Sharad Navratri 2026 (Shardiya Navratri): Dates, Day-Wise Calendar, Ghatasthapana Muhurat and Puja Timings

Explore Sharad Navratri 2026 dates, the day-wise calendar of Maa Durga’s nine forms, Ghatasthapana muhurat, Ashtami, Kanya Pujan, fasting rules and Dussehra timings.

Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October 2026 with Ghatasthapana and ends with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. Durga Ashtami falls on Monday, 19 October, and Maha Navami puja begins the same day once the Ashtami tithi ends at 10:51 AM.

This year's calendar has one twist that many published lists miss. In Delhi and most of India, Saptami is the tithi at sunrise on both 17 and 18 October, so Ashtami moves to the 19th instead of the 18th. This guide sets out the verified dates, tithi timings and muhurats, explains where regional calendars differ, and covers the rituals families ask about most: Kalash Sthapana, Kanya Pujan, fasting and Parana.

All timings are in Indian Standard Time and are given for New Delhi unless another city is named. They follow Drik Panchang's Shardiya Navratri calendar and have been cross-checked against the Government of India holiday list and the Belur Math Durga Puja programme. Muhurats shift by a few minutes from city to city, so confirm the exact window for your location.

Sharad Navratri 2026 at a Glance

 

When Is Sharad Navratri 2026?

Sharad Navratri is observed in the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the lunar month of Ashwin. In 2026, the Pratipada tithi begins at 9:19 PM on Saturday, 10 October and ends at 9:30 PM on Sunday, 11 October. Pratipada is the tithi at sunrise on 11 October, so that is the first day of Navratri and the day for Ghatasthapana.

Navratri worship continues through Monday, 19 October. The Navami tithi runs into Tuesday, 20 October and ends at 12:50 PM. Dashami begins at that point, and Vijayadashami is celebrated the same afternoon.

The festival is also called Shardiya Navratri (शारदीय नवरात्रि), Ashwin Navratri or Maha Navratri. It is the most widely observed of the four Navratris in the Hindu year. The others are Chaitra Navratri in spring and the two Gupt Navratris in the months of Magha and Ashadha.

Sharad Navratri 2026 Calendar: Day-Wise Dates, Tithi and Goddess

The calendar below follows the tithi at sunrise in New Delhi, which is how Drik Panchang and most North Indian panchangs fix each day.

 

Why Durga Ashtami Is on 19 October and Not 18 October

A tithi is a lunar day, and it does not match the 24-hour solar day. During this Navratri, each tithi lasts between roughly 24 and 26.5 hours, so the tithis slip steadily later against the clock. The Saptami tithi begins at 5:54 AM on 17 October, shortly before sunrise in Delhi, and is still running at sunrise on 18 October. Saptami therefore claims two calendar days.

Ashtami begins at 8:27 AM on 18 October, after sunrise, and ends at 10:51 AM on 19 October. Ashtami is the tithi at sunrise only on the 19th, which makes that the date of Durga Ashtami. The Government of India's list of restricted holidays also places Maha Ashtami on 19 October, and Belur Math observes Mahashtami on the same day.

Many online calendars simply count eight days from 11 October and show Ashtami on the 18th. If your family panchang or temple announces a different date, follow that. Regional almanacs do not all calculate tithis the same way.

Key Tithi Timings for Navratri 2026

 

Ghatasthapana Muhurat 2026 (Kalash Sthapana)

Ghatasthapana, also called Kalash Sthapana, is the installation of the sacred kalash that invokes Goddess Shakti and opens the nine days of worship. In 2026 it falls on Sunday, 11 October.

For New Delhi, the main Ghatasthapana muhurat is 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM, a window of 3 hours 53 minutes. Families who miss the morning window use the Abhijit Muhurat, 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM.

The preferred time is the first third of the day after sunrise, while Pratipada is running. The window opens at local sunrise, which is why it differs from city to city.

 

City timings are calculated from local sunrise and can differ by a minute or two between panchangs.

Two points are worth knowing about this year's muhurat. Chitra nakshatra and Vaidhriti yoga both prevail through the day on 11 October. Tradition advises avoiding them for Ghatasthapana where possible, but they are not treated as a bar, and no window on the day is free of them. Ghatasthapana is not done at night or after the Pratipada tithi has ended.

How to Do Kalash Sthapana at Home

You will need:

• A clay, copper or brass kalash and a wide clay pot
• Clean soil and barley (jau) seeds
• Ganga jal or clean water
• Five mango or ashoka leaves
• A coconut wrapped in a red cloth or chunri and tied with mauli
• A betel nut (supari), a coin, unbroken rice (akshat) and roli
• A ghee lamp, incense, flowers and an image or idol of Maa Durga

The steps:

1. Clean the puja space and set a wooden chowki covered with red cloth. Many families choose the north-east corner of the home, a placement our Vastu guide for the home explains in more detail.
2. Spread the soil in the wide clay pot, sow the barley seeds and sprinkle water over them.
3. Fill the kalash with water and add a few drops of Ganga jal, the supari, the coin and a little akshat. Tie mauli around its neck.
4. Arrange the five leaves around the mouth of the kalash and set the coconut on top.
5. Place the kalash on or beside the pot of barley. Light the lamp, pray to Lord Ganesha, take the sankalp for your Navratri observance and invoke Maa Durga.
6. Water the barley lightly each day. Families who keep an Akhand Jyoti keep that lamp burning through all nine nights.

Customs vary by family and region. Where your household tradition or your priest differs from these steps, follow them.

The Nine Forms of Maa Durga and Their Days in 2026

The nine names of Navadurga come from the Devi Kavacham, a hymn recited alongside the Durga Saptashati. The bhog listed for each day is the customary offering, and the Devi Bhagavata Purana gives a similar tithi-wise list. The planet named with each form reflects a belief in Vedic astrology and is not part of the scriptural narrative.

Day 1: Maa Shailputri (Sunday, 11 October)

Shailputri, the daughter of the mountain king Himavan, is worshipped first. She rides the bull Nandi and holds a trident and a lotus. Her puja follows Ghatasthapana and sets the sankalp for the nine days. Customary bhog: pure ghee. Associated planet: Moon.

Day 2: Maa Brahmacharini (Monday, 12 October)

Brahmacharini is the Goddess in her years of penance. She walks barefoot with a japa mala in one hand and a kamandalu in the other, and is worshipped for discipline, patience and steadiness of mind. Customary bhog: sugar or mishri. Associated planet: Mars.

Day 3: Maa Chandraghanta (Tuesday, 13 October)

Chandraghanta wears a bell-shaped half moon on her forehead, which gives her the name. She rides a tiger, has ten arms and is worshipped for courage and protection. Customary bhog: milk or kheer. Associated planet: Venus.

Day 4: Maa Kushmanda (Wednesday, 14 October)

Kushmanda is revered as the source of creation, believed to have brought the universe into being with her smile. She has eight arms and rides a lion. Devotees pray to her for health and vitality. Customary bhog: malpua. Associated planet: Sun.

Day 5: Maa Skandamata (Thursday, 15 October)

Skandamata is the mother of Skanda, also known as Kartikeya, who sits in her lap. She has four arms, is seated on a lotus and rides a lion. Her worship is associated with a mother's care and protection. Customary bhog: bananas. Associated planet: Mercury.

Day 6: Maa Katyayani (Friday, 16 October)

Katyayani is the warrior form of the Goddess, born in the hermitage of sage Katyayana and revered as the slayer of Mahishasura. She has four arms and rides a lion. Customary bhog: honey. Associated planet: Jupiter.

Day 7: Maa Kalaratri (Saturday, 17 October)

Kalaratri is the fiercest of the nine forms, dark in complexion and mounted on a donkey. She is also called Shubhankari, the one who does good, because she removes fear and destructive forces. Customary bhog: jaggery. Associated planet: Saturn.

Sunday, 18 October: Saptami Continues

Saptami is still the tithi at sunrise, so the Drik Panchang calendar assigns no new form to this day. Households continue their Saptami worship and daily path. The Ashtami tithi begins at 8:27 AM, and families whose panchang marks this day as Ashtami perform Mahagauri puja today.

Day 8: Maa Mahagauri and Durga Ashtami (Monday, 19 October)

Mahagauri, radiant and dressed in white, represents purity and calm. She has four arms, holds a trident and a damaru, and rides a bull. Her puja and the Ashtami Kanya Pujan are done in the morning while the Ashtami tithi lasts, until 10:51 AM. Customary bhog: coconut. Associated planet: Rahu.

Day 9: Maa Siddhidatri and Maha Navami (19 and 20 October)

Siddhidatri, seated on a lotus, grants siddhis, the spiritual accomplishments that give her the name. Her four hands hold a mace, a discus, a conch and a lotus. Navami puja, havan and the Navami Kanya Pujan can be done on 19 October after 10:51 AM or on the morning of 20 October before 12:50 PM. Customary bhog: sesame seeds, along with halwa, puri and chana. Associated planet: Ketu.

Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami and Kanya Pujan 2026

Durga Ashtami and Sandhi Puja

Durga Ashtami is on Monday, 19 October 2026. Sandhi Puja, performed at the meeting point of Ashtami and Navami, falls between 10:27 AM and 11:15 AM. It covers the last 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami, and it is regarded as the most sacred part of Durga Puja in Bengal. The Belur Math Durga Puja programme lists it from 10:28 AM to 11:16 AM.

Maha Navami

Drik Panchang's Navratri calendar lists Maha Navami on 19 October along with Ashtami, because the Navami tithi begins that morning. Navami is also the tithi at sunrise on Tuesday, 20 October, which is why the Government of India's holiday list and the Bengal calendar place Maha Navami on the 20th. Both dates follow from the same tithi timings. Navami havan can be done at any time from 10:51 AM on the 19th to 12:50 PM on the 20th.

Kanya Pujan (Kanjak) Date and Time

 

Nine girls, usually between two and ten years old, are welcomed as forms of the Goddess, and many families also invite one young boy. Their feet are washed, a tilak is applied, and they are served halwa, puri and kala chana before receiving a gift or dakshina. If nine girls cannot be invited, families honour as many as they can.

Navratri Parana: When to Break the Fast

Those who keep the full nine-day fast break it on Tuesday, 20 October, after the Navami tithi ends at 12:50 PM. Families whose custom is to end the fast after Kanya Pujan do so on Ashtami or Navami, once the girls have eaten.

Vijayadashami (Dussehra) 2026 Date and Muhurat

Vijayadashami is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 in most of India. Dashami begins at 12:50 PM that day and covers the afternoon (Aparahna) period, which decides the date. It is also the gazetted Dussehra holiday for central government offices.

For New Delhi, the Vijay Muhurat is 1:59 PM to 2:45 PM and the Aparahna puja time is 1:14 PM to 3:30 PM. Shastra Puja and new beginnings are traditionally tied to this window, and Ravana Dahan takes place in the evening.

In West Bengal, where the Dashami rituals follow the sunrise tithi, Bijoya Dashami and the immersion of the idols are on Wednesday, 21 October.

Durga Puja 2026 Dates in Bengal

 

These dates differ from the North Indian calendar for a simple reason. The Shashthi tithi ends at 5:54 AM on 17 October. That is after sunrise in Kolkata but before sunrise in Delhi, so Shashthi repeats in the east while Saptami repeats in the north and west. The two calendars meet again on Ashtami, 19 October, and Bengal then keeps Navami and Dashami on their sunrise dates.

The schedule above is from the Belur Math programme, which follows the Vishuddha Siddhanta almanac. Other Bengali panjikas can differ slightly.

Navratri 2026 Colours

The nine colours of Navratri 2026, by date, are orange (11 October), white (12 October), red (13 October), royal blue (14 October), yellow (15 October), green (16 October), grey (17 October), purple (18 October) and peacock green (19 October).

The sequence is set by the weekday on which Navratri begins, so it changes every year. Wearing the colour of the day is a popular modern custom, strongest in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is not prescribed in the Devi Mahatmya, so treat it as a joyful tradition and not a rule.

Navratri Fasting Rules: What to Eat and What to Avoid

Fasting practice differs between families. Some fast on all nine days, some on the first and last days, and some only on Ashtami or Navami.

 

Fasting is a personal observance. Children, older people, pregnant women and anyone managing a condition such as diabetes should adapt the fast or take medical advice first. A lighter fast or simple sattvic meals are an accepted alternative.

How Sharad Navratri Is Celebrated Across India

• North India: Home puja with the Durga Saptashati path, fasting, Kanya Pujan on Ashtami or Navami, and Ramlila performances that end with Ravana Dahan on Dussehra.
• Gujarat and western India: Nights of Garba and Dandiya Raas around a lamp or image of the Goddess. UNESCO added Garba of Gujarat to its list of intangible cultural heritage in 2023.
• West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and the east: Durga Puja with pandals, Kumari Puja, Sandhi Puja and Sindoor Khela before the immersion. Durga Puja in Kolkata has been on the same UNESCO list since 2021.
• South India: Displays of dolls known as Golu or Bommai Kolu, Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja on Navami, and the royal Mysuru Dasara.
• Himachal Pradesh: Kullu Dussehra begins on Vijayadashami, just as celebrations elsewhere are ending.

Why Sharad Navratri Is Celebrated

Navratri means nine nights. The festival honours Goddess Durga as Shakti, the divine feminine power. Its central story is told in the Devi Mahatmya, a 700-verse section of the Markandeya Purana also known as the Durga Saptashati, which describes the Goddess defeating the demon Mahishasura. Vijayadashami marks that victory.

In North India the tenth day also marks Lord Rama's victory over Ravana. A later tradition, told in the Bengali Krittivasi Ramayana, says Rama worshipped Durga in autumn before the battle. This is known as Akal Bodhan, the untimely awakening of the Goddess, and it is remembered in Bengal's Durga Puja.

Maa Durga's Vahan in 2026

A traditional belief links the Goddess's arrival to the weekday on which Navratri begins. Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on a Sunday, so Maa Durga is said to arrive on an elephant, which is read as a sign of good rains and prosperity. Almanacs differ on the vahan of her departure, so we have not listed one here.

Navratri 2026 Dates Outside India

A tithi begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, but the local date depends on your time zone and sunrise. In the United States and Canada, Navratri also begins on Sunday, 11 October, and the calendar runs a clean nine days: Durga Ashtami on Sunday, 18 October, Maha Navami on Monday, 19 October and Dussehra on Tuesday, 20 October. The United Kingdom has the same Ashtami and Navami dates.

In the UAE, Singapore and Australia, Ashtami and Navami both fall on Monday, 19 October, as they do in India. Wherever you live, set your own city in a panchang before fixing puja dates.

Navratri and Vedic Astrology

In jyotish tradition, each form of Navadurga is associated with one of the nine planets (Navagraha). This is why Navratri is regarded as a favourable period for prayer, mantra japa and remedies connected with a weak or afflicted planet in the birth chart. Saturn is linked with Maa Kalaratri, and Rahu and Ketu with Maa Mahagauri and Maa Siddhidatri. Our guides to the Saturn transit of 2026 and 2027 and to Rahu and Ketu in the kundli explain what these planets signify.

These associations are matters of belief and practice. They are best applied to an individual chart and not followed as general rules. A kundli analysis shows which planets matter for you, and our Navratri astro-numerology guide covers the gemstone, Rudraksha and number associated with each day.

Get Personalised Guidance This Navratri

If you would like guidance based on your own birth chart or numbers this Navratri, Dr. Sanjay Sethi offers astrology consultations and numerology readings, along with advice on Rudraksha, gemstones and Vastu.

Book a personal consultation with Dr. Sanjay Sethi

Frequently Asked Questions About Sharad Navratri 2026

1. When does Sharad Navratri 2026 start and end?

Sharad Navratri 2026 starts on Sunday, 11 October 2026 with Ghatasthapana. Navratri worship continues until Monday, 19 October, and the festival closes with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.

2. What is the Ghatasthapana muhurat for Navratri 2026?

For New Delhi, the Ghatasthapana muhurat on Sunday, 11 October 2026 is 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM. The Abhijit Muhurat, 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM, is the alternative. The window opens at local sunrise, so it differs slightly in each city.

3. When is Durga Ashtami in 2026?

Durga Ashtami is on Monday, 19 October 2026. The Ashtami tithi begins at 8:27 AM on 18 October and ends at 10:51 AM on 19 October, and it is the tithi at sunrise only on the 19th.

4. Why do some calendars show Ashtami on 18 October 2026?

Calendars that count eight days from 11 October land on the 18th. By tithi, Saptami is still running at sunrise on 18 October in most of India, so Ashtami moves to 19 October. Some regional almanacs also calculate tithis differently. Follow your family panchang where it differs.

5. When is Maha Navami in 2026?

The Navami tithi runs from 10:51 AM on Monday, 19 October to 12:50 PM on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. North Indian Navratri calendars list Maha Navami on 19 October along with Ashtami. The Bengal calendar and the Government of India holiday list place it on 20 October.

6. When should Kanya Pujan be done in 2026?

Families who perform Kanya Pujan on Ashtami should do it on the morning of Monday, 19 October, before 10:51 AM. Families who perform it on Navami can do it on 19 October after 10:51 AM, or on Tuesday, 20 October before 12:50 PM.

7. Is Navratri nine days or ten days in 2026?

There are nine tithis of worship, as in every year. They are spread across ten calendar dates in 2026, from 11 to 20 October, because Saptami covers two sunrises. Vijayadashami falls on the tenth date.

8. When is Dussehra in 2026?

Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 in most of India. In West Bengal, Bijoya Dashami is observed on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.

9. When can I break my Navratri fast in 2026?

A full nine-day fast is broken on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, after the Navami tithi ends at 12:50 PM. Families who end the fast with Kanya Pujan do so on Ashtami or Navami, after the girls have been served.

10. What are the Navratri 2026 colours?

The commonly followed colours are orange on 11 October, white on the 12th, red on the 13th, royal blue on the 14th, yellow on the 15th, green on the 16th, grey on the 17th, purple on the 18th and peacock green on the 19th. The list is a popular custom and not a scriptural rule.

11. Why do Navratri puja timings differ from one city to another?

Muhurats are calculated from local sunrise and sunset, which change with location. A tithi begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, but the muhurat based on it starts earlier in eastern cities such as Kolkata and later in western cities such as Mumbai.

12. What is the difference between Sharad Navratri and Chaitra Navratri?

Chaitra Navratri falls in spring, in the month of Chaitra, and closes around Ram Navami. Sharad Navratri falls in autumn, in the month of Ashwin, and closes with Dussehra. Both honour the nine forms of Maa Durga. Sharad Navratri is the more widely celebrated of the two.