Navratri — nine nights of Durga worship — is one of the most celebrated festivals in India. Each of the nine days honours a different form of Goddess Durga (the Navadurga), with specific flowers, colours, and offerings. Getting the puja samagri right for all nine days is both a devotional and a logistical challenge.
This guide, informed by the traditions of Kashi pandits, walks you through exactly what you need — day by day — to perform Navratri puja authentically at home.
Navratri Puja Samagri: The Complete List
Essential Items (Required for All 9 Days)
- Goddess Durga idol or framed image (all 9 forms, or a single main murti)
- Kalash with mango leaves and coconut (established on Day 1)
- Akhand diya (must burn continuously for all 9 days)
- Red cloth for altar
- Gangajal
- Roli, kumkum, haldi
- Chandan (sandalwood paste)
- Akshat (unbroken red rice)
- Ghee (cow ghee for diya)
- Cotton wicks (sufficient for 9 days)
- Camphor (kapoor) for daily aarti
- Dhoop / incense sticks
- Tulsi, bel patra leaves
- Supari, paan, cloves
- Naariyal
- Panchmeva (mixed dry fruits for bhog)
- Mishri (rock sugar)
Flower Offerings by Day
Each form of Durga has a preferred flower. Kashi pandits follow this traditional mapping:
- Day 1 (Shailputri) — White flowers (jasmine)
- Day 2 (Brahmacharini) — White flowers, bel patra
- Day 3 (Chandraghanta) — White/yellow flowers
- Day 4 (Kushmanda) — Red roses
- Day 5 (Skandamata) — Yellow marigold
- Day 6 (Katyayani) — Red hibiscus (gudhal)
- Day 7 (Kalaratri) — Blue / dark flowers
- Day 8 (Mahagauri) — White flowers (lotus preferred)
- Day 9 (Siddhidatri) — Mixed flowers, lotus
Colour-Based Chunri Offerings
In the Kashi tradition, a chunri (cloth) is offered to the goddess on Ashtami or Navami. The colour follows the Navratri colour calendar. Red and orange are most auspicious for concluding the puja.
Kanya Puja Items (Ashtami / Navami)
- Halwa (wheat sheera)
- Puri
- Chana (black chickpeas)
- Sweets / mithai
- Small gifts for kanya (girls aged 2–10)
- Red chunri for each kanya
Havan Items (Day 9 — Navami Havan)
- Havan kund
- Havan samagri mix
- Mango wood (aam ki lakdi)
- Ghee for 108 ahutis
- Sesame seeds (til)
- Barley (jau)
Day-by-Day Navratri Vidhi
Day 1: Kalash Sthapna (Ghatasthapana)
The most important ritual of the entire Navratri. At an auspicious muhurt (typically in the first hour after sunrise), the kalash is established with clean water, a coin, mango leaves, and a coconut. Soil is placed at the base and barley seeds sown — these sprout over 9 days as an auspicious sign. The akhand diya is lit and must not be extinguished.
Days 2–8: Daily Puja Routine
Each day follows the same sequence: morning bath → light the puja diya → offer fresh flowers specific to that day's goddess form → recite Durga Saptashati (or selected stotras) → perform aarti with camphor → offer bhog (fruit, mishri, or halwa).
Day 8–9: Ashtami / Navami — Kanya Puja
Nine young girls (representing the Navadurga) are invited, their feet washed, and they are worshipped before being served the traditional Ashtami bhog of halwa-puri-chana. A red chunri and small gifts are offered. This is considered the culminating ritual of Navratri.
Day 9: Navami Havan & Visarjan
A havan is performed with 108 ahutis offered to Durga. The kalash is then dissolved in a flowing water body (or a bucket of water), and the sprouted barley is distributed as prasad.
Tips from Kashi Pandits for Navratri
- Never let the akhand diya go out. Arrange a relay watch in the family to maintain it overnight.
- Use pure ghee, not oil, for the akhand diya. Oil is used in everyday diyas; the Navratri diya traditionally uses cow ghee.
- Barley for ghatasthapana must be fresh. Old or treated seeds may not sprout.
- Kanya puja should be performed before family members eat on Ashtami. The kanyas are served first — they represent the goddess herself.
Shop the Navratri Puja Kit from Kashi
Our Navratri Durga Puja Kit contains all essentials — samagri for all 9 days, including havan items for Navami, curated by Kashi pandits and delivered across India and worldwide.
Shop Navratri Puja Kit → advikrituals.com/products/navratri-durga-pooja-kit