Kalash sthapana

A kalash is a pot of water that stands for the presence of the divine and of all the sacred rivers; it is set up at the start of most big pujas, such as Navratri, Satyanarayan and Griha Pravesh.

What you need

• A clean pot of copper, brass, silver or clay, filled with clean water (Ganga water if available)
• Five or seven mango leaves, with their stalks in the water
• A coconut with its husk, wrapped in a red cloth or with a red thread, placed on the leaves
• Rice, a coin, and a betel nut inside the pot, as is the custom in many families
• Roli, turmeric and a red thread (kalava) to tie around the neck of the pot

How to set it up

1. Spread a little rice or a mound of earth on the clean place of worship.
2. Place the pot on it; tie the thread around its neck and mark it with roli.
3. Fill it with water; add the rice, coin and nut, and say a short prayer.
4. Put the mango leaves around the mouth and the coconut on top.
5. Worship it with flowers, incense and a lamp, after Ganesha.

What it stands for

The pot is the body of the universe; the water, life; the leaves, growth; the coconut, offering and the divine head. At the end of the puja the water is sprinkled over the home and the coconut is broken as prasad.

This page describes common practice in plain words. Families, regions and priests differ in the details, and your own family tradition or your priest comes first. Dates and muhurat (auspicious times) change every year: ask a priest or use a trusted panchang. Nothing here promises any result.