In Vedic astrology, nine celestial influences known as the Navagraha are traditionally associated with the course of a person's life. Navagraha Shanti is the puja families perform to honour all nine together and seek their blessings, especially when a kundali reading suggests a difficult phase or a new chapter is about to begin.
This guide explains who the nine grahas are, when families arrange Navagraha Shanti, how the puja is performed with jaap and homam, what details you should share with the Pandit, and how the online option works for families living far from home.
The nine grahas
Each graha has its own deity, colour, grain and mantra in the tradition. The nine are:
- Surya, the Sun, associated with vitality and authority
- Chandra, the Moon, associated with the mind and emotions
- Mangal, Mars, associated with energy and courage
- Budh, Mercury, associated with intellect and communication
- Guru or Brihaspati, Jupiter, associated with wisdom and growth
- Shukra, Venus, associated with relationships and comfort
- Shani, Saturn, associated with discipline and patience
- Rahu and Ketu, the lunar nodes, associated with sudden change and detachment
These associations are traditional beliefs. A puja is an act of devotion and is not a substitute for medical, financial or professional advice.
When families perform Navagraha Shanti
Families usually arrange the puja in one of these situations:
- When an astrologer or Pandit, after reading the kundali, advises it for a challenging period.
- During Shani Sade Sati or Dhaiya, often alongside a Shani Shanti puja.
- Before a major step such as a wedding, a new job, a business launch or a move abroad.
- As part of Griha Pravesh or Vastu Shanti, where the Navagraha are worshipped among the other deities.
- On a birthday or at the start of a new year, simply as a prayer for balance.
How the puja is performed
A Navagraha Shanti puja with a short jaap usually takes two to three hours. When combined with a full Navagraha homam it can take three to five hours, and some families choose a multi day anushthan with individual jaap for a particular graha.
- 1Sankalp with birth detailsThe Pandit takes the sankalp in the family member's name, gotra and nakshatra, stating the intention of the puja.
- 2Ganesh Pujan and Kalash SthapanaLord Ganesha is worshipped first and the kalash is installed.
- 3Navagraha mandalNine sections are prepared on a cloth or board, each with the grain and colour traditionally linked to its graha.
- 4Navagraha jaapThe beej mantra of each graha is chanted. In a fuller puja, the mantras are repeated a set number of times.
- 5Navagraha homamOfferings of ghee, samidha (specific woods for each graha) and samagri are made into the fire with mantras for all nine.
- 6Purnahuti, aarti and daanThe final offering and aarti follow. Many families also give daan, charity in grains or cloth associated with the grahas.
What to share with the Pandit
To prepare the sankalp and suggest the right format, the Pandit will usually ask for:
- Name and gotra of the person the puja is for
- Date, time and place of birth, if known
- Any specific concern or graha mentioned in a kundali reading
- The occasion, if the puja is part of a wedding, griha pravesh or business opening
- Your preferred language: Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil or Marathi
If you have no kundali, a general Navagraha Shanti for all nine grahas is still commonly performed. A separate kundali consultation can be arranged if you want one.
Online Navagraha Shanti
Navagraha Shanti is one of the pujas that suits online booking well. The Pandit performs the full vidhi in India while the family joins on video and takes part in the sankalp. This is popular with families in the USA, UK, UAE and Singapore, and with relatives in different cities who want to join together.
The family keeps a diya, incense and flowers ready, and the Pandit explains each step as it happens. Timings are planned around your time zone.
Navagraha Shanti and the other graha pujas
Navagraha Shanti honours all nine grahas together, which is why it is the most commonly booked graha puja. When a kundali reading points to one graha in particular, families sometimes choose a dedicated puja instead or as well.
- Shani Shanti puja, often chosen during Sade Sati or Dhaiya
- Rahu Ketu puja and Kaal Sarp Dosh puja, for concerns linked to the lunar nodes
- Mangal Dosha puja, frequently discussed before a wedding
- Individual graha shanti for Surya, Chandra, Budh, Guru or Shukra, with that graha's full jaap count
- Nakshatra Shanti, focused on the birth nakshatra rather than a graha
If you are unsure which puja suits your situation, a kundali consultation with a Pandit can help before you decide.
Preparing at home
If the puja is at home, keep a clean space of about two metres by two metres for the mandal and the havan, ideally near a window or on a balcony if a homam is included. The Pandit will share a samagri list, which usually includes the nine grains associated with the grahas, coloured cloths, flowers, fruits, sweets and the samidha woods for the homam.
The person for whom the puja is performed should be present for the sankalp, dressed in clean, simple clothes. Many families fast until the puja is complete, though this is a personal choice and not required by every tradition. Children and elderly family members can join for the aarti even if they do not sit through the whole ritual.
After the puja, the Pandit may suggest simple practices such as chanting a particular mantra, wearing a colour on a certain day or giving daan on the graha's day. These are traditional practices and families follow them as they feel comfortable.
Choosing a day
Families often choose a day linked to the graha that is the main concern, such as Saturday for Shani or Sunday for Surya, or an auspicious tithi suggested by the Pandit. For a general Navagraha Shanti, any day chosen from the panchang with the family's details is suitable. Share the dates you have in mind and the Pandit will suggest options.
Questions to ask before you book
Because Navagraha Shanti can range from a short puja to a multi day anushthan, it helps to be clear about the format before the day. Asking a few questions up front avoids confusion and makes sure the puja matches what your family has in mind.
- Will the puja include a homam, or only the mandal puja and jaap?
- How many times will each graha mantra be chanted, and by how many Pandits?
- Is the puja focused on one graha, or on all nine equally?
- Which samagri will the Pandit bring, and which items should the family keep ready?
- Will the Pandit explain the steps in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil or Marathi?
- If the puja is online, how will the family take part in the sankalp and the aarti?
Navagraha Shanti cost
On PujaKarma, Navagraha Puja starts at a dakshina of ₹5,100. The amount rises with a full homam, extended jaap counts, more Pandits or a multi day anushthan, and with samagri arranged by us or travel beyond the service area. Pandits are available across Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Varanasi and Prayagraj, and online.
Everything is confirmed with you on WhatsApp before you book.
