Durga Puja Calendar 1986
The Durga Puja festival calendar - from Mahalaya through Maha Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami, with the tithi for each day.
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1986, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 3 October through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 17 October. October holds the most with 9 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1907 – 1908.
October 1986
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 1:52 AM, Oct 3 – 12:34 AM, Oct 4
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 12:25 AM, Oct 4 – 10:37 PM, Oct 4
Nine nights of worship of Goddess Durga 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 12:46 PM, Oct 8 – 10:21 AM, Oct 9
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 10:16 AM, Oct 9 – 8:02 AM, Oct 10
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 10:16 AM, Oct 9 – 8:02 AM, Oct 10
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 5:57 AM, Oct 11 – 3:59 AM, Oct 12
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 4:07 AM, Oct 12 – 2:28 AM, Oct 13
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 4:07 AM, Oct 12 – 2:28 AM, Oct 13
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 12:18 AM, Oct 17 – 12:43 AM, Oct 18
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).
What happened in the sky in 1986
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 1986 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi fell on 9 October, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1985 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1986
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 11:50 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chaitra Amavasya | Not visible |
| 24 Apr 6:12 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Vaishakha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 4 Oct 12:35 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) on Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) | Ashwina Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 18 Oct 12:47 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) 1 day after Kojagari Lakshmi Puja | Kartika Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1986
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jan 7:10 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Meena on 18 August 1986, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 1986
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 1986?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 1986. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Friday, 3 October 1986, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Friday, 17 October 1986.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 1986?
The first major observances of 1986 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Friday, 3 October 1986
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Saturday, 4 October 1986
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Thursday, 9 October 1986
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Friday, 10 October 1986
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Friday, 10 October 1986
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Saturday, 11 October 1986
Which month of 1986 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
October 1986 is the fullest month with 9 dates, including Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya, Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana), Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Navami, Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja, Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami).
Which traditional year does 1986 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1986 spans Shaka Samvat 1907 – 1908. The traditional year does not begin on 1 January, so one Gregorian year usually covers the end of one era year and the start of the next.
Did 1986 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1986 had twelve lunar months with no Adhik Maas, so its festival dates fall in their usual Gregorian window rather than being pushed later by an intercalary month.
Were there any eclipses in 1986?
1986 had 4 eclipses:
- 9 April 1986 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 24 April 1986 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 4 October 1986 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 18 October 1986 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1986?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1986:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 25 January 1986
Jupiter takes about a year to cross one sign and Saturn about two and a half, so these transits colour the whole year rather than a single week.
Are these 1986 dates the same everywhere?
The dates follow the standard Indian sunrise-based calendar. Because a tithi begins and ends at a fixed moment rather than at midnight, an observance can fall a day earlier or later where sunrise differs - most noticeably outside India. Set your city in the box at the top to see the start and end times in your own local time, and check the daily Panchang for the exact window on the day.
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.
