* or *jawara* in some regions) are offered and then given to family members as blessings. Return the soil to a garden.

## Variations to expect

- Some families install a clay pot of barley only; others a metal kalash only.
- In Nepal and parts of north India the sprouts are called *jamara* and worn on Vijayadashami with tika.
- In Bengal, the ghat is set up by families who hold home worship, often from Shashthi or from Pratipada.
- Whether to keep an *akhand jyoti*, and the exact objects placed inside the kalash, vary by family.

## Steps

1. **Find the date and muhurta**: Look up Pratipada and the ghatasthapana muhurta for your city in your local panchang or ask your family priest. Traditions prefer certain windows of the day and avoid certain periods, so follow what your panchang specifies.
2. **Clean the space and set the altar**: Clean the puja corner, ideally in the north-east of the home if that suits your custom. Place a low stool covered with red cloth and set the Goddess's picture or murti on it.
3. **Prepare the soil tray**: Spread a layer of clean soil in the wide clay tray, scatter barley seeds evenly, cover them with a thin layer of soil and sprinkle a little water so the soil is damp, not soaked.
4. **Prepare the kalash**: Draw a swastika on the kalash with roli, tie red thread around its neck, and fill it with water. Add a little Ganga water, a coin, a betel nut, a few grains of rice and durva or flowers, as your family does.
5. **Place the leaves and coconut**: Arrange five mango leaves in the kalash's mouth with tips pointing outward. Cover with a plate of rice if that is your custom, then rest the coconut, wrapped in red cloth and tied with thread, on top with its tufted end usually facing up or towards you.
6. **Install the kalash**: Set the kalash in the centre of the barley tray, or beside it if the tray is small, in front of the Goddess's picture.
7. **Make your sankalpa and invite the Goddess**: Light the lamp and incense. Holding water, rice and a flower, state your name, the occasion and your intention to worship the Goddess for nine days, then invite her to reside in the kalash.
8. **Offer worship**: Offer roli, rice, flowers, incense, the lamp and fruit or sweets. Chant a name-mantra or read the Durga Saptashati, and perform aarti.
9. **Care for it daily**: Each day, offer worship, sprinkle a little water on the barley so it stays damp, and keep the lamp lit if you have chosen akhand jyoti. Do not move the kalash during the nine days.
10. **Close the ritual**: After Navami or on Vijayadashami, offer a final puja, remove the coconut and leaves respectfully, sprinkle the kalash water around the home or pour it into plants, and share the barley sprouts as blessings.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the ghatasthapana muhurta in 2026?**
We don't publish a single time because the auspicious window depends on your location and tradition. Navratri begins after Mahalaya (Saturday 10 October 2026); take the exact Pratipada window from your local panchang or family priest.

**Why is barley (jau) sown during Navratri?**
Barley is regarded as an early, auspicious grain, and its sprouting over nine days is seen as a sign of prosperity and the Goddess's blessing. Families often read healthy, green sprouts as a good omen.

**What if I miss the ghatasthapana muhurta?**
Many families perform it in the next suitable window that their panchang or priest permits on the same day. Ask your priest or follow your family's practice rather than skipping the ritual.

**Can I do ghatasthapana without sowing barley?**
Yes. Many homes install only the kalash with leaves and coconut. Sowing barley is a widespread custom, especially in north India and Nepal, but not universal.

**What do I do with the barley sprouts after Navratri?**
They are commonly offered to the Goddess on the last day and then given to family members as blessings, tucked behind the ear or in a turban, kept in a wallet, or returned to soil or flowing water.