The kalasham represents all the deities and the whole of creation; at the start of a puja, a pot filled with water is set up and the divine is invoked into it. Pasupu (turmeric) stands for auspiciousness and purity, kumkum for saubhagyam and Shakti, and akshintalu (unbroken rice) for completeness and blessings. Almost no Telugu auspicious occasion happens without these four.
What is a kalasham in puja?
A kalasham is a copper, silver, brass or clay pot filled with water, with mango leaves placed in its mouth and a coconut smeared with pasupu and kumkum on top. Vratams, gruhapravesham, weddings, Navaratri and homams all begin with kalasha sthapana. The belief is that the deity resides in the kalasham until the puja ends.
A well-known verse recited in kalasha puja is:
Kalashasya mukhe Vishnuh kanthe Rudrah samashritah, mule tatra sthito Brahma madhye matruganah smritah
It means Vishnu resides at the mouth of the kalasham, Rudra at its neck, Brahma at its base and the Matruganas in the middle. In other words, the entire divine power is invoked into one small vessel. The water inside is regarded as the water of the sacred rivers.
What each part of the kalasham means
- Pot: the earth and the body.
- Water: life and the sacred rivers.
- Mango leaves: freshness, auspiciousness and abundance; usually five leaves are used.
- Coconut: fullness, and the head of the deity.
- Cloth and flowers: decoration offered to the deity.
How to do kalasha sthapana
- Make a small base of rice or rice flour at the puja spot and draw a muggu on it.
- Smear pasupu on the outside of a clean kalasham, add kumkum dots and tie a thread if you wish.
- Fill it about three-fourths with clean water. Many add a few akshintalu, a flower and a coin.
- Arrange mango leaves around the mouth.
- Place a coconut smeared with pasupu and kumkum, with the tuft facing up, on the leaves. Some wrap a blouse piece or cloth around it.
- Offer flowers and akshintalu and invoke the deity.
After the puja, the kalasham water is sprinkled in all the rooms and the rest is poured into the tulasi plant or other plants. The coconut is used as prasadam. Customs for the udvasana of the kalasham vary between families, so follow your purohit's advice.
Why is pasupu so important?
In Telugu culture, pasupu is the first mark of mangalam. Applying it on the threshold, touching wedding cards with it and putting a pasupu dot on new clothes all signal an auspicious beginning. Many pujas start with Gauramma or Ganapati shaped from turmeric.
Turmeric has long been valued in tradition as a symbol of purity. The mangala snanam of the bride and groom and the turmeric root tied in the wedding thread show how central it is.
Pasupu at home
Many Telugu homes apply pasupu to the threshold and add kumkum dots on Fridays or Tuesdays. Before festivals, the house is cleaned and the thresholds are smeared with turmeric as a sign of welcoming Lakshmi. Which day a family follows depends on its own custom.
Why do we wear kumkum?
Traditional kumkum is made from turmeric, which is why pasupu and kumkum are always spoken of together. Its red colour symbolises Shakti, the Goddess's grace and saubhagyam. Offering pasupu-kumkum to muttaiduvas and including a kumkum box in vayanams are cherished Telugu customs.
Kumkum is worn on the forehead between the eyebrows, a point the yoga tradition calls the ajna chakra; elders say the bottu there reminds us to stay focused and remember God. In kumkumarchana, the Goddess's names are chanted while offering kumkum, which is later worn as prasadam.
Choosing kumkum with care
Many kinds of kumkum are sold today, and synthetic colours may not suit everyone's skin. In that case, choose traditional turmeric-based kumkum. Store puja kumkum in a clean, dry box.
What are akshintalu and why are they used?
Akshata means unbroken or imperishable. Whole rice grains are mixed with pasupu, and some families add a little ghee or kumkum. Akshintalu symbolise completeness and lasting blessings.
- At weddings, guests shower akshintalu on the couple's heads.
- Elders bless children with akshintalu.
- When an item for an upachara is unavailable, akshintalu are offered with the words akshatan samarpayami.
- After listening to a vrata katha, devotees place akshintalu on their heads.
Never use broken rice for akshintalu; choose clean, whole grains.
At a glance: what each item symbolises
| Item | Symbolises | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Kalasham | All deities, creation | Vratams, gruhapravesham, weddings, Navaratri |
| Pasupu | Mangalam, purity | Threshold, Gauri puja, mangala snanam, pasupu Ganapati |
| Kumkum | Saubhagyam, Shakti | Bottu, kumkumarchana, vayanams |
| Akshintalu | Completeness, blessings | Weddings, blessings, puja upacharas |
Key points
- Vishnu, Rudra, Brahma and the Matruganas are invoked in the kalasham, making it a symbol of all divine power.
- Water, mango leaves, coconut, pasupu and kumkum are essential for kalasha sthapana.
- Pasupu marks auspicious beginnings, kumkum saubhagyam and akshintalu blessings.
- Always use unbroken rice for akshintalu.
- Follow family custom and your purohit for details such as kalasha udvasana.