Why do we worship the kalash?

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A kalash is a brass, mud or copper pot filled with water. Mango leaves are

placed in the mouth of the pot and a coconut is placed over it. A red or white

thread is tied around its neck or sometimes all around it in an intricate

diamond-shaped pattern. The pot may be decorated with designs. When the pot is

filled with water or rice, it is known as purnakumbha representing the inert

body which when filled with the divine life force gains power to do all the

wonderful things that makes life what it is.

 

A kalash is placed with due rituals on all important occasions like the

traditional house warming (grhapravesh), wedding, daily worship etc. It is

placed near the entrance as a sign of welcome. It is also used in a traditional

manner while receiving holy personages.

 

Before the creation came into being, Lord Vishnu was reclining on His snake bed

in the milky ocean. From His navel emerged a lotus from which appeared Lord

Brahma, the Creator, who thereafter created this world. The water in the kalash

symbolises the primodial water from which the entire creation emerged. It is the

giver of life to all and has the potential of creating innumerable names and

forms, the inert objects and the sentient beings and all that is auspicious in

the world from the energy behind the universe. The leaves and coconut represent

creation. the thread represents the love that " binds " all in creation. The

kalash is therefore considered auspicious and worshipped.

 

The waters from all the holy rivers, the knowledge of all the vedas and the

blessings of all the deities are invoked in the kalash and its water is

thereafter used for all the rituals, including the abhisheka. The consecration

(kumbhaabhisheka) of a temple is done in a grand manner with elaborate rituals

including the pouring of one or more kalash of holy water on the top of the

temple.

 

When the asurs and the devas churned the milky ocean, the Lord appeared bearing

the pot of nectar which blessed one with everlasting life. Thus the kalash also

symbolises immortality.

 

Men of wisdom are full and complete as they identify the infinite truth

(poornatvam. They brim with joy and love and represent all that is auspicious.

We greet them with a purnakumbha ( " full pot " ) acknowledging their greatness and

as a sign of respectful reverential welcome, with a " full heart " .