Durga Puja 2026 : Date, Full Calendar & Muhurat Timings

Durga Puja 2026 is set to bring the usual mix of dhak beats, new clothes, pandal-hopping, and five days that somehow feel both endless and too short. If you’re planning your calendar, booking travel, or just counting down to Ashtami, here’s everything you need to know about Durga Puja 2026 – the exact dates, the full day-by-day breakdown, and the key muhurat timings for each ritual.

When is Durga Puja 2026?

Durga Puja 2026 begins with Mahalaya on Saturday, October 10, 2026, and the main five-day celebration runs from Maha Shashthi on Saturday, October 17 to Vijayadashami on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

Event	Day	Date (2026)
Mahalaya	Saturday	October 10
Maha Shashthi	Saturday	October 17
Maha Saptami	Sunday	October 18
Maha Ashtami	Monday	October 19
Maha Navami	Tuesday	October 20
Vijayadashami (Dussehra)	Wednesday	October 21

Note: Durga Puja dates are based on Hindu lunisolar tithis, so timings can shift by a day depending on which panchang (Bengali Panjika vs. North Indian Drik Panchang) your family or local pandal follows. Some calendars place Shashthi a day earlier, on October 16, which shifts Ashtami and Navami accordingly. If you’re following a specific ritual muhurat, it’s always worth double-checking with your local purohit or panjika closer to the date.

Durga Puja 2026 Full Calendar: Day by Day

Mahalaya – October 10, 2026

Mahalaya marks the end of Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha – the fifteen days during which Goddess Durga is believed to journey toward Earth. Families wake before dawn to listen to the Chandi Path and Mahishasura Mardini recitation, and many visit the riverbank to offer tarpan to their ancestors. Mahalaya isn’t a puja day itself, but it’s when the festive mood truly begins.

Maha Shashthi – October 17, 2026

Shashthi is the formal start of Durga Puja. In the evening, the Bodhan ritual ceremonially awakens the Goddess in her idol, and Amantran and Adhivas rituals invite her presence. This is also the day the idol is unveiled to the public in most community pandals – the moment pandal-hopping season officially kicks off.

Maha Saptami – October 18, 2026

Saptami opens with the Nabapatrika Snan, one of the most distinctive Durga Puja rituals. Nine plants, tied together and draped in a sari, are bathed in a river before sunrise to represent the nine forms of the Goddess. This bundle, also called Kola Bou, is placed beside the idol. The main puja rituals begin in earnest from this day.

Maha Ashtami – October 19, 2026

Widely considered the most spiritually charged day of the festival. Devotees offer Pushpanjali (flower offerings) with hymns, and young girls are worshipped as living forms of the Goddess during Kumari Puja. As Ashtami transitions into Navami, Sandhi Puja is performed – a 48-minute window marking the moment Goddess Chamunda is believed to have appeared to defeat the demons Chanda and Munda. This exact muhurat window is calculated fresh each year and is worth checking closer to the date for precise timing.

Maha Navami – October 20, 2026

Navami closes out the main worship with Navami Homa (havan) and concluding aartis. This is also traditionally linked to Durga Balidan and, in some regions, Ayudha Puja – the worship of tools and instruments, marking the Goddess’s final victory over Mahishasura the previous night.

Vijayadashami – October 21, 2026

The festival’s emotional close. Durga Visarjan sees the idol carried in procession for immersion, accompanied by drums, conches, and tears. Before the immersion, married women take part in Sindoor Khela, smearing vermillion on the idol and each other. Vijayadashami also coincides with Dussehra, marking Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana – making it a pan-India holiday, not just a Bengali one.

Why Durga Puja Dates Change Every Year

Durga Puja follows the Hindu lunisolar calendar and always falls during Ashwin Shukla Paksha, typically in September or October. Because tithis (lunar days) don’t align neatly with the solar calendar, the exact dates shift every year. Occasionally a tithi is skipped or stretched across two sunrises (khaya or vriddhi tithi), which is why you’ll sometimes see slightly different dates for Ashtami or Navami across different regional panchangs – this isn’t an error, it’s just how tithi-based festivals work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Durga Puja 2026 a public holiday? Yes. West Bengal observes an extended holiday through the main five days, and Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on October 21, 2026, is a gazetted holiday across most of India, including a trading holiday on NSE and BSE.

How many days does Durga Puja 2026 last? The main celebration spans five days – Shashthi to Vijayadashami – but the full festive season, including Mahalaya and the preparatory weeks, stretches closer to two weeks.

What is the most important day of Durga Puja 2026? Maha Ashtami (October 19, 2026) is generally considered the most sacred, thanks to Kumari Puja and Sandhi Puja.

When is Durga Visarjan in 2026? Durga Visarjan takes place on Vijayadashami, October 21, 2026.