99notes at 12:01, 1 September 2025

2025-09-01T12:01:06Z

New page

{{Short description|Earthen lamps upon pots used in Hindu veneration}}
[[File:The Jyoti Kalash House, Adbhar.jpg|thumb|Display of jyoti kalashas, Adbhar]]{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}
'''Jyoti Kalasha''' ({{Langx|sa|ज्योतीकलश|translit=jyotikalaśa}}) is a symbolic representation of [[Hindu]] goddess [[Durga]]. During the [[Navaratri]] festival, devotees light jyoti kalashas in the temples of the goddess to appease her.

== Etymology ==
The term jyoti kalasha comes from a combination of two [[Sanskrit]] words - [[Wiktionary:ज्योतिस्|jyoti]] (light/lamp) and [[kalasha]] (metal pot).

== Description ==
A jyoti kalasha consists of earthen lamps ([[Diya (light)|diyas]]) lit with [[ghee]], which are placed on earthen pots ([[kalasha]]), covered with earthen lid. The fire (jyoti) burns continuously for nine days and nights of Navaratri, symbolising the divine presence of mother goddess on earth during nine days of Navaratri.<ref name="cg">{{cite news|title=Chhattisgarh, a land of temples|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/raipur/63848-chhattisgarh-a-land-of-temples.html|accessdate=10 August 2012|newspaper=The Daily Pioneer|date=9 May 2012}}</ref> Surrounding the main temple are many big halls where jyoti kalashas, lit by the devotees are kept for nine days, which are supervised by volunteers, who keep feeding the lamps with ghee for nine days.<ref name="cg" />

Many people install jyoti kalashas at their home also during Navaratri. The procession of jyoti kalasha is taken out on ninth and final day of festival to immerse the jyoti kalashas in river or other water bodies.<ref name="hc">[http://elegalix.allahabadhighcourt.in/elegalix/WebShowJudgment.do Shri H.S. Jain, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has arranged for Akhand Jyoti Kalash procession to immerse the same in river Kalyani. Procession is to be taken out from the prescribed route from temple of goddess Durga to the said river in village Safdarganj, district Barabanki.] Vasudev Gupta v State Of U.P., Thru. Princ. Secy., Home & Others</ref><ref name="dn">{{cite news|title=नवसंवत्सर की पूर्व संध्या पर निकाली झांकियां Jyoti Kalash procession taken out on eve of Navaratri festival - Rajasthan|url=http://www.dainiknavajyoti.com/hindi/news_details.php?newsid=85494|accessdate=17 August 2012|newspaper=Dainik Navajyoti|date=23 March 2012|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225092208/https://www.dainiknavajyoti.in/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The jyoti kalasha procession can be seen in [[Rajasthan]]<ref name="dn" /> [[Uttar Pradesh]],<ref name="hc" /> [[Madhya Pradesh]] and especially in [[Chhattisgarh]], where the festival and installation of jyoti kalasha is very popular and people throng the temples of [[Bambleshwari Temple|Bambleshwari]], [[Danteshwari Temple|Danteshwari]], [[Mahamaya Temple|Mahamaya]], Maoli, Kankalin, [[Ashtabhuji Temple]], [[Adbhar]] and many others to install the jyoti kalasha.<ref name="cg" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Janjgir Champa Heart of Chhattisgarh|url=http://janjgir-champa.nic.in/touristplace.htm|publisher=Official Website of Janjgir Champa District, Chhattisgarh|accessdate=10 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502195148/http://janjgir-champa.nic.in/touristplace.htm|archive-date=2 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
*[[Diya (lamp)|Diya]]

[[Category:Objects used in Hindu worship]]
[[Category:Hindu symbols]]
[[Category:Containers]]
[[Category:Fire in Hindu worship]]
[[Category:Hindu iconography]]
[[Category:Culture of Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Religion in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Culture of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Culture of Rajasthan]]

Jyoti Kalash - Revision history

99notes at 12:01, 1 September 2025