Navagraha Shanti Puja: Samagri List and Vidhi

• A Navagraha idol, yantra, or nine small kalashes representing each of the nine deities
• Nine types of grains (navadhanya), commonly used in the ritual arrangement
• Coloured cloths traditionally associated with each graha, as guided by the officiating priest
• Til (sesame seeds), ghee and jaggery
• Akshat, kumkum, haldi and chandan
• Fresh flowers, ideally a variety for the nine deities
• A lamp with multiple wicks, or nine small diyas
• Betel leaves and betel nuts
• Fruits and sweets for naivedya
• Camphor and incense for aarti
• Havan samagri, including samidha (sacred wood) and ghee, since a full Navagraha puja usually includes a havan
• A copper vessel and Ganga jal

1. The priest or the family begins with sankalp, stating the purpose of the puja.

2. Lord Ganesha is worshipped first, as is customary before any major puja.

3. The nine kalashes or the Navagraha idols are installed and worshipped one at a time, offering the appropriate coloured cloth, flowers and akshat to each.

4. Mantras or stotras dedicated to each of the nine grahas are chanted, usually led by a qualified priest familiar with the correct sequence and pronunciation.

5. A havan is performed, with samidha and ghee offered into the sacred fire while the respective graha mantras are recited.

6. Aarti is performed once the havan is complete.

7. Prasad is distributed to everyone present, and in many traditions, a portion of grains or cloth used in the puja is later given to those in need, as an act of charity connected with the ceremony.

The timing of a Navagraha Puja is generally decided in consultation with a family priest, who considers the household's specific occasion for performing it. Mornings are typically preferred for a havan-based ceremony, since the ritual can take a few hours to complete correctly.

This guidance is traditional and general in nature. It is not meant to predict specific outcomes for an individual, but simply to help a family choose a day when the full ceremony can be conducted calmly and without being rushed.

• Approaching the puja out of fear or superstition about misfortune. The tradition frames this worship as a prayer for balance and peace of mind, not as a way of forcing a particular outcome.

• Attempting a full Navagraha havan without a qualified priest, since it involves handling a sacred fire and reciting several mantras in the correct sequence.

• Skipping the initial Ganesh Puja, which is considered an important first step in this and nearly every other Hindu ceremony.

• Rushing through the ritual. A complete Navagraha havan is elaborate and typically takes a few hours; patience is part of the practice.

• Not ensuring proper ventilation where the havan is performed, since the ceremony involves a sustained fire and smoke.

• Treating the puja as a mere formality rather than participating with genuine attention and sincerity.

At its core, Navagraha Puja is a prayer for equanimity, for the inner strength to meet whatever life brings with steadiness rather than anxiety. It is less about controlling the future and more about approaching it with faith.

A simple invocation, Om Navagrahaya Namah, offered with sincere attention, carries the same spirit as the most elaborate havan: a quiet request for balance, and the grace to face each day with calm.