When Is Navratri In 2026? Full Dates, Rituals, Colours, Significance, and Fasting Guide

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Nine nights. Nine forms of the goddess. And, for millions of households across India, nine days of fasting that begin before sunrise.

Sharad Navratri 2026 falls from Sunday, 11 October to Monday, 19 October, with Vijayadashami, or Dussehra, following on Tuesday, 20 October. It is the most widely celebrated of the four Navratris observed through the year, and this guide breaks down the dates, the rituals, the fasting rules, and the story that ties the whole festival together.

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The Navratri 2026 Date Calendar

The festival opens with Ghatasthapana, the ceremonial installation of the sacred kalash, on the morning of 11 October, within a muhurat of roughly 6:19 am to 10:12 am (an Abhijit muhurat between 11:44 am and 12:31 pm is available for those who miss the earlier window). Durga Ashtami falls on 18 October, Maha Navami on 19 October, and Vijayadashami closes the festival on 20 October. Each of the nine nights is dedicated to a different form of the Navadurga, from Shailaputri on day one through to Siddhidatri on the ninth.

Rituals: From Kalash To Kanya Pujan

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Navratri's rituals shift by region, but a few threads run through most households. The festival begins with the kalash sthapana, where a pot representing the goddess is installed, and barley seeds are sown nearby to be watched over for nine days. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, evenings turn into Garba and Dandiya nights that often run past midnight. In West Bengal, the same nine days build towards Durga Puja, considered the largest Navratri celebration anywhere in the world. Many households close the festival with Kanya Pujan, inviting young girls to be worshipped as forms of the goddess and served a festive meal, usually on Ashtami or Navami.

Fasting Rules: What To Eat, What To Skip

Fasting through Navratri is less about deprivation and more about a shift to what's considered a sattvic diet. Grains such as wheat and rice, along with lentils, onion, garlic, alcohol and non-vegetarian food, are set aside for the nine days. In their place, most fasting plates lean on buckwheat (kuttu) and water chestnut (singhara) flours, sabudana, barnyard millet, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and cucumber, along with fruits, milk, curd, paneer and dry fruits. Regular table salt is usually swapped for sendha namak, or rock salt. Those observing a strict fast are advised to stay hydrated, eat small, frequent meals rather than skipping food altogether, and avoid the deep-fried "vrat snacks" that flood the market this time of year.

The Story Behind The Nine Nights

At the heart of Navratri is the legend of Mahishasura, a shape-shifting demon who won a boon that no man or god could defeat him. To counter the threat, the gods pooled their combined energies to create Durga - a ten-armed warrior goddess, each arm carrying a weapon gifted by a different deity, riding into battle on a lion. The nine nights mark the build-up to her victory over Mahishasura, with Vijayadashami marking the moment good triumphs over evil - the same theme that plays out separately in the burning of Ravana's effigy on Dussehra in North India.