Navratri 2026: Nine Nights, Colours & Devi Worship (11–19 October)
6 min read · Updated 2026-07-11
Navratri — 'nine nights' — is the great festival of the Divine Feminine, when the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped over nine successive nights. The autumn Shardiya Navratri is the most widely observed, culminating in Dussehra.
Navratri 2026 dates
Shardiya Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October and ends on Monday, 19 October, with Dussehra (Vijayadashami) on 20 October. Ghatasthapana — the ritual installation of the kalash that opens the festival — is performed on the first day during its auspicious muhurat. Confirm the exact timing for your city on a reliable panchang.
The nine forms of Durga (Navadurga)
- Day 1 — Shailaputri, daughter of the mountains.
- Day 2 — Brahmacharini, the ascetic.
- Day 3 — Chandraghanta, the courageous.
- Day 4 — Kushmanda, the cosmic creator.
- Day 5 — Skandamata, mother of Kartikeya.
- Day 6 — Katyayani, the warrior.
- Day 7 — Kalaratri, destroyer of darkness.
- Day 8 — Mahagauri, the serene and pure.
- Day 9 — Siddhidatri, giver of perfection.
The Sri Yantra and Devi worship
In the Sri Vidya tradition, the Goddess is worshipped through the Sri Yantra — the Sri Chakra — revered as her very form in sacred geometry. Many households install or specially worship a Sri Chakra or Sri Yantra during Navratri, offering kumkum, flowers and the Lalita Sahasranama.
From the Treasury
Sri Chakra Kavach Yantra
₹12,400
Keeping the Navratri altar
- Install the Ghatasthapana kalash and a Durga image or Sri Yantra in the north-east on day one.
- Light a lamp (akhand jyoti) and offer fresh flowers and kumkum daily.
- Wear the day's traditional colour and recite the Goddess's mantras or the Durga Saptashati.
- Conclude with kanya pujan (honouring young girls) on Ashtami or Navami.
From the Treasury
Sri Yantra — Consecrated Copper Plate
₹2,450
Frequently Asked
- What are the Navratri 2026 dates?
- Shardiya Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday, 11 October to Monday, 19 October, with Dussehra on 20 October. Ghatasthapana is on the first day.
- What are the nine forms of Durga worshipped in Navratri?
- Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri — one for each of the nine nights.
- How is the Sri Yantra connected to Navratri?
- In the Sri Vidya tradition the Sri Yantra (Sri Chakra) is worshipped as the geometric body of the Goddess, making it a central object of Devi worship during Navratri.
- What is Ghatasthapana?
- Ghatasthapana (Kalash Sthapana) is the ritual installation of a sacred pot on the first day of Navratri, performed during an auspicious muhurat to invoke the Goddess for the nine nights.