Steps of doing Prapatti

Take a huge paraat (plate with raised edges) and place it on a chaurang or paat (Indian traditional wooden stool). Put whole wheat grains in the paraat and place a kalash (small metal pot) in it. Add rice grains in the kalash and place a tamhan (a small metal plate) over it. Make two footprints of the Mother Chandika in the tamhan. The right footprint should be made from kumkum while the left one of turmeric. Place a picture of Swayam Bhagwan Trivikram in the paraat, resting against the kalash. This is the arrangement required for the pooja.

Women need to bring along a plate (tabak) and the material required for pooja at the venue. The poojan material includes drumsticks, bananas, cucumber or bottle gourd, a shreephal i.e. coconut, carrots, radish or ivy gourd, udad dal, sesame oil, curd, powdered turmeric (not whole), ginger, jaggery, tamarind, sugarcane pieces, fragrant flowers and the abhicharnashak purchundi (a small bundle that destroys imprecation). For making this bundle, take a beetle leaf and place salt, mustard seeds and camphor over it  and then enclose the leaf by tying it with a thread.

Women may stand at the Prapatti staging area holding a plate filled with the pooja material in their hands. The eldest woman amongst them is to perform the Mata Mahishasurmardini aarti, “Maate Gayatri, Sinharudh Bhagawati-Mahishasurmardini, Kshamasva Chandike, Jai Durge, Akhil Vishwaki Janani Maa Ude Ude Ude Ude Ude.” The other women present here will then follow by singing the aarti.

Later, these Shraddhavan woman circumambulate nine times in a circle around Mother Chandika’s footprints which is considered as the Katraj Ashram with their plates. They are to chant Shree Gurukshetram Mantra loudly during the circumambulation. After its completion, women perform a ritual over Trivikram (usually done to dispel any evil upon one) with the help of the abhicharnashak purchundi. While doing so, women pray to Trivikram saying, “I urge you to obliterate all the evil influences present in my home with the help of your Mother!”. The bundle is then offered in the fire generated either in aparaat or a  hom kund or a pit on the ground with the help of camphor and samidha (twigs used as sacred offering). The fire, thus generated is Mahishasurmardini’s radiant aura (tejovalayam). This act passes on the entire responsibility of one’s home to Trivikram. Shree Gurukshetram Mantra causes the fire to transform into the radiant aura. The Shraddhavans hold the faith that the evil influences, evil intellect and evil actions lurking over one’s home are obliterated when they fall into the radiant aura and ensures the welfare of one’s home.

After the pooja, all the women must chant the mantra, “Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayay Vicche” nine times and offer the akshata (kumkum covered rice grains) on the footprints of Mother Chandika and offer the fragrant flowers to Trivikram. The fire of the radiant aura should be extinguished with the neem leaves. The women must not take the kumkum and turmeric powder forming the footprints of Mother Chandika home. Instead, they are advised to apply it to their forehead and/or neck. The bananas offered as prasadshould be consumed here itself and the curd is to be given to the male members of one’s house. If there is no male member in one’s home, then curd is to be offered at the roots of any tree. The women are to take the sugarcane pieces home and consume it themselves by eating some every day. The pooja material remaining in the plate should be utilised to prepare Sambar (Indian curry) and is to be consumed with rice and/or roti by both, the men and women in the house.  One may add spices for taste and curry leaves for good health. Albeit, do not make any other vegetable on that day in the house. After the pooja commences, the women may celebrate together in a circle while chanting the gajar, “Jayanti Mangala Kali, Bhadrakali Kapalini”.