Sharad Navratri 2026: Dates, Day-by-Day Devi Guide and Colours

Sharad Navratri 2026 begins with Ghatasthapana on Sunday, 11 October 2026 and the nine nights of Devi worship run up to Maha Navami on Monday, 19 October 2026, followed by Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. Because 2026 is an Adhik Maas year, an extra lunar month earlier in the year, Navratri arrives noticeably later than usual, deep into October. These nine nights honour Maa Durga in her nine forms, the Navadurga, and mark the victory of the Goddess over the demon Mahishasura.

Navratri begins the day after Sarva Pitru Amavasya (10 October), so the mood of the home turns from quiet remembrance of ancestors to joyous welcome of the Devi almost overnight. Here is everything you need to plan the nine days: dates, Ghatasthapana muhurat, the day-by-day Devi and colour guide, fasting rules, Kanya Puja and the regional traditions that make this festival so wonderfully varied.

Ghatasthapana 2026: Date and Muhurat

Ghatasthapana (also called Kalash Sthapana) is the ritual that inaugurates Navratri: a kalash (sacred pot) filled with water is installed over a bed of soil sown with barley, invoking the Devi to reside in the home for nine nights.

Detail	Timing (IST, Delhi)
Ghatasthapana date	Sunday, 11 October 2026
Morning muhurat	6:19 AM to 10:12 AM (approx.)
Abhijit muhurat (alternative)	11:44 AM to 12:31 PM (approx.)

Ghatasthapana should be completed before midday. If the morning window is missed, the Abhijit muhurat is the accepted alternative. These timings are calculated for Delhi and shift slightly by city, so check the exact window for your location on our city-wise panchang before you begin.

Navratri 2026 Day-by-Day: Devi Forms and Colours

Each day of Navratri is dedicated to one form of the Navadurga, and each day has a colour that devotees traditionally wear, a custom especially loved in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The colours follow the weekday cycle, so they change every year.

Day	Date	Weekday	Devi Form	Colour
1	11 October	Sunday	Maa Shailaputri	Orange
2	12 October	Monday	Maa Brahmacharini	White
3	13 October	Tuesday	Maa Chandraghanta	Red
4	14 October	Wednesday	Maa Kushmanda	Royal Blue
5	15 October	Thursday	Maa Skandamata	Yellow
6	16 October	Friday	Maa Katyayani	Green
7	17 October	Saturday	Maa Kalaratri	Grey
8	18 October	Sunday	Maa Mahagauri	Purple
9	19 October	Monday	Maa Siddhidatri	Peacock Green

Note: the table follows tithi order; in 2026 both Ashtami and Navami are observed on Monday, 19 October, as explained later in this post.

A brief word on each form: Shailaputri is the daughter of the mountains, grounding and steady. Brahmacharini embodies tapasya (austerity and discipline). Chandraghanta, with the crescent moon on her brow, grants courage. Kushmanda is the smiling creatrix of the cosmos. Skandamata, mother of Kartikeya, represents maternal love. Katyayani is the warrior who slew Mahishasura. Kalaratri is the fierce destroyer of ignorance and fear. Mahagauri is radiant purity and forgiveness. Siddhidatri bestows siddhis, spiritual attainments, completing the journey.

Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami 2026

In 2026 the tithi timings compress the final days: Ashtami tithi begins on the morning of 18 October and ends at about 10:51 AM on 19 October, so as per Drik Panchang calculations for Delhi, both Durga Ashtami (Maha Ashtami) and Maha Navami are observed on Monday, 19 October 2026. The Sandhi Puja, performed at the sacred juncture where Ashtami meets Navami, falls in the late morning of 19 October (approximately 10:27 AM to 11:15 AM in Delhi).

Because this overlap plays out differently across cities and traditions, some families and pandals will observe Ashtami rituals on 18 October evening. If your family observes Ashtami fasting or Kanya Puja on a specific tithi, please confirm the timings for your city on the panchang or with your purohit.

Fasting Rules During Navratri

Navratri vrat (fasting) is an act of devotion and inner cleansing, not endurance. Common patterns, choose what suits your health and family tradition:

• Full nine-day fast: one meal a day of vrat-friendly food, taken after evening aarti.
• First and last: many families fast only on Pratipada (day 1) and Ashtami or Navami.
• Phalahar: fruits, milk, curd and vrat foods through the day.

What is eaten: fruits, milk and dairy, sabudana (tapioca), kuttu (buckwheat) and singhara (water chestnut) flours, samak (barnyard millet) rice, potatoes, sendha namak (rock salt). What is avoided: grains like wheat and rice, regular salt, onion, garlic, non-vegetarian food and alcohol. The deeper fast is of conduct: gentle speech, daily Devi puja or Durga Saptashati path, and freedom from anger for nine days.

Those who are pregnant, diabetic, elderly or unwell should fast lightly or symbolically; the Devi is a mother, and no mother wishes her child harm through hunger.

Kanya Puja

On Ashtami or Navami, families invite young girls, traditionally nine, who are honoured as living embodiments of the Devi. Their feet are washed, a tilak is applied, and they are served a loving meal of puri, chana and halwa, then given small gifts and dakshina. A young boy is often included as Bhairav, the Devi's guardian. In 2026, Kanya Puja will mostly be performed on Monday, 19 October, when both Ashtami and Navami are observed; families who follow Ashtami-on-18th traditions may do it a day earlier.

Havan and Home Puja

Many families conclude Navratri with a Durga havan (fire ritual) on Ashtami or Navami, offering ahutis with the Durga Saptashati or Navarna mantra, followed by Kanya Puja. A havan needs correct mantra, procedure and fire safety, and this is where a purohit truly helps: fixing the muhurat, bringing the ritual knowledge, and guiding the family through the sankalpa. If you are planning a Durga puja, Saptashati path or havan at home this Navratri, you can request a verified purohit through Purohit.app; we serve Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai. Booking a few days ahead is wise, as Ashtami and Navami slots fill fast.

One Festival, Many Beautiful Forms

Durga Puja in Bengal and the East

In West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Tripura, the final five days, Shashthi to Vijayadashami, become Durga Puja, the grandest festival of the year. Magnificent pandals house clay murtis of Maa Durga with her children; the air fills with dhak drums, dhunuchi dance and the fragrance of shiuli flowers. In 2026, Durga Puja's main days run from about 16 to 21 October. In Bengal, the Dashami rites, Sindoor Khela and the immersion (visarjan) fall on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, one day after the all-India Vijayadashami.

Golu in the South

In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, homes arrange Golu (Bommai Golu or Bombe Habba), odd-numbered tiers of dolls depicting deities, saints and scenes of daily life. Women and children visit each other's Golu displays, sing devotional songs and exchange vetrilai paaku (betel leaves), turmeric and kumkum. Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja near the end of Navratri hold special importance in the South.

Garba and Dandiya in Gujarat

Gujarat dances through all nine nights. Garba is danced in circles around a lamp or murti of the Devi, symbolising the cycle of life around the unchanging Divine, followed by Dandiya Raas with sticks. In Maharashtra too, homes install the ghat and celebrate with Bhondla gatherings.

North India

Across the North, Ramlila performances retell the Ramayana each evening, ending with the burning of Ravana's effigy on Dussehra. Temples of the Devi, from Vaishno Devi to Chamundi Hill, overflow with pilgrims through the nine days.

Navratri ends with Vijayadashami on 20 October, a day for new beginnings, Shami puja and honouring one's tools and learning; read our full guide to Dussehra 2026. And with the Devi's blessings taken, the festive season rolls on towards Diwali 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Sharad Navratri 2026 start and end?

Sharad Navratri 2026 begins with Ghatasthapana on Sunday, 11 October 2026. The nine days of Devi worship run up to Maha Navami on Monday, 19 October 2026, and the festival concludes with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.

What is the Ghatasthapana muhurat on 11 October 2026?

The morning muhurat is approximately 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM IST, with the Abhijit muhurat from about 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM as an alternative (Delhi timings). Ghatasthapana should be completed before midday, and exact windows vary slightly by city.

When are Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami in 2026?

As per Drik Panchang calculations for Delhi, both Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami are observed on Monday, 19 October 2026, because Ashtami tithi ends at about 10:51 AM that morning and Navami follows. Some traditions will observe Ashtami rituals on 18 October evening, so check your city's panchang.

Why is Navratri so late in 2026?

2026 is an Adhik Maas year: an extra lunar month (Adhik Jyeshtha) was inserted to realign the lunar and solar calendars. This pushes the entire festival season, from Pitru Paksha through Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali, later than in ordinary years.

What can I eat during the Navratri fast?

Fruits, milk and dairy, sabudana, kuttu and singhara flours, samak rice, potatoes and rock salt (sendha namak) are all vrat-friendly. Grains such as wheat and rice, regular salt, onion, garlic, non-vegetarian food and alcohol are avoided during the fast.

On which day is Kanya Puja performed?

Kanya Puja is performed on Durga Ashtami or Maha Navami. In 2026 both fall on Monday, 19 October for most of India, so that is the main Kanya Puja day; families following Ashtami-based traditions may perform it on 18 October.

Can I do Ghatasthapana without a purohit?

Yes, a simple home Ghatasthapana can be done by the family with devotion, following the muhurat. For a full vidhi with sankalpa and mantra, or for a Durga havan on Ashtami or Navami, a purohit's guidance is valuable and can be arranged through Purohit.app.

What are the nine forms of Durga worshipped in Navratri?

The Navadurga are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri, worshipped in that order from day one to day nine of Navratri.