First Pooja Kalash Sthaapana

On the first day of Navaratri a Kalasa or Ghata is installed. This rite is not included in the poojas of Bengal. It is performed mostly in southern states, Gujarat and Saurashtra. There is a description about installation of kalasa in Durgarchanapaddhati. According to it one should make an altar with clay and sow yava and wheat grains while chanting texts from Rig Veda. A jar made of gold or silver or copper or clay should be installed in the middle. It should be filled with water, as rig vedic texts are chanted. The water should be mixed with sandalwood paste, sarvaushadi(there are several ingredients of sarvaushadi but three different texts prescribe three different lists of ingredients!). To it are added druva grass, leaves from five trees, clay from seven places, fruit, five jewels and gold. Appropriate mantras are chanted as these ingredients are inserted into the kalasa. The vessel should then be wrapped around with a piece of cloth. The kalasa should then be placed on a Purna patra, a cup filled with rice grains.

In the homes of southern states especially, statues of Devi and other gods, with soldiers and elephants and horses were kept on display together with a kalasa. People then started keeping images of all kinds of things in the pooja. The pooja is known as "kolu" Every day for nine days poojas and neivedya are offered and friends and relations are invited to join the poojas. It has now become largely a ritual by ladies for ladies and an occasion for socialising.