Navratri 2026 Day 1: Maa Shailputri Puja, Ghatasthapana Muhurat, Colour, And Significance

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The Pratipada tithi begins at 9.19 pm tonight, 10 October, and with it comes the first day of Sharad Navratri. Navratri 2026 Day 1 will be observed on Sunday, 11 October, when devotees install the kalash and begin nine days of worship with Maa Shailputri.

According to the New Delhi Panchang, Pratipada ends at 9.30 pm on 11 October. The festival runs till 19 October, with Vijayadashami on 20 October.

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Why The Nine Nights Begin Here

Navratri honours the nine forms of Goddess Durga, known as Navadurga. Shailputri is the first of them, and her worship sets the tone for everything that follows.

The name means "daughter of the mountain". She is the form of the Goddess who is born to Himavat, the king of the Himalayas, which is why the festival opens with a form so closely tied to the earth and to beginnings.

The Daughter Of The Mountains

According to tradition, Shailputri was Sati in her previous birth, the daughter of Daksha, and was reborn as Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva.

She is shown riding the bull Nandi, which is why she is also called Vrishabharudha. She holds a trishul in her right hand and a lotus in her left. Devotees associate her with the Muladhara, or root chakra, a symbol of stability and a firm foundation.

Ghatasthapana Timings For Day 1

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Ghatasthapana, the installation of the sacred kalash, formally opens Navratri worship. It is performed on Pratipada, in the morning.

For New Delhi, the main muhurat on 11 October is from 6.19 am to 10.12 am. The Abhijit Muhurat, an alternative window, runs from 11.44 am to 12.31 pm. Timings differ by city, so devotees are advised to check their local Panchang.

How The Day Is Observed

The rituals are simple and begin with cleanliness.

• Take a bath early and clean the puja space.
• Sow barley seeds in a clean pot of soil. The sprouts that grow over nine days are seen as a sign of prosperity.
• Fill a kalash with water, place mango leaves at its mouth and set a coconut wrapped in red cloth on top. Install it at the puja spot.
• Light a lamp and offer flowers, fruit and bhog to Maa Shailputri.
• Chant the mantra Om Devi Shailaputryai Namah and conclude with aarti.
• Many devotees also observe a fast through the nine days, though customs vary from family to family.

Orange, Ghee And A Simple Offering

The colour of Day 1 follows the weekday on which Navratri begins. As it starts on a Sunday this year, devotees will wear orange, a shade associated with warmth and energy.

Pure cow's ghee is the traditional offering to Shailputri, and many families also offer white flowers.

Navratri does not begin with a spectacle. It begins with a kalash, a lamp and a few seeds in the soil, in the name of a goddess who stands for steadiness. As the nine nights open tomorrow, Day 1 asks for something modest: a clean space, a quiet morning and a firm start.