Kusha grass is a tall, sharp-bladed wild grass, known to botanists as Desmostachya bipinnata, that Hindu tradition treats as one of the most sacred plants in ritual. It is the grass used for the prayer seat, for the pavitri ring worn during shraddha and tarpan, and for purifying water and offerings in havan. It is also called darbha, and in South India dharbai or darbham.
This guide covers what kusha is, how to recognise it, its names across Indian languages, why it is considered sacred, and exactly where it appears in pooja - with a note on finding it here in the UAE.
What is kusha grass?
Kusha is a hardy perennial grass that grows in dense tufts across India and much of the drier Old World. It thrives in dry, even salty soil where most grasses struggle, which is part of why it has always been easy to find near rivers, fields and temple lands. In English it is sometimes called halfa grass.
You can recognise it by its long, narrow, stiff blades that end in a fine point. The edges are rough and genuinely sharp, sharp enough to nick a finger, so experienced hands gather it carefully. Dried, it turns a pale straw gold and stays strong and springy, which is what makes it such a good material for weaving mats.
Kusha grass names in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and other languages
The UAE's Indian community prays in many languages, so the same grass turns up under several names in a pandit's instructions:
| Language | Name | Pronounced |
|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit | कुश, दर्भ | kusha, darbha |
| Hindi | कुश, कुशा | kush, kusha |
| Marathi | दर्भ | darbha |
| Gujarati | દર્ભ | darbh |
| Bengali | কুশ | kush |
| Tamil | தர்ப்பை | dharbai |
| Telugu | దర్భ | darbha |
| Kannada | ದರ್ಭೆ | darbhe |
| Malayalam | ദർഭ | darbha |
Is darbha the same as kusha?
For home pooja, yes. The two words are used interchangeably across most of India, and a pandit asking for darbha in Chennai and one asking for kusha in Varanasi want the same grass. Some priestly traditions do separate a few closely related sacred grasses and assign them to particular rites, so if a ritual text names one specifically, follow your own family pandit on it.
Why is kusha grass considered sacred?
The best-known story comes from the Mahabharata. Garuda, carrying the pot of amrit to free his mother, set it down on a bed of kusha grass. Before the serpents could drink from it, Indra carried the pot away. The serpents licked the grass where the amrit had rested and their tongues split, which is said to be why snakes have forked tongues. The grass itself was sanctified by the touch of the nectar of immortality.
Some Puranic traditions also connect kusha with Vishnu, describing it as having sprung from the bristles of his Varaha avatar. And the grass appears in the Ramayana too: one of Sita's twin sons was named Kusha, after the grass Valmiki used in the rite to protect him.
The grass even gave Sanskrit an idiom. Kushagra buddhi, a mind as sharp as the tip of a kusha blade, is still used for a quick, penetrating intellect.
Kusha in the Bhagavad Gita: the seat for meditation
In the sixth chapter of the Gita, Shri Krishna describes how a seeker should prepare to meditate. The seat should be in a clean place, firm, neither too high nor too low, and laid with kusha grass, then a skin, then cloth.
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्॥
Shuchau deshe pratishthapya sthiram asanam atmanah, naty-uchchhritam nati-nicham chailajina-kushottaram
In a clean place, set up a firm seat for yourself, neither too high nor too low, covered with kusha grass, a skin and cloth.
That single verse is why the kusha aasan became the classic seat for japa, path and dhyana. Today the skin is left out, and most households use a woven kusha mat with a cloth border, or a kusha mat with a cotton or velvet cloth over it.
Why sit on a kusha aasan for pooja and japa
Traditionally the aasan is said to hold the energy of your practice, so the effort of your chanting is not simply lost into the ground. That is also why families keep a separate aasan for each person and use it only for prayer, never as an everyday floor mat.
There is a practical side too. A woven kusha mat is firm enough to keep you steady through a long sitting, it lifts you just off a cold marble floor, and it does not slide around the way a folded towel does. For a deeper look at the chanting itself, see our guide on how to use a japa mala.
For your prayer seat
A handwoven kusha aasan, and a Gomukhi bag to keep your mala with it.
Kusha in shraddha and pitru tarpan
Nowhere is kusha more central than in the rites for ancestors. During shraddha and tarpan the performer wears a pavitri, a small ring twisted from kusha blades, on the ring finger of the right hand. It marks the hand as ritually pure for the offering.
Blades of kusha are also laid out as the seat for the ancestors being invoked, and the tarpan water, mixed with black sesame, is offered with kusha held in the hands. That is why kusha, kali til and water are the three things almost every tarpan vidhi begins with. For the dates and the full fortnight, see our Pitru Paksha calendar for the UAE.
Kusha in havan and other rituals
In a havan, blades of kusha are traditionally laid around the kund before the fire is lit, marking out the sacred space. A small bundle of kusha is also used to sprinkle water over the offerings, the samagri and the people seated for the ritual, as an act of purification.
Many families also follow the old custom of placing a few kusha blades in stored food and drinking water during a grahan, the solar or lunar eclipse, and removing them once it ends. If you are planning a fire ritual at home, our step-by-step guide on how to do havan at home walks through it.
For tarpan and havan
The samagri that goes alongside kusha in these rites.
Kusha grass vs durva grass
The two are easy to confuse in a recipe-style vidhi, but they are different plants with different jobs:
| Kusha (darbha) | Durva (doob) | |
|---|---|---|
| Plant | Desmostachya bipinnata | Cynodon dactylon |
| Look | Tall, stiff, long blades with sharp edges | Short, soft, creeping lawn-type grass |
| Main deity link | Vishnu in Puranic lore, and the rites for ancestors | Ganesha |
| Used for | Aasan, pavitri ring, tarpan, havan, purification | Offered to Ganesha in bunches of 21 blades |
Kushagrahani Amavasya: when kusha is gathered
Tradition sets aside one day in the year for collecting kusha: Kushagrahani or Kushotpatini Amavasya, the new moon that falls just before Ganesh Chaturthi (Bhadrapada Amavasya in the North Indian calendar). Kusha gathered on that day, with a short prayer before cutting, is considered fit for ritual use through the year ahead. That leaves the grass gathered and dried a couple of weeks before Pitru Paksha, exactly when households need it for tarpan.
Kusha grass in the UAE
Fresh kusha is not easy to buy loose in the UAE, and Divine Sansar does not stock it. For shraddha and tarpan, most families rely on their pandit, who usually brings kusha and ready-made pavitri rings with him. If you are arranging a priest, our pandit booking guide covers what to ask before the day.
A woven kusha aasan is a different matter. We deliver ours, with a velvet-lined gota border, across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman, and you can browse other seats and altar cloths in our home mandir collection. Still choosing between kusha, wool and cloth? Our pooja aasan buying guide compares them side by side.
Frequently asked questions
What is kusha grass called in English?
Its botanical name is Desmostachya bipinnata, and it is sometimes called halfa grass. In Indian English most people simply say kusha grass or darbha grass.
What is kusha grass called in Tamil?
Dharbai (தர்ப்பை). You may also hear darbham, particularly from priests.
How do I identify real kusha grass?
Look for tall, stiff, narrow blades growing in clumps, with a fine pointed tip and rough, sharp edges you can feel if you run a finger along them. Durva, by contrast, is short, soft and spreads along the ground.
What is a pavitri?
A small ring twisted from kusha blades and worn on the ring finger of the right hand during shraddha, tarpan and some other rites. Your pandit will usually make or bring one for you.
Why do people sit on a kusha aasan?
Because the Bhagavad Gita names kusha as the base of the meditation seat, and because tradition holds that the aasan keeps the energy of your practice with you. It is also firm, steady and lifts you off a cold floor.
Can I use a kusha aasan every day?
Yes. That is what it is for. Just keep it only for pooja and meditation, keep it dry, and store it flat or loosely rolled between sittings.
Is darbha grass the same as kusha grass?
For home pooja, yes, the names are used interchangeably. A few priestly traditions distinguish related sacred grasses for specific rites, so follow your family pandit if a vidhi is precise about it.
Can I buy kusha grass in Dubai?
Loose kusha is hard to find in the UAE, and most families get it from their pandit for shraddha. Woven kusha aasans are easier: Divine Sansar delivers them across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman.
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