What Goes Inside the Navratri Kalash — Metal, Colour, Size, Contents and Visarjan

Whatever the puja shop hands over is usually tipped into the kalash and released the same way at visarjan, without anyone asking what belongs in it.

The speaker says a recurring question is what should be put into the kalash when kalash sthapana is done at Navratri. Ordinarily whatever the puja shop hands over is simply tipped into the kalash, and at the time of visarjan all of it is released in the same way — so he is placing the subject before listeners.

The speaker opens by naming the question he is asked: when Ghatasthapana is done in Navratri, what exactly should be put into the Kalash? What generally happens, he says, is that whatever is given at the puja shop is all tipped into the kalash by everyone. And at the time of Visarjan, all those things are simply released in the same way. It is for this reason that he is placing the subject before listeners.

Which metal should a Navratri kalash be made of?

A clay kalash is ordinarily kept and is correct. Among metals, brass, copper and bronze kalashes are kept. An iron kalash should never be kept — and the speaker warns that iron kalashes are very often sold with yellow or red colour applied over them, so care must be taken that an iron kalash is never installed.

What metal the Kalash should be of is itself a subject, the speaker says, and so is how large it should be. This subject should never be brushed aside. Ordinarily a clay kalash is kept, and that is fine. Among metals, a kalash of brass and copper is kept, and a kalash of bronze is kept. An iron kalash should never be kept. Keep this particularly in mind, he says: very often an iron kalash is sold with yellow colour or red colour applied over the top of it. So take care that an iron kalash is never installed.

A black clay kalash is never installed; a coloured one should be yellow or red, and otherwise the plain natural clay serves.

A black-coloured clay kalash should never be installed. The colour of a clay kalash should always be yellow or red if it is coloured at all; otherwise install a kalash of the ordinary plain natural colour.

A black-coloured clay Kalash should never be installed, the speaker says. The colour of the kalash should always be yellow or red — install it only then, if it is a coloured one. Otherwise install a kalash of the sort that carries the ordinary plain colour.

How is thread wound around the neck of the kalash?

Thread should be wound nine times around the neck of the kalash. It is mauli thread, and it should be wound nine times in the name of the Nau Durga.

Around the neck of the Kalash, thread should be wrapped nine times, the speaker says. It is mauli thread, and it is to be wound nine times in the name of the Nau Durga.

What size should the Navratri kalash be?

The pramana, that is the length, is taken from the fingers of the head of the household — eight to twelve fingers, measured from the bottom right up to the mouth of the kalash. It should not be larger than twelve and not smaller than eight. Decoration, by contrast, may be as much as you wish.

As for the pramana of the Kalash — that is, how much its length is — it is reckoned by the fingers of the one who is the head of the house, the principal mukhiya: eight to twelve fingers. From eight fingers up to twelve fingers, the speaker says, the full length from below right up to the top, from the neck upward to the mouth of the whole kalash, is reckoned as twelve. It should not be larger than that, and it should not be smaller than eight fingers. That is the length of the kalash; only a kalash of that much length should be kept. The kalash itself, he adds, you should decorate as much as you wish.

How is the seat for the kalash prepared before installation?

The speaker says he is giving the general form, with no vidhi-vidhan or mantras, so that an ordinary person at home can do it with bhakti. First mix the barley seed that is to be sown calmly into the soil; then level the surface and make an ashtadal kamal or the like on it with gulal, haldi and so on. The kalash is installed on top of that.

Kalash sthapana is being told in the general way, the speaker says — no vidhi-vidhan, mantras and so on — so that an ordinary person in the house can do it, in bhakti bhav, according to whatever seva-puja is possible there. To perform Ghatasthapana, first take the barley seed that is planted, the Jaware that is sown, and mix it comfortably into the soil. After that, level it evenly and make an ashtadal kamal or the like there, with gulal, haldi and so on. The Kalash is installed on top of that.

What goes into the kalash first — sankalp, water or chandan?

Chandan wood is what is put in first. But even before that, if you know how to do sankalp, it is done with supari, a little rice, akshat — unbroken rice — and some coins, and those are then put into the kalash. After that it should be filled with water, and only then should the chandan wood go in: a small piece, red or yellow chandan, but it must be genuine chandan.

First of all, chandan wood is put into the Kalash, the speaker says. Or rather, before even that: if SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit. and so on is something you know, then sankalp is done taking supari, a little rice, AkshatUnbroken raw rice grains, held in hand along with water and flowers while taking a Sankalpa. — rice that is unbroken — and some coins, and these should be put into the kalash. After that it should be filled with water. Only then should the chandan wood be put in. A small piece of chandan, whether the red one or yellow chandan; it should be genuine chandan. That is what is put in first.

Haritaki, then supari, then coins of three metals — gold or silver, silver, and copper or the current coin — follow the chandan.

After the chandan, what is called haritaki is put in, then supari, then a gold or silver coin according to whatever one can afford. Coins of three metals should be put in — gold, silver, copper, brass, or the ordinary coin that is current; put in one of those, a silver one and a copper one. Three kinds of coin should go into the kalash.

After the chandan, what is called haritaki is put in, the speaker says. Supari is put in. A gold or silver coin, whatever one has the means for. Coins of three metals should be put in: gold, silver, copper, brass, or else the ordinary coin that there is — put that one in, put a silver one in, and put a copper one in. Three kinds of coin should be put into the Kalash.

Is the panchratna sold in puja shops trustworthy?

Panchratna — five kinds of gem — is put in. The speaker says whether what is sold in a puja shop for ten to fifteen rupees or five rupees is really panchratna becomes a matter of great doubt. Since Navratri pujan has to be done every year, he advises having upratna of a sava ratti each made up at a jeweller: it will come to fifty to a hundred rupees comfortably, so five to six hundred rupees gives a panchratna for life.

Panchratna, that is five kinds of ratna, is put in, the speaker says. But look, he says: whether what is available at the puja place, at the puja shop, for ten or fifteen rupees, for five rupees, is panchratna or not — that becomes a subject of great doubt there. Since you have to do Navratri pujan every year, have upratna of a sava ratti each made up from a jeweller's shop. It will be made comfortably in fifty to a hundred rupees — that is, in five to six hundred rupees the panchratna is done forever, for a whole lifetime. Have it made up, he says; at a sava ratti each it will also be larger, it will look beautiful, and there will be great satisfaction in your mind that you are performing pujan so well. Put that into the Kalash; the panchratnas should be put in.

Should sarvaushadhi and sapta mrittika go inside the kalash?

Sarvaushadhi should be put in, and it should be of good quality; it is available at the shop. Sapta mrittika is very often put inside the kalash, but the speaker says this differs by region — in many places it is said to go inside the kalash, and in many places one reads, hears and sees that it is put where the barley is sown. Do as suits you; in his own view putting it outside is more appropriate.

Sarvaushadhi should be put in, the speaker says; you will get it at the shop, and good quality sarvaushadhi should be used. Sapta mrittika, which comes with the samagri, is very often put inside the Kalash. But look at this region by region, he says, because it varies. In a great many places it is said that it is to be put inside the kalash, and in a great many places one also reads, and hears and sees, that it is put where the barley is sown. So put it inside or put it outside according to your own practice. In his own view, he says, it should be put outside — that is more appropriate.

Are madhu and doob grass put into the kalash?

After that, madhu should be put inside the kalash — the speaker says madhu should certainly be put in. Then a little doob grass, well washed, just a small quantity, should be put in.

After that, madhu should be put inside the Kalash, the speaker says. Madhu should certainly be put in. Then doob grass — well-washed doob grass, a little, just a small amount of doob grass, should be put in.

Panch pallav — leaves of five different trees, or five to eleven mango leaves marked with sindoor — are placed on top once the contents are in.

After all these initial items have been put in, place panch pallav on top of the kalash, or put mango leaves. Panch pallav means the leaves of five different kinds of tree; alternatively the leaves of the mango tree, with at least five leaves and at most eleven, decorated well with sindoor — what is called marking with sindoor — and then placed.

After putting in all these things, after all these initial articles have gone in, place panch Pallav on top of the Kalash, or put mango leaves, the speaker says. Five mango pallav may also be put. Panch pallav means the pallav of five different kinds of tree — five sorts of tree. Or else the pallav of the mango tree, in which there should be at least five leaves and at most eleven leaves. Decorate it well with sindoor — what is called marking with sindoor — and then place it.

How is the coconut placed on top of the kalash?

The speaker says he will make a separate video for how the coconut is placed on top of the kalash. This much was only about what is to be put into the kalash in kalash sthapana, and how and up to what size the kalash is to be kept; the vidhi beyond that, and how the seva-puja should be done, he will give in another video.

Next, the speaker says, comes the method of placing the coconut on top of the Kalash. For how the coconut is placed on the kalash, he will make a separate video. This much, he says, extended only to what is to be put into the kalash in kalash sthapana, and how and up to what measure the kalash is to be kept. The vidhi beyond this he will tell in another video — what the vidhi-vidhan of the coconut is, and how the seva-puja should be done. He hopes listeners will take benefit from hearing this subject and will put the articles into the kalash in the correct manner.

What should be recited while putting the items into the kalash?

Putting the items in along with mantras is a separate subject, the speaker says; he is giving the general method here so that anyone can hear it and do it comfortably with devotion. If no mantra is known, put in each article taking the name of Jagadamba, or while reciting या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्ति रूपेण संस्थिता, or the mantra सर्व मंगल मांगल्य. Jagadamba will certainly accept it.

Putting the items in along with mantras is a separate subject, the speaker says. Here he is telling the general method, so that anyone at all can hear it and do it comfortably and devotionally. If no mantra is known, then take the name of Jagadamba, or recite this mantra — या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्ति रूपेण संस्थिता — or recite the mantra which is सर्व मंगल मांगल्य, and while doing so put in each article. Jagadamba will certainly accept it, he says.

What should be taken out of the kalash before visarjan?

When the kalash is given visarjan in a river, keep the mouth of the kalash pressed shut — the coconut on top of it will be released first, so hold that. Then take out the panchratna from inside, all the coins there are, the chandan wood and so on. Take out the chandan wood, all three coins and the panchratna; everything else should be left in it, and the kalash will be given visarjan.

A second matter connected with the Kalash, the speaker says, concerns Visarjan. When you perform kalash visarjan and shake it out to do so, keep this in mind. When you give the kalash visarjan in a river, press the mouth of the kalash shut. That is, the coconut that will be above it will be released first, so hold that and keep hold of it. After that, the panchratna inside it, however many coins there are, the chandan wood and so on — all these things should be taken out. The chandan wood, all three coins, the panchratna: take all these things out. Everything else should be left in it, and the kalash will be given visarjan.

Can the items taken out of the kalash be used again next year?

Yes. Tie all these things in red cloth and keep them; next time you can absolutely use the very same things in the kalash again — the same chandan wood, all these same things. Keep them in a good place in the house, in the place of pujan, do puja, and use them again. There is no dosha in this and they may be used again and again. The chandan wood may be changed if wished, but if you are using a gold coin and a genuine panchratna, you can certainly use them again.

All these things should be tied in red cloth and kept, the speaker says. The next time, you can absolutely use these very same things in the Kalash again — the same chandan wood, these same articles. Keep them in a good place in the house, keep them in the place of pujan, do puja, and you can use them again. There is no dosha in this. You can use them again and again. If you wish, change the chandan wood; but as for the coin, if you are using a gold coin and using a proper panchratna, then you can certainly use it a second time.