Navratri 2026

When Is Navratri in 2026?

In 2026, Navratri falls on October 11. The observance lasts 9 nights (followed by Dussehra on day 10). Because Navratri follows a First 9 days of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Ashwin month (Hindu lunar calendar); the 10th day is Dussehra, the exact Gregorian date shifts each year. The Pratipada tithi of Ashwin Shukla Paksha determines the start; the date can shift by a day between North Indian (Purnimanta, where Ashwin begins at the full moon) and South Indian (Amanta) reckonings. Gujarat and Bengal also calculate Garba/Durga Puja timings by tithi, not Gregorian day. Since Navratri's date changes from year to year, here are the dates for the next five years so you can plan ahead: Year Date 2026 October 11 2027 October 1 2028 September 20 2029 October 10 2030 September 29

What Time Does Navratri Start in Your Time Zone?

Navratri falls on the first nine days of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month of Ashvin. In 2026, Navratri begins on October 9 and ends on October 17, with Dussehra on October 17 (the 10th day, Vijayadashami). Each night of the festival is calculated by the lunar tithi, with the most important rituals at midnight. The nine-night structure means the festival extends across a week and a half, making the time zone less critical than for a single-night festival. Diaspora Hindu communities observe Navratri on the same Gregorian dates as India, though local celebrations may be condensed to weekends. In cities like Houston, Edison (New Jersey), and Leicester (UK), large public garba events are held on the weekends during Navratri, drawing thousands of participants. The table below shows the observance date for Navratri in major time zones around the world: Location Observance Date Time Zone New York, USA October 11 EST/EDT (UTC-5/-4) London, UK October 11 GMT/BST (UTC+0/+1) New Delhi, India October 11 IST (UTC+5:30) Sydney, Australia October 11 AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11) Dubai, UAE October 11 GST (UTC+4)

The Story Behind Navratri

Navratri — literally "nine nights" in Sanskrit — is a major Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of the goddess Durga and her nine forms. Observed twice a year, the most significant Navratri falls in the Hindu month of Ashvin (September-October), immediately preceding Dussehra. The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil, particularly the goddess Durga's defeat of the buffalo demon Mahishasura after a nine-day battle. Each of the nine nights is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Durga (the Navadurga): Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri. Each form represents a different aspect of the goddess — from the ascetic Brahmacharini to the fierce Kalaratri to the radiant Mahagauri — and devotees worship a different form on each night. The festival also commemorates the descent of Durga from her celestial abode to Earth, where she comes to visit her parents — a theme especially beloved in eastern India, where the goddess is treated as a daughter coming home for a visit. Theological significance abounds in Navratri. The festival is also associated with the Ramayana, in which Lord Rama worshipped Durga for nine days before his battle with the demon Ravana, finally defeating Ravana on the 10th day (Dussehra). In some traditions, the nine nights are divided into three sets of three, each dedicated to a different aspect of the divine feminine: Durga (the warrior), Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth), and Saraswati (the goddess of knowledge). The fasting, prayer, and devotional singing during Navratri are meant to purify the devotee and prepare them to receive the goddess's blessings.

How Navratri Is Celebrated

Navratri is celebrated with regional variations across India, each with its own distinctive flavor. In Gujarat, the festival is famous for garba and dandiya raas — circular folk dances performed around an image of the goddess, with men and women in colorful traditional attire (women in chaniya choli, men in kediyu) dancing to live music well into the night. Sticks (dandiyas) are used in the dandiya raas, with dancers striking each other's sticks in rhythm. Garba is performed without sticks, with clapping and circling. Cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Surat host enormous public garba events, some attended by tens of thousands. In eastern India — particularly West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Bihar — Navratri coincides with Durga Puja, one of the largest public art and religious festivals in the world. Pandals (temporary structures) are erected in every neighborhood, each housing a clay idol of Durga slaying Mahishasura. The pandals are often elaborate works of art, themed around everything from ancient Egyptian temples to spacecraft to replicas of world landmarks. Bengal's Durga Puja was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2021. In North India, Navratri is observed with fasting — devotees eat only vegetarian food, often avoiding grains, onion, and garlic as well. Many observe a strict fast on the first and last days. The festival culminates on the 10th day (Dussehra) with the burning of effigies of Ravana, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. In South India, Navratri is celebrated with the golu — a display of dolls on a staircase of nine steps, representing the divine hierarchy. Families invite each other to view their golu, exchange gifts, and sing devotional songs. In Mysore, the Mysore Palace is illuminated with 100,000 light bulbs for the festival, and a grand procession with decorated elephants winds through the city. Why Does Navratri Move Every Year? Navratri is fixed in the Hindu lunisolar calendar on the first nine days of the bright fortnight of Ashvin. The Hindu calendar's leap-month system keeps the festival anchored in September-October. The astronomical anchor is the moon in its waxing phase, with the festival ending on the 10th day (Vijayadashami or Dussehra), which falls just after the full moon. There are actually four Navratris in the Hindu calendar — one in each season — but only two are widely observed: the autumnal one (September-October) and the winter one (Magha Navratri, January-February). The autumnal Navratri, also called Maha Navratri ("great Navratri"), is by far the most significant. The dates shift each year within a roughly three-week window, and the 19-year Metonic cycle means Navratri dates nearly repeat every 19 years.

Calendar Calculation

First 9 days of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Ashwin month (Hindu lunar calendar); the 10th day is Dussehra

Traveling for Navratri? Where to Go

Navratri is one of the largest travel periods in India, especially for the Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal. Kolkata's pandals draw millions of visitors who walk from pandal to pandal through the night, and hotels book out months in advance. In Gujarat, the garba celebrations in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Surat draw international tourists as well as Indian visitors. In Mysore, the illuminated palace and the procession on Vijayadashami draw visitors from across South India. Top destinations for this holiday: Ahmedabad: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Kolkata: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Varanasi: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Mysuru: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Baroda: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. If you're planning to travel for navratri, compare hotel rates and book early — accommodations in Ahmedabad fill up weeks before the festival. [Search hotels for Navratri travel →]

Did You Know? Navratri Facts & Trivia

Navratri — meaning "nine nights" in Sanskrit — is observed twice a year, with the most significant one falling in the Hindu month of Ashvin (September-October), immediately before Dussehra. Each of the nine nights is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Durga (the Navadurga). In Gujarat, the garba and dandiya raas — circular folk dances performed around an image of the goddess — are the iconic Navratri traditions. Cities like Ahmedabad and Vadodara host public garba events attended by tens of thousands, with participants in colorful traditional attire. Bengal's Durga Puja — coinciding with Navratri — was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2021. The festival features elaborate pandals (temporary structures) housing clay idols of Durga, with themes ranging from replicas of world monuments to social commentary. The fasting during Navratri — observed by many North Indian Hindus — involves abstention from meat, alcohol, grains, onion, and garlic. Special fasting foods — made from buckwheat flour (kuttu), water chestnut flour (singhare), and tapioca (sabudana) — are eaten instead.