Durga Puja Calendar 2028
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 2028, from Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 18 September through Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on 2 October. September holds the most with 8 dates. The year runs through Shaka Samvat 1949 – 1950.
September 2028
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Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya
Tithi 3:47 AM, Sep 18 – 11:56 PM, Sep 18
The last day of Pitru Paksha for ancestral tarpan, and the herald of Durga Puja.
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 11:53 PM, Sep 18 – 7:58 PM, Sep 19
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 7:48 AM, Sep 23 – 6:57 AM, Sep 24
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 6:32 AM, Sep 24 – 6:33 AM, Sep 25
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 6:11 AM, Sep 25 – 6:58 AM, Sep 26
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 6:11 AM, Sep 25 – 6:58 AM, Sep 26
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship — kept with Ashtami this year, as the Navami tithi touches no sunrise.
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 6:41 AM, Sep 26 – 8:09 AM, Sep 27
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 6:41 AM, Sep 26 – 8:09 AM, Sep 27
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
October 2028
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Kojagari Lakshmi Puja
Tithi 5:06 PM, Oct 1 – 7:35 PM, Oct 2
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 the sky brings in 2028
Beyond the dates the Durga Puja Calendar lists, 2028 brings 5 eclipses - 2 solar and 3 lunar - of which 3 are above the horizon somewhere in India. Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi falls on 24 September, 10 days earlier in the year than in 2027 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2028
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 9:43 AM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Pausha Purnima | Not visible |
| 26 Jan 8:37 PM | Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Magha Amavasya | Not visible |
| 6 Jul 11:49 PM | Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashadha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 22 Jul 8:25 AM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 31 Dec 10:22 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Pausha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal is observed for 3 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2028
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Feb 7:30 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Meena → Mesha |
| 28 Feb 7:20 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Simha re-entry while retrograde |
| 24 Jul 3:40 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
| 26 Dec 1:50 PM | Guru (Jupiter) | Kanya → Tula |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu enters Dhanu on 24 June 2028, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Durga Puja Calendar 2028
How many festivals and vrats does the Durga Puja Calendar list in 2028?
The Durga Puja Calendar lists 9 dates in 2028. The first is Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Monday, 18 September 2028, and the last is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Monday, 2 October 2028.
What are the main festival dates in the Durga Puja Calendar for 2028?
The first major observances of 2028 are:
- Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya - Monday, 18 September 2028
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Tuesday, 19 September 2028
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Sunday, 24 September 2028
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Monday, 25 September 2028
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Tuesday, 26 September 2028
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Tuesday, 26 September 2028
Which month of 2028 has the most observances in the Durga Puja Calendar?
September 2028 is the fullest month with 8 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 2028 correspond to in the Durga Puja Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2028 spans Shaka Samvat 1949 – 1950. 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.
Will there be an Adhik Maas in 2028?
No. 2028 has 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.
Will there be any eclipses in 2028?
2028 has 5 eclipses:
- 12 January 2028 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 26 January 2028 - Annular solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 6 July 2028 - Partial lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
- 22 July 2028 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
- 31 December 2028 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 3 of these will be kept in India.
Will Guru or Shani change sign in 2028?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2028:
- Shani (Saturn) enters Mesha on 23 February 2028
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Simha on 28 February 2028, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Kanya on 24 July 2028
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Tula on 26 December 2028
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 2028 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.
