Durga Puja Calendar 2021
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 2021, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 6 October through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 19 October. October holds the most with 9 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1942 – 1943.
October 2021
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 7:08 PM, Oct 5 – 4:37 PM, Oct 6
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 4:38 PM, Oct 6 – 1:47 PM, Oct 7
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 2:14 AM, Oct 11 – 11:44 PM, Oct 11
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 11:50 PM, Oct 11 – 9:42 PM, Oct 12
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 9:46 PM, Oct 12 – 8:03 PM, Oct 13
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 8:05 PM, Oct 13 – 6:49 PM, Oct 14
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 6:49 PM, Oct 14 – 5:59 PM, Oct 15
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 6:49 PM, Oct 14 – 5:59 PM, Oct 15
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 6:04 PM, Oct 18 – 6:59 PM, Oct 19
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 2021
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 2021 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi fell on 11 October, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2020 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2021
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 4:48 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Jyeshtha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 10 Jun 4:11 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Jyeshtha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 19 Nov 2:32 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Margashirsha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 4 Dec 1:03 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Margashirsha Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2021
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Apr 12:30 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
| 14 Sep 2:30 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kumbha → Makara re-entry while retrograde |
| 20 Nov 11:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 2021
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 2021?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 2021. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Wednesday, 6 October 2021, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Tuesday, 19 October 2021.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 2021?
The first major observances of 2021 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Wednesday, 6 October 2021
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Thursday, 7 October 2021
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Monday, 11 October 2021
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Tuesday, 12 October 2021
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Wednesday, 13 October 2021
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Thursday, 14 October 2021
Which month of 2021 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
October 2021 is the fullest month with 9 dates, including Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya, Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana), Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Durga Puja — Maha Navami, Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja, Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami).
Which traditional year does 2021 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2021 spans Shaka Samvat 1942 – 1943. 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 2021 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 2021 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 2021?
2021 had 4 eclipses:
- 26 May 2021 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 10 June 2021 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 19 November 2021 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 4 December 2021 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
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 2021?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2021:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 6 April 2021
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Makara on 14 September 2021, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 20 November 2021
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 2021 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.
