Shardiya Navratri Calendar 1968
The Shardiya (autumn) Navratri festival calendar - the nine nights of Devi worship in Ashwin, from Ghatasthapana to Vijayadashami, with the tithi for each day.
The Shardiya Navratri Calendar lists 7 dates in 1968, from Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) on 23 September through Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) on 1 October. September holds the most with 5 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2024 – 2025.
September 1968
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Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana)
Tithi 4:42 PM, Sep 22 – 2:37 PM, Sep 23
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 4:29 AM, Sep 27 – 1:56 AM, Sep 28
Bodhon and Kalparambha — the formal welcome of Goddess Durga that opens the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Saptami
Tithi 1:59 AM, Sep 28 – 11:36 PM, Sep 28
Nabapatrika is bathed and Goddess Durga is worshipped on the seventh day of the puja.
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Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami
Tithi 11:40 PM, Sep 28 – 9:32 PM, Sep 29
The grandest day of Durga Puja, with Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja at dusk.
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Durga Puja — Maha Navami
Tithi 9:34 PM, Sep 29 – 7:45 PM, Sep 30
The ninth day of Durga Puja, marked by Navami Homa and the final grand worship.
October 1968
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Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami)
Tithi 7:47 PM, Sep 30 – 6:19 PM, Oct 1
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 7:47 PM, Sep 30 – 6:19 PM, Oct 1
Tools, instruments and books are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped on Vijayadashami.
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 1968
Beyond the dates the Shardiya Navratri Calendar lists, 1968 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) fell on 23 September, 10 days earlier in the year than in 1967 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1968
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 4:29 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chaitra Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 13 Apr 10:17 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Chaitra Purnima | Not visible |
| 22 Sep 4:48 PM | Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) 1 day before Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) | Ashwina Amavasya | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 6 Oct 5:11 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Ashwina Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1968
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 7:20 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Meena → Mesha |
| 28 Sep 9:10 AM | Shani (Saturn) | Mesha → Meena re-entry while retrograde |
| 12 Oct 6:20 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Simha → Kanya |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Meena on 12 January 1968, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Shardiya Navratri Calendar 1968
How many festivals and vrats does the Shardiya Navratri Calendar list in 1968?
The Shardiya Navratri Calendar lists 7 dates in 1968. The first is Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) on Monday, 23 September 1968, and the last is Dussehra / Dasara (Vijayadashami) on Tuesday, 1 October 1968.
What are the main festival dates in the Shardiya Navratri Calendar for 1968?
The first major observances of 1968 are:
- Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana) - Monday, 23 September 1968
- Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi - Friday, 27 September 1968
- Durga Puja — Maha Saptami - Saturday, 28 September 1968
- Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami - Sunday, 29 September 1968
- Durga Puja — Maha Navami - Monday, 30 September 1968
- Ayudha Puja / Saraswati Puja - Tuesday, 1 October 1968
Which month of 1968 has the most observances in the Shardiya Navratri Calendar?
September 1968 is the fullest month with 5 dates, including Sharad Navratri Begins (Ghatasthapana), Durga Puja — Maha Shashthi, Durga Puja — Maha Saptami, Durga Puja — Maha Ashtami, Durga Puja — Maha Navami.
Which traditional year does 1968 correspond to in the Shardiya Navratri Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1968 spans Vikram Samvat 2024 – 2025. 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 1968 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1968 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 1968?
1968 had 4 eclipses:
- 29 March 1968 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 13 April 1968 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), not visible from India
- 22 September 1968 - Total solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 6 October 1968 - 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 1968?
Yes - 3 sign changes among the slow grahas in 1968:
- Shani (Saturn) entered Mesha on 17 June 1968
- Shani (Saturn) entered Meena on 28 September 1968, moving retrograde
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kanya on 12 October 1968
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 1968 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 Shardiya Navratri Calendar
The Shardiya (autumn) Navratri festival calendar - the nine nights of Devi worship in Ashwin, from Ghatasthapana to 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.
