Likhit Jap: A Complete Guide to Writing the Divine Name

Likhit Jap — also called naam jap writing — is a beautiful practice, especially for people whose minds wander during vocal chanting. When the hand, the eyes and the mind all hold the Name together, concentration comes more naturally.

What is Likhit Jap?

Likhit means written. In Likhit Jap you write a name such as Ram, Sita Ram, Krishna, Shiva, Radhe or Hari again and again while silently repeating it. It is also known as Ram naam lekhan when the name written is Ram. In many families a Likhit Jap notebook is a cherished daily practice, and some temples and devotional organisations collect filled Ram naam books from devotees.

Benefits of writing the Name

• Deeper concentration: sight, touch and thought are engaged at the same time.
• Patience: slow, neat writing calms a restless mind.
• A visible record: filled pages are a tangible reminder of your devotion.
• Great for children: an easy and creative way to introduce kids to the Name.
• A gentle alternative: useful when you cannot chant aloud — late at night or in a shared room.

Simple guidelines

There are no strict universal rules, but these guidelines are commonly followed:

• Use a dedicated notebook and pen only for Likhit Jap.
• Wash your hands and sit in a clean, quiet place.
• Write neatly and with attention — speed is not the goal.
• Repeat the name in your mind as you write each one.
• Keep the notebook in a clean, respectful place, not on the floor.

Each written name is a small flower offered at the feet of God.

How many names should I write?

Many people like to complete one page of 108 names a day, which mirrors one mala of vocal chanting. If that feels like too much, start with 27 or 54 and increase slowly. As with all Naam Jap, regularity matters more than quantity.

Digital Likhit Jap

When your notebook is not with you, the Likhit Jap Diary in the Naam Jap app lets you continue. Choose a deity name — Ram, Krishna, Shiva, Radhe or Hari — and write one name at a time. The app shows today's total, your progress on the current page (108 names per page) and your cycle progress, and it saves your past sessions so you can look back on your journey.

Naam Jap writing: why a diary helps

Keeping a naam jap diary — whether a physical notebook or the digital diary in the Naam Jap app — turns your writing practice into a visible record. You can look back at filled pages over days and weeks, which motivates consistency and shows how your handwriting and concentration improve over time. Some devotees keep separate diaries for different names (one for Ram, one for Radhe) and fill them alongside their vocal jap count.

Combining Likhit Jap with vocal chanting

Likhit Jap works well alongside spoken chanting. For example, you might chant one mala in the morning and write one page of names in the evening. Read about the three ways to chant in our beginner's guide, or explore Radha Naam Jap if you would like to write "Radhe".