When Does Navratri Start in 2026? Sharad Navratri Date and City-Specific Ghatasthapana Times

Sharad Navratri begins on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The opening day is marked by Ghatasthapana, also called Kalash Sthapana, and worship of Goddess Shailputri. Anyone checking the Ghatasthapana time for October 11 should use a calendar set to their own location: there is no single ritual window for all of India.

Ghatasthapana times on October 11, 2026

The following morning windows are calculated for each named city. All times are local Indian Standard Time; they should not be treated as timings for nearby cities or for worshippers abroad.

These are the city-specific morning muhurats published by Drik Panchang for Sunday. Its calendar also lists a later Abhijit window as an alternative: 11:44 a.m.–12:31 p.m. in New Delhi, 12:01–12:49 p.m. in Mumbai, 11:00–11:47 a.m. in Kolkata and 11:42 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in Bengaluru. Check the panchang for your exact city before beginning; do not apply a Delhi time nationwide or convert an Indian window for use in another country.

The date is based on the Pratipada lunar day prevailing at sunrise on October 11. Although Pratipada begins on the evening of October 10 in India, the listed opening-day Ghatasthapana is on Sunday morning, not Saturday night.

What happens on the first day?

Ghatasthapana establishes a kalash, or ceremonial vessel, for the start of Navratri worship. In a common home observance, devotees prepare a clean place for prayer, place soil and grain seeds in a shallow vessel, and set a water-filled kalash above it. Leaves and a coconut may be arranged on top. Prayers to Goddess Durga follow, often with a lamp, flowers and an offering of fruit or sweets. Materials and steps differ among households and traditions; follow your family or temple practice rather than treating one arrangement as compulsory.

Day one is associated with Shailputri, the first of the nine forms of the goddess honored during Navratri. Some devotees also begin a fast on the first day, while others mark it through prayer and offerings without fasting. The opening-day ritual is separate from evening celebrations, which vary by region and community.

How long is Sharad Navratri in 2026?

Navratri means “nine nights.” In 2026, the festival starts on October 11, with observances continuing through the following days. Drik Panchang’s New Delhi calendar lists a repeated Saptami date on October 18, Durga Ashtami on October 19, and Navami observances alongside Vijayadashami on Tuesday, October 20. That is why a date-by-date calendar can show festival events from October 11 through October 20 even though the festival is called nine nights.

For planning, remember two dates: October 11 for the start and Ghatasthapana; October 20 for Vijayadashami. For any ritual tied to a muhurat, select a panchang for the place where the worship will actually take place.