Durga (Nine Forms — Navadurga)

Clean the puja area. Place clean soil in a clay pot and sow barley seeds. Fill the kalash with water, place mango leaves around the rim, and set a coconut on top wrapped in red cloth. Install the kalash on the soil bed. This represents Goddess Durga.

Light the akhand jyoti (eternal flame) near the kalash. This lamp must remain burning continuously for all 9 days and nights of Navratri. Use ghee or sesame oil.

Hold water and akshat in the right hand. State your name, gotra, the tithi (Chaitra Shukla Pratipada), and resolve to worship Navadurga for 9 days. Release the water.

Each day, worship the specific form of Durga: Day 1 — Shailaputri, Day 2 — Brahmacharini, Day 3 — Chandraghanta, Day 4 — Kushmanda, Day 5 — Skandamata, Day 6 — Katyayani, Day 7 — Kalaratri, Day 8 — Mahagauri, Day 9 — Siddhidatri. Offer the designated color flower and recite the specific mantra for each form.

After the daily worship, chant the Durga Beej Mantra 108 times. This is the core mantra practice for all 9 days of Navratri.

On Ashtami or Navami, invite 9 young girls (representing 9 forms of Durga) for Kanya Puja. Wash their feet, apply tilak, offer them food, sweets, gifts, and dakshina. This is one of the most sacred acts of Navratri.

On the final day, perform havan (fire ritual) with Navratri samagri. Offer ghee, samagri, and recite Durga mantras. After havan, do visarjan of the kalash — immerse or respectfully dispose of the items. The sprouted barley is distributed as prasad.