Navratri, as the name says, is a nine-day long festival celebrated in honour of Maa Durga. According to the new Hindu Lunar year, it is celebrated four times annually. The types of Navratri include Chaitra Navratri, Shardiya Navratri and two Gupt Navratri during the commencement of the year.
The commencement of the Navratri festival begins with the auspicious ritual called Ghatasthapana or Kalash Sthapana. The ritual of collecting Kalash or Ghat is a formal invitation to Maa Durga to your house. In other words, Kalash is the representative of luck, energy and strength. To know about the Ghatasthapana timings, Kalash installation auspicious time, ritual and other details regarding Shardiya Navratri, read further.
What Is Navratri Ghatasthapana?
Ghatasthapana is considered one of the most important rituals of Navratri. It marks the commencement of the nine days of this auspicious festival and its festivities. As per the sacred texts, there are well-defined rules and timings to perform the installation of Kalash or Ghatasthapana. Ghatasthapana is the summoning of Goddess Shakti, and as per the Hindu scriptures, one may feel the wrath of Goddess Shakti if one performs this act wrongly. Ghatsthapana is prohibited during the complete waning phase of the moon or Amavasya and night-time.
The best and most auspicious time to perform the Ghatasthapana is considered as the first third of the day. If somehow, one is not able to perform Ghatasthapana during this time, then it can be done during Abhijit Muhurta. It is recommended to stay away from Chitra Nakshatra and Vaidhriti Yoga during Ghatasthapana, but that is not prohibited. One of the most important things to notice is that the Ghatasthapana should be done before noon.
Muhurat For Navratri Ghatasthapana 2023
Shardiya Navratri 2023 Ghatasthapana Date – 15th October 2023
Ghatasthapana Muhurat -11:44 AM to 12:30 PM
Ghatasthapana Muhurat is fixed during Abhijit Muhurat
Pratipada Tithi Begins – 11:24 PM on Oct 14, 2023
Pratipada Tithi Ends – 12:32 AM on Oct 16, 2023
For more such auspicious Muhurats, you can refer to Hindu Panchang.
Ghatasthapana Ritual Ingredients
There is a long list of ingredients required for Ghatasthapana. The list includes idol or picture of Maa Durga, vermilion, saffron, camphor, barley, fragrance sticks, new clothes, mirror, comb, bracelet, bangle, perfumed oil, toran (leaves tied together on a string) of mango leaves, red coloured flowers and durva to replace Ghatasthapana or Maa Durga.
The list doesn’t stop here; hold your breath. It further continues with Rosemary, bindi, whole betel nut, a lump of turmeric and ground turmeric, Patra, seat, chaki, roli, mauli, flowerpot, bel leaves, kamalgatta, lamp and lamp head cotton, Naividhya, honey, sugar, nutmeg, Panchmeva, mace, coconut, asana, sand, clay betel, clove, cardamom, urn made of clay or brass.
Other havan materials like thali (brass plate), white clothes, milk curd, seasonal fruity, yellow and white mustard, the holy water of Ganga and other requirements for worship. A knowledgeable priest can tell the importance of all these ingredients. It is worth knowing the importance of all these objects in welcoming Maa Durga.
Methodology Behind Ghatasthapana
Following guidelines should be followed to perform the holy act of Ghatasthapana of Maa Durga in Navratri.
- The area or the room where Ghatashthapana will be done should be clean and devoid of any dirt.
- Take a container or a jug made of clay or copper with a large wide-open mouth and then fill it with soil and implant seven types of grains, including wheat, jowar and likewise. Nowadays, people also choose a grain or lentils to include in seven types of grains. The hymns and mantras dedicated to Lord Varun (god of water) are chanted while sowing the grains. It is advisable to know the Vedic mantra or a learned person in the group who knows it. Sometimes a priest is called to perform the Ghatasthapana. However, if you don’t know Vedic mantras, one can chant a mantra dedicated to Goddess Shakti.
- After that, make a layered square or rectangle with 5-7 cm thickness in the pooja room or area of Ghatasthapana. Grains are also sown on this.
- A picture, idol or any related incarnations of Goddess Shakti can be established in the area of worship. It is recommended to place Shri Yantra near Goddess Durga. A clay pot with a painting of Maa Durga can also be used.
- A kalash (pot or container) can be made from a copper, silver or earthen pot. Fill the container with holy water, sandalwood or paste, flowers, Durva grass, turmeric, rice betel nut, five leaves uncut or a gold coin. All these items are put into the vessel. After that, a coconut is kept on top of the kalash. Few people, instead of coconut, use a garland to cover the head of the kalash.
- Flowers, paintings or garland are offered on a pot. Akhand lamps are lit morning and evening, and aarti is performed. People who strictly follow the rituals keep an Akhand diya that continues to burn for the entire nine days of Navratri.
- Due to variation in folklore, the mantras chanted to worship Maa Durga vary from region to region and according to the family tradition. Some people do not go into the complexity of mantras and follow simple Goddess Durga Mantras.
- While offering flowers, prasad, the devotee should utter the sentence “I offer (name of the flower) flowers to Goddess Durga.”
- One must make sure that the grain sown should have moisture around for proper growth. Daily fresh flowers and garlands should be offered on all nine days.
- On the tenth and final day, the grain sown would have grown 3 to 5 inches, and it is then cut and given as prasad to the family members, friends and neighbours. Some people also offer these grains into a river or a pool.
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How To Install Kalash During Navratri?
The invocation of Maa Durga takes place in the form of a Kalash. Along with this, the Akhand Diya is also considered a metaphor for Maa Durga. Let us know in detail about the Navratri Kalash installation.
- On the outer side of Kalash, apply a tilak of turmeric.
- Put some coins in the water.
- Place mango leaves around the neck of the Kalash.
- The bottom of the leaves should touch the water, while the head of the leaves should be facing up.
- Then place a coconut with its husk on the mouth of the Kalash. The husk should be facing upwards towards the sky.
- After that, apply sandalwood, turmeric, and kumkum tilak on the Kalash.
- After that, place the Kalash around the centre of the earthen pot and then spread the soil evenly around it.
- Take the seeds of Navadhanya and sow on the surface evenly and cover it with a thin layer of soil.
- After that, sprinkle some amount of water required for the seed. The seed shall germinate during the nine days into small plants. The growth of the seed indicates positivity, growth and success.
- Place the unit on a wooden takta that is covered with a new piece of cloth.
- Once the step is completed, offer new cloth and a garland made out of fresh flowers to the Kalash.
- One needs to make resolutions and complete the fast with full dedication and devotion.
- Then perform Panchopchar Puja, and for this, one must light a lamp of mustard, sesame oil or clarified butter.
- After that, offer incense sticks, flowers, betel leaf, betel nuts, banana, coconut, turmeric, kumkum and money in terms of coins.
- In the end, offer the Bhog or Naivedya to Maa.
- Complete puja by singing Jay Ambe Aarti.
- Bhog and Naivedya should be distributed in the form of Prasad.
Significance of Navratri Ghatasthapana
During the pious festival of Navaratri, devotees worship Goddess Durga and her various incarnations, including Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhi Dayini. Parallelly, devotees worship the main three forms of Goddess Shakti, namely Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi, to get the showering divine blessings.
Family and friends, as per their traditions, gather and celebrate Navratri with pomp and joy. This festival is very much popular in regions of Gujarat. During this time in Gujarat, dandiya (a form of dance) is played, and people follow fast and spend their time offering prayers to Maa Durga.
In the eastern part of India, this festival is celebrated as Durga Pujo. In the north and west part of India, it is celebrated by the name of Navratri. The nine days of devotion to Maa Durga will ultimately culminate with Dussehra, the day when Lord Ram killed Ravana. In various parts of India, a dummy idol of Ravana is burnt, indicating the victory of good over evil.
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Conclusion
Navratri is one of the most important and popular festivals among Hindus. Ghatasthapana or Kalash Sthapana is one of the main and important rituals during Navratri. Ghatasthapana should be done with utmost devotion and care to invoke Maa Durga.
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