How to Keep a 10-Day Navratri Sankalp: 108, 324 or 1,100 a Day
A sankalp is a promise made before the practice begins. How to take one, how to choose a daily count you can keep for all ten days of Navratri 2026, how to fit it into a real day, and what to do on the day you fall behind.
Deep Dive
What a sankalp is
A sankalp is the intention you state before a practice begins: what you will do, for how many days, and in whose name. Said once at the start, it turns plain repetition into an offering — and it gives the practice an end, which is what makes it possible to keep.
How to take it, on the first day
On Sunday, 11 October, before your first sitting:
- Sit where you will chant every day, and hold a little water in your right palm.
- Say — aloud or inwardly — your name, the mantra — ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे (Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vichche) — your daily count, the ten days from 11 to 20 October, and for whom you offer it: yourself, your family, someone unwell, or everyone.
- Let the water go, and begin. It is said once, and it holds all ten days.
Three daily counts
The Navratri Sankalp offers three, each with the Navarna Mantra — ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे (Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vichche), about six seconds a repetition:
| Sankalp | Each day | Time each day | Over ten days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ek Mala | 108 | about 11 minutes | 1,080 |
| Madhyam | 324 | about 32 minutes | 3,240 |
| Purna Anushthana | 1,100 | a little under 2 hours | 11,000 |
A single Purna Anushthana kept all ten days is 11,000 repetitions — on its own, the size of the shared sankalp's whole first milestone.
Choose for your busiest day
Pick the count you can keep on the most crowded of the ten days — a working Monday, a day of guests, a day of travel — not the one that sounds best on the first morning. A smaller count kept every day is a fuller sankalp than a large one dropped on the fourth.
Fitting it into a real day
| Sankalp | One way to fit it in |
|---|---|
| Ek Mala (108) | One sitting: after the morning bath, or after the evening aarti. |
| Madhyam (324) | Two sittings: one mala in the morning, two in the evening — or three in one sitting of about half an hour. |
| Purna Anushthana (1,100) | Three or four sittings of 25–35 minutes: morning, midday, evening and before sleep. Ten malas and a little more, spread through the day. |
Fix the hour and the place
Same time, same seat, every day. Before the kalash if you set one up on Ghatasthapana, or before any picture of the Devi. The decision about when to chant is then made once, on the first day, and never again.
Aloud, whispered, or in the mind
Tradition names three ways of japa: vachika, aloud; upamshu, a whisper only you can hear; and manasika, in the mind alone. On a long count, begin aloud with the recording and let the voice grow quieter as the sitting settles — it rests the throat and deepens the attention.
Keeping it up over ten days
- Day 1–3: the easy days. Use them to fix the hour, not to raise the count.
- Day 4–6: the hard middle. This is where most sankalps are dropped; keep the count, even if the sitting is plain.
- Day 7–9: the count has become a habit. Ashtami and Navami are busy days in many homes — sit early.
- Day 10: Vijayadashami. Complete the count and offer the ten days.
When a day slips
It happens. Keep going the next day at your chosen count; the sankalp is the ten days, not a perfect streak. If you want to make the missing count up, add it gently over the following days rather than all at once.
Closing on Vijayadashami
On Tuesday, 20 October 2026 the sankalp is completed and offered — the Purnahuti. In the shared Navratri Sankalp, your count joins everyone's in one total, and the final figure is offered together.
Key Takeaways
- Take the sankalp once, on 11 October: name, mantra, count, days, and for whom.
- Choose 108, 324 or 1,100 a day — whichever you can keep on your busiest day.
- 108 Navarna Mantras take about eleven minutes; 1,100 a little under two hours, best split into sittings.
- Same hour, same seat; if a day slips, simply continue.
Mantra Options
- Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vichche
Environment Setup
One fixed seat at one fixed hour — before the kalash or after the evening aarti.
FAQs
How many times should I chant the Navarna Mantra in Navratri?
108 a day (one mala) is the traditional daily count. The Navratri Sankalp also offers 324 (three malas) and 1,100 a day for those who can give more time.
How do I take a sankalp?
Before your first sitting, hold a little water in your right palm and state your name, the mantra, your daily count, the days, and for whom you offer it. Then let the water go and begin. It is said once, at the start.
How long does 108 Navarna Mantras take?
About eleven minutes at an unforced pace. 324 takes about half an hour, and 1,100 a little under two hours, usually split into three or four sittings.
What if I miss a day of my sankalp?
Continue the next day at your chosen count. The sankalp is the ten days, not a perfect streak; any missing count can be added gently over the following days.
Can I split my daily count into more than one sitting?
Yes. Many people chant one mala in the morning and the rest in the evening. What matters is that the day's count is completed.
Do I have to count the repetitions myself?
Not in the Navratri Sankalp on Mantra Repeater: the mantra repeats on its own and each completed repetition is counted for you and added to the shared total.
Related Reads
Chant it with everyone, 11–20 October
The Navratri Sankalp: 1,11,000 repetitions of the Navarna Mantra, chanted together and counted for you. Free, in your browser, nothing to install.