शारदीय नवरात्रि
Navratri begins
Sharad Navratri, nine nights of Goddess Durga with fasting, garba and Durga Puja, ending in Dussehra.
About Navratri begins
Sharad Navratri begins on Ashwina Shukla Pratipada, the day after Mahalaya Amavasya. It is the biggest of the four Navratris of the year.
Each day honours one of the nine forms of Durga. Gujarat dances garba and dandiya every night, Bengal celebrates Durga Puja from Shashthi to Dashami, and the North stages Ramlila before Dussehra.
How to celebrate
Do Ghatasthapana on the first morning, setting up the kalash and sowing barley.
Worship the day's form of the goddess, often wearing the colour of the day.
Keep a fast, eating fruit, sabudana, kuttu and singhara.
Do Kanya Pujan on Ashtami or Navami.
Celebrate Dussehra on the tenth day.
Do
- Keep the akhand jyoti burning if you light one
- Use rock salt during the fast
Avoid
- Grains, onion, garlic and meat during the fast
- Cutting hair and nails, in many families
The story
The buffalo demon Mahishasura could not be killed by any god or man. The gods combined their powers into Goddess Durga, who fought him for nine days and killed him on the tenth.
Questions
When is Navratri begins in 2026?
Navratri begins 2026 is on Sunday, 11 October 2026. Shukla Pratipada tithi begins at 9:20 PM on Saturday 10 October and ends at 9:31 PM on Sunday 11 October IST.
What is the Navratri begins muhurat in 2026?
In New Delhi, the ghatasthapana muhurat is from 6:19 AM to 10:11 AM IST. Pick your city in the timings card to see local times.
What is the Ghatasthapana muhurat?
The morning of Pratipada, ideally in the first third of the day. The time for your city is shown above.
Which form of Durga is worshipped on each day?
Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri, from day one to nine.
Around Navratri begins
Coming up
- Karva ChauthThu 29 Oct
- Ahoi AshtamiSun 1 Nov
- Rama EkadashiThu 5 Nov
- DhanterasFri 6 Nov
- DiwaliSun 8 Nov
- Narak ChaturdashiSun 8 Nov
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