Sharad Navratri 2026 Date & Timing Guide: Ghatasthapana to Dussehra Schedule

Quick Answer: Sharad Navratri 2026 Date & Key Timings

Sharad Navratri 2026 will begin on Sunday, 11 October 2026, with the auspicious Ghatasthapana and Maa Shailputri Puja. These nine sacred days are dedicated to Devi upasana, fasting, daily puja and bhakti, through which devotees seek Maa Durga’s blessings and strengthen their spiritual connection with her.

This guide uses New Delhi as the reference city, in which means all Tithi and Muhurat timings are calculated as per the New Delhi Panchang, since exact timings shift slightly for other cities. As per this New Delhi reference calculation:

1. The sharad navratri 2026 date begins with Pratipada on 11 October
2. The Navratri Tithis are observed from 11 to 19 October.
3. Navami Tithi continues into 20 October, which is also celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra.
4. The Ghatasthapana Muhurat is from 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM.
5. Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami are observed on 19 October, followed by Vijayadashami on 20 October.

This guide brings the complete navratri 2026 day-wise schedule in one place, including Tithi, Muhurat, Navratri colours, Sandhi Puja, Maa Durga forms and important religious observances, so you can follow the puja vidhi and auspicious timings with clarity. For readers specifically checking the navratri 2026 date october schedule, this guide covers every Tithi from Pratipada to Dussehra.

Sharad Navratri 2026 Date at a Glance

The table below summarises all key navratri dates 2026 at a glance, from Ghatasthapana to Vijaya Muhurat.

Quick summary of the key dates:

1. Navratri begins: Sunday, 11 October 2026
2. Ghatasthapana Muhurat: 6:19 AM–10:12 AM (New Delhi)
3. Maha Ashtami: Monday, 19 October 2026
4. Sandhi Puja: 19 October, 10:27 AM–11:15 AM
5. Maha Navami: Monday, 19 October 2026
6. Vijayadashami / Dussehra: Tuesday, 20 October 2026

The full table below gives the exact timings for each event.

Note: Muhurat timings are location-specific. The detailed timings below use New Delhi as the reference unless another city is named.

When Does Sharad Navratri 2026 Begin?

Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October 2026, with Ashwin Shukla Pratipada and worship of Maa Shailputri. In the New Delhi Panchang calculation, Pratipada begins at 9:19 PM on 10 October and ends at 9:30 PM on 11 October.

Because Pratipada is present at sunrise on 11 October, that date is observed as Navratri Day 1. This is also why people searching for the Navratri 2026 date will see 11 October 2026 as the beginning of the main Navratri observance.

Ghatasthapana Muhurat 2026

Devotees searching for the exact navratri october 2026 puja window will find the main Ghatasthapana Muhurat falls in the early morning.

For New Delhi, the main Ghatasthapana Muhurat on Sunday, 11 October 2026 is 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM. The Abhijit Muhurat is approximately 11:44 AM to 12:30 PM. Some Panchang sources show the Abhijit end as 12:31 PM because of a one-minute calculation or rounding difference.

Ghatasthapana is performed during Pratipada and is preferably done during the morning portion of the day. The 2026 New Delhi calculation also has Chitra Nakshatra and Vaidhriti Yoga active during the morning. Some Panchang guidance therefore highlights Abhijit Muhurat as an alternative window.

For anyone checking navratri 2026 date and Muhurat together, it is important to remember that the festival date and the exact ritual time are separate considerations. Follow the ritual rules of your local Panchang or family tradition.

Ghatasthapana Muhurat 2026: City-Wise Timings

Because timings shift by location, many readers look up the navratri 2026 october schedule for their own city specifically.

Ghatasthapana timings change by location because Panchang calculations use local sunrise and other astronomical factors. The following are local times for 11 October 2026.

Why Does Ghatasthapana Timing Differ by City?

A Muhurat is not one fixed India-wide clock time. Local sunrise and other Panchang factors shift the calculated window. For example, the 11 October 2026 Ghatasthapana window begins much earlier in Kolkata than in Mumbai.

The festival date remains the same, but the exact ritual time should be taken from the Panchang applicable to your city.

For readers who want personalized guidance on selecting an auspicious time for a specific event, the site also offers a Muhurat Report based on astrological considerations.

Sharad Navratri 2026 Day-by-Day Calendar

Devotees planning navratri sthapana 2026 rituals should follow this Tithi calendar rather than relying on Gregorian dates alone.

The nine principal Navratri Tithis run from Pratipada through Navami. In 2026, the later Tithis cross Gregorian calendar dates, so the Muhurat table (मुहूर्त तालिका) below is the main reference for the sequence.

Why Does Sharad Navratri 2026 Span 10 Calendar Dates?

Sharad Navratri is traditionally a nine-night and nine-Tithi observance, but in 2026 the Tithis occupy parts of 10 Gregorian dates, from 11 to 20 October. A lunar Tithi is not a fixed 24-hour period, so it can begin on one civil day and end on another.

The key overlap occurs in the final three Tithis: Saptami continues from 17 into 18 October, Ashtami continues from 18 into 19 October, and Navami continues from 19 into 20 October.

This is why both Maha Ashtami and the beginning of Maha Navami are connected with 19 October, while Vijayadashami is observed on 20 October.

So the clean distinction is: Navratri Day 1–9 are observed from 11–19 October; Navami Tithi continues into 20 October; and Vijayadashami/Dussehra is observed on 20 October. 20 October should not be treated as the tenth Navratri goddess day.

For broader cultural context on the nine-night festival and its regional celebrations, readers can also refer to Incredible India’s Navratri overview published by the Government of India’s tourism platform.

Kanya Pujan 2026: Date, Significance & Puja Method

Kanya Pujan, also called Kanjak Puja or Kumari Puja, is a Navratri ritual in which young girls are respectfully worshipped as a form of Devi Shakti.

Many families perform it on Maha Ashtami or Maha Navami, while some traditions observe Kumari Puja on multiple Navratri days. The exact practice depends on the family, sampradaya and regional tradition.

When Is Kanya Pujan in Sharad Navratri 2026?

For the New Delhi reference calendar used in this guide, 19 October 2026 is the key date to consider for Kanya Pujan because Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami observances are connected with the same calendar date.

Ashtami Tithi continues until 10:51 AM, after which Navami begins. Families that follow an Ashtami-based or Navami-based Kanya Pujan should follow their established family tradition and the local Panchang for the applicable ritual timing.

How Is Kanya Pujan Performed?

For devotees also reviewing the placement and direction of a home puja space, see the Vastu Consultation service for property-specific guidance.

The girls are respectfully welcomed into the home, their feet may be washed, and they are seated for puja. The family then offers prayers to Devi, applies tilak and serves Prasad or a traditional Kanjak meal.

Halwa, puri and kala chana are commonly offered in North Indian households, although the food and sequence can vary by family tradition.

Who Is Worshipped During Kanya Pujan?

Traditions differ on the number and age of girls invited. Scriptural traditions describe Kumari Puja for girls in the childhood age range, while many families perform the ritual with the number of girls available to them.

The important point is to follow the family or sampradaya practice rather than treating one regional custom as universal.

Kanya Pujan is therefore best understood as an act of reverence to the feminine aspect of Shakti. If your family follows a specific Ashtami or Navami rule, use that tradition together with the local Panchang rather than relying only on a generic date.

Timing note: Kanya Pujan is traditionally linked with Ashtami or Navami, and the preferred day can vary by family tradition. The 19 October date above follows the festival sequence used in this guide.

Sandhi Puja 2026: Ashtami–Navami Timing

Sandhi Puja falls on Monday, 19 October 2026. In the New Delhi reference calculation, the 48-minute Sandhi period is from 10:27 AM to 11:15 AM. It covers the final 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami.

Exact Sandhi timing can vary slightly by location. Use the local Panchang when performing the ritual outside the New Delhi reference location.

Maha Navami & Vijayadashami 2026

Maha Navami – 19 October 2026

Maha Navami is observed on Monday, 19 October 2026. Navami Tithi begins at 10:51 AM on 19 October and ends at 12:50 PM on 20 October.

For Navami Puja, Homa and other rituals, follow the local Panchang for the relevant Muhurat.

Vijayadashami / Dussehra – 20 October 2026

Vijayadashami, also called Dussehra, is observed on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 in the standard North Indian calculation. In New Delhi, Dashami begins at 12:50 PM and the Vijaya Muhurat is 1:59 PM–2:45 PM.

Many readers also ask about the navratri end date, which this year falls just before Vijayadashami on 20 October.

A Note for Bengal / Durga Puja Calendars

Readers in West Bengal may see a different Vijayadashami date in regional Durga Puja calendars. The standard Kolkata Vijayadashami falls on 20 October 2026, with Vijaya Muhurat from 1:17 PM to 2:03 PM.

However, the Bengal-specific Bijoya Dashami is observed on 21 October 2026, with the Aparahna Puja period from 12:30 PM to 2:49 PM. The Dashami Tithi begins at 12:50 PM on 20 October and ends at 2:11 PM on 21 October.

This difference reflects Bengal’s regional Durga Puja tradition. For Durga Visarjan and Bijoya rituals, readers in West Bengal should follow their local Bengali Panjika or Puja committee schedule.

Navadurga: Nine Forms of Goddess Durga

The navdurga 2026 forms worshipped across the nine days each carry a distinct mantra and symbolism.

For additional cultural context on Durga worship in eastern India, see the UNESCO page on Durga Puja in Kolkata and its inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The nine principal forms worshipped during Navratri are collectively called Navadurga.

Which Navratri Is This? Sharad, Chaitra & Gupt Navratri

This guide covers Sharad Navratri, also called Shardiya or Sharadiya Navratri. It falls in the Ashwin Shukla Paksha and is the autumn Navratri commonly associated with September–October observances in India.

Navratri is also an important period for many families to review personal and family matters. If marriage planning is part of that process, the site’s Kundali Matching service provides a separate compatibility-focused reading. For another detailed festival date, Muhurat and puja guide, see the Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 guide on the same site.

Sharad Navratri 2026 Date Colours & Goddess: Day-Wise Calendar

Sharad navratri 2026 colours with date calendar follows the popular weekday-based convention.

Since 2026 Sharad Navratri begins on Sunday, the day-wise sequence starts with Orange. The colour calendar is a popular custom; it does not determine the validity of the puja or vrat.

How Are the Navratri Colours Decided?

In this convention, the starting weekday determines Day 1: Sunday is Orange, Monday White, Tuesday Red, Wednesday Royal Blue, Thursday Yellow, Friday Green and Saturday Grey. The remaining two colours in the 2026 sequence are Purple and Peacock Green.

These navratri colours 2026 are followed as a popular custom, while regional and family traditions may use different colour lists.

The colour assigned to a date should not be used to calculate its Tithi. In 2026, some Tithis cross into the next date, which is why the colour day and the Tithi status may not look identical.

Final Words

This complete October Navratri 2026 schedule from Ghatasthapana to Vijayadashami, gives you every date and Muhurat in one place.

After Sharad Navratri and Vijayadashami, the next major festival in this 2026 sequence is Diwali. You can continue with the Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja guide for the next festival timeline.

Editorial Verification Note

This article uses New Delhi as the primary Panchang reference for Tithi and Muhurat timings of , with city-wise timings separately provided for 11 October 2026. Panchang calculations can differ by a minute between sources because of calculation and rounding methods. For rituals performed outside the listed cities, confirm the final Muhurat with the local Panchang.