Festival

Navratri Puja Vidhi

A commonly practised guide to daily Navratri worship of the Devi.

5 min

Deity: Devi
Tradition: Shakta
Occasion: Navratri
Source: Durga Saptashati & Navratri Vidhi (Gita Press); Devi Mahatmya (Markandeya Purana).

सामग्री

Required materials

Durga / Devi image or a photo of the nine forms
Chowki with red cloth
Kalash (ghatasthapana) with water, coin, mango leaves, coconut
Clean sand tray and barley seeds for jayanti (khetri)
Akhand jyot (ghee lamp) if keeping a continuous flame
Red flowers, red chunari and a garland
Roli, kumkum, haldi, akshata, mehndi, bindi, bangles (sindoor-shringar)
Chandan, panchamrit, Gangajal
Dhoop, camphor
Halwa-puri, chana and coconut for naivedya (esp. Ashtami/Navami)
Nine forms remembrance and the Durga Saptashati / Durga Chalisa book
Betel, dakshina

संकल्प

Sankalpa

ॐ विष्णुर्विष्णुर्विष्णुः। अद्य (देश-काल-तिथि-वार-नक्षत्रोच्चारणपूर्वकम्) (नाम)-नामाहं (गोत्र)-गोत्रः मम आत्मनः श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणोक्तफलप्राप्त्यर्थं श्रीDeviप्रीत्यर्थं यथाशक्ति पूजनम् अहं करिष्ये॥

Recite the sankalpa holding water, flowers and rice in the right palm; then release the water.

पूजा विधि

Step-by-step procedure

1
Ghatasthapana (घटस्थापना)
On Pratipada, at the muhurat, sow barley in the sand tray and establish the kalash with the Devi invoked in it.
2
Achamana & Sankalpa (आचमन-संकल्प)
Purify and make the nine-day sankalpa of worship, fasting and restraint.
3
Devi Aavahan (आवाहन)
Invoke the Goddess with 'ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः' and light the akhand jyot if kept.
4
Shodashopachara (षोडशोपचार)
Offer asana, padya, arghya, snana, vastra, chandan, sindoor-shringar and red flowers.
5
Nava-durga smarana (नवदुर्गा)
Each day, worship the form of that tithi — Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, and so on.
6
Path (पाठ)
Recite the Durga Saptashati / Durga Chalisa / Argala-Kilaka as per capacity.
7
Dhoop, Deep, Naivedya (धूप-दीप-नैवेद्य)
Offer incense, lamp, and the day's bhog.
8
Aarti (आरती)
Perform the Durga aarti (Jai Ambe Gauri) morning and evening.
9
Kanya-pujan (कन्या-पूजन)
On Ashtami/Navami, worship and feed young girls (kanya) as forms of the Devi; give them gifts.
10
Visarjan & Prasad (विसर्जन-प्रसाद)
On completion, seek forgiveness, do visarjan of the kalash/jayanti, and distribute prasad.

मंत्र

Mantras

ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः

oṃ duṃ durgāyai namaḥ

The beeja-mantra of Durga — used for invocation and offerings.

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥

yā devī sarva-bhūteṣu śakti-rūpeṇa saṃsthitā · namas tasyai namas tasyai namas tasyai namo namaḥ

To the Goddess who abides in all beings as power — salutations, again and again.

सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके। शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते॥

sarva-maṅgala-māṅgalye śive sarvārtha-sādhike · śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo'stu te

O auspiciousness of all that is auspicious, granter of every aim, refuge, three-eyed Gauri, Narayani — salutations to you.

उपचार

Offerings (Upachara)

ॐ गन्धं समर्पयामि।

oṃ gandhaṃ samarpayāmi

I offer sandal paste (gandha).

ॐ पुष्पं समर्पयामि।

oṃ puṣpaṃ samarpayāmi

I offer flowers (pushpa).

ॐ धूपमाघ्रापयामि।

oṃ dhūpam āghrāpayāmi

I offer incense (dhupa).

ॐ दीपं दर्शयामि।

oṃ dīpaṃ darśayāmi

I show the lamp (deepa).

ॐ नैवेद्यं निवेदयामि।

oṃ naivedyaṃ nivedayāmi

I offer the food (naivedya).

Standard panchopachara — offer each item while reciting the corresponding mantra.

Sources & References

Source / TraditionDurga Saptashati & Navratri Vidhi (Gita Press); Devi Mahatmya (Markandeya Purana).

Regional TraditionNavratri customs vary widely by region.

Editorial NoteGhatasthapana is done at the Pratipada muhurat; the nine forms are worshipped over the nine days. Kanya-pujan on Ashtami/Navami is widely observed. Details vary by region and family.

Dharmartha presents traditional knowledge with respect for its sources. Practices vary by lineage and region; this material does not assert exclusive or universal authority.

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