Durga Puja Calendar
The Durga Puja festival calendar - from Mahalaya through Maha Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami, with the tithi for each day.
October 2026
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 9:34 PM, Oct 9 – 9:14 PM, Oct 10
The last day of Pitru Paksha for offering tarpan to ancestors, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 9:18 PM, Oct 10 – 9:25 PM, Oct 11
Nine nights of worship of Goddess Durga in her nine forms begin on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, opened by the Ghatasthapana (kalash) ritual in Maharashtra and the garba and dandiya-raas nights of Gujarat; in Rajasthan the Karni Mata fair at Deshnok and the Jeen Mata fair draw great crowds.
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Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi
Tithi 3:25 AM, Oct 16 – 5:49 AM, Oct 17
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 5:54 AM, Oct 17 – 8:28 AM, Oct 18
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 5:56 AM, Oct 17 – 8:28 AM, Oct 18
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 8:35 AM, Oct 18 – 10:52 AM, Oct 19
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 11:01 AM, Oct 19 – 12:52 PM, Oct 20
The victory of good over evil — effigies of Ravana are burnt and Durga is bid farewell.
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Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja
Tithi 11:01 AM, Oct 19 – 12:52 PM, Oct 20
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 1:48 PM, Oct 24 – 11:57 AM, Oct 25
On the Sharad Purnima night, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped through a vigil for prosperity; in Rajasthan, Jodhpur keeps the night with the Marwar Festival of folk music and dance.
Tithi start and end times are shown in your local time. Festival dates follow the standard Indian (sunrise) calendar and may vary by a day in other regions, and may differ slightly from regional almanacs (especially around an Adhik Maas).
Frequently asked questions about Durga Puja Calendar
Which days does Durga Puja run over?
Mahalaya on the Amavasya that ends Pitru Paksha, then Maha Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami. The calendar gives the tithi timing for each, along with the Sandhi Puja window between Ashtami and Navami.
What is Mahalaya?
The last day of Pitru Paksha, when tarpan is offered to the ancestors and the Devi is invoked at dawn. It is not a puja day but the hinge between the ancestor fortnight and the Devi fortnight.
What is Sandhi Puja?
The forty-eight minutes spanning the end of Ashtami and the start of Navami - the moment the Devi is said to have slain Mahishasura. It is fixed to the tithi junction rather than the clock, so the calendar's timing is what matters.
How does it relate to Navratri?
Same tithis, different observance. Where the north keeps nine nights of fasting and Devi worship, Bengal concentrates the last four days into a public puja. The Shardiya Navratri calendar gives the nine-night reckoning.
What is recited during the puja?
The Durga Saptashati with its three limbs, the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram, the Durga Chalisa, and the Jai Ambe Gauri aarti to close.
About the Durga Puja Calendar
The Durga Puja festival calendar - from Mahalaya through Maha Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami, with the tithi for each day.
Each entry lists the festival or vrat with its date, the prevailing tithi, and a short note on the observance. Use the year links to plan ahead into the coming years or to look up a date from the archive.
This list is the festival dates, not the daily five limbs. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and the day's yoga, open the Panchang. Other calendars are on the Calendars index. The story of a fast is under Vrat Katha.
