First Day of Navratri 2026: Goddess, Date and Puja Vidhi

First Day of Shardiya Navratri 2026: Key Details

Puja Rituals for the First Day of Navratri

• Wake up early and take a bath.

• Clean the house and puja area.

• Wear clean or new clothes, preferably orange, the color associated with the First Day of Navratri.

• Perform Ghatasthapana during the auspicious muhurat.

• Worship Maa Shailputri, the first form of Navadurga.

• Offer flowers and garlands to Maa Shailputri.

• Apply sandalwood paste, kumkum, and other traditional puja items to the idol.

• Light a ghee diya, dhoop, and incense.

• Offer fruits, sweets, and bhog.

• Chant the Maa Shailputri Mantra.

• Perform morning or evening aarti with a bell and conch.

• Read or listen to Maa Shailputri Vrat Katha and stories of the Navadurga.

• Read sacred texts such as Durga Saptashati, according to your family or regional tradition.

Puja Samagri for the First Day of Navratri

To perform the Navratri Day 1 puja, devotees traditionally prepare several essential items. These may vary according to family and regional customs.

• Idol or picture of Maa Durga/Maa Shailputri.

• Kalash (made of copper, clay, or steel), clean water or Gangajal, coins, betel nut (supari), durva grass, akshat (whole rice grains).

• Coconut, mango leaves, red cloth, or chunari (sacred scarf) for the Kalash and Devi.

• Pooja thali (ritual tray) with roli, kumkum (red powder), haldi (turmeric) powder, chandan (sandalwood paste), akshat, and sindoor.

• Flowers and garlands (marigold, hibiscus, jasmine, etc.).

• Diya (especially ghee diya), dhoop, incense sticks, and camphor.

• Sweets, fruits, panchamrit (a sacred mixture of five natural ingredients: milk, yogurt (curd), honey, sugar (or jaggery), and ghee), and other sattvic prasad items.

• Ghanti (bell), shankh (conch), and, if desired, a japa mala (rudraksha or tulsi) for mantra chanting.

Ghatasthapana: An Important Ritual of the First Day of Navratri

Ghatasthapana, also known as Kalash Sthapana, is an important ritual performed on the first day of Navratri. Devotees perform Ghatasthapana during the prescribed auspicious muhurat on Pratipada. The ritual generally involves preparing the puja space, placing the Kalash, adding the required sacred items, and invoking Goddess Durga.

For the complete Ghatasthapana procedure, required samagri, and auspicious timing, see our detailed Ghatasthapana Muhurat guide.

⭐ Mantra for the First Day of Navratri

Chanting mantras helps devotees connect spiritually with Maa Shailputri. Also, this mantra is believed to bring strength and divine protection. The main mantra is:

|| Om Devi Shailputryai Namah ||

To chant the Maa Shailputri Mantra along with other associated mantras and their meanings, you can check this.

Auspicious Offerings, Flowers, and Bhog for the First Day of Navratri

Offerings on the first day are made to honor Maa Shailputri and seek her blessings and some commonly offered items include:

• Flowers: Fresh flowers such as jasmine, lotus, and marigold may be offered according to local and family traditions.

• Bhog: Fruits, milk, kheer, and other sattvik offerings are commonly prepared for the puja.

• Special Offering: Cow ghee is traditionally associated with Maa Shailputri and may be offered as part of the puja.

Understanding the rituals, colors, fasting rules, offerings, and spiritual significance helps devotees celebrate this day with deeper faith and awareness, setting the tone for a meaningful and spiritually uplifting Navratri festival.

Want to perform the 1st day of Navratri rituals the right way? Talk to an expert astrologer on Astroyogi now and get personalized guidance for puja, mantra, and vrat.