Sharad Navratri 2026: Oct 11 Date, Ghatasthapana Muhurat & 9-Day Puja Guide

Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, October 11, and runs for nine nights through Monday, October 19, followed by Dussehra (Vijayadashami) on Tuesday, October 20. This is the main autumn Navratri — the one most of India celebrates with Ghatasthapana, Durga Puja, Garba, and Ramlila — and it's completely different from Chaitra Navratri, which falls in spring. If you've been searching for the exact Sharad Navratri 2026 date, muhurat, and how to prepare for the nine days ahead, here's everything in one place.

Quick Answer:

• Sharad Navratri 2026 Start: Sunday, October 11
• Sharad Navratri 2026 End: Monday, October 19 (Maha Navami)
• Dussehra 2026 Date: Tuesday, October 20
• Ghatasthapana Muhurat: 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM
• Abhijit Muhurat (fallback): 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM
• Durga Ashtami: Oct 18–19
• Maha Navami: Oct 19
• Kanya Pujan: Oct 18 or Oct 19

Sharad Navratri 2026 — 9-Day Date, Goddess & Colour Guide

Each of the nine nights of Sharad Navratri is dedicated to one form of Goddess Durga, the Navdurga, and traditionally paired with a colour devotees wear that day.

Keep this table handy — it's the easiest way to plan your Sharad Navratri 2026 puja and daily dressing without checking the calendar every morning.

Which Rudraksha to Wear During Navratri 

Navratri is Shakti's festival, and one bead carries her name directly: the 9 Mukhi Rudraksha is traditionally presided over by Goddess Durga herself — the Nav Durga, the very form worshipped across all nine nights. It's believed to bring fearlessness, protection, and inner strength, making it the most direct, scripturally grounded choice for this festival.

Beyond the 9 Mukhi, a few other beads connect meaningfully to the Devi and her family, and are worth wearing during Navratri specifically:

• 2 Mukhi Rudraksha — represents Ardhanarishwara, the combined form of Shiva and Parvati, a direct embodiment of Shakti united with her consort. Fitting for anyone seeking harmony alongside their Navratri devotion.

• 7 Mukhi Rudraksha — presided over by Goddess Mahalakshmi, one of the Tridevi worshipped in Hindu tradition. Many households pair Lakshmi worship with the later days of Navratri, as the festival season moves toward Dussehra and Diwali.

• 8 Mukhi Rudraksha — blessed by Lord Ganesha, the Goddess's son, traditionally invoked first before any puja begins, including Ghatasthapana itself.

• 6 Mukhi Rudraksha — presided over by Lord Kartikeya, the Goddess's other son, associated with courage and strength — the very qualities Durga herself embodies in her battle with Mahishasura.

Two more beads deserve special mention, since they're tied to the Goddess even more directly than the numbered mukhis. The Garbh Gauri Rudraksha is considered one of the most auspicious beads linked to the feminine, protective form of the Goddess herself, while the Gauri Shankar Rudraksha — a naturally fused bead representing Shiva and Parvati as one — is worn for harmony and household peace, echoing the same Shiva-Shakti unity Navratri celebrates.

If you'd rather wear one simple piece through all nine days, a Rudraksha Mala or Rudraksha Bracelet works just as well.

Why Navratri Is Celebrated

Navratri means "nine nights," and it marks the battle between Goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura, who had won a boon making him nearly impossible to defeat. To counter him, the gods combined their powers to create Durga — a warrior goddess armed with weapons from each deity. Over nine nights, she fought Mahishasura in his many shape-shifting forms, finally defeating him on the tenth day, celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra. In North India, this same period also marks Lord Rama's victory over Ravana, which is why Ramlila performances build up through Sharad Navratri 2026 toward Dussehra.

Ghatasthapana (Kalash Sthapana) — Step by Step

Ghatasthapana is the ritual that formally opens Sharad Navratri by inviting Goddess Shakti into the home through a sacred kalash.

1. Bathe and clean the puja space before the muhurat window.
2. Spread a red cloth over a wooden chowki and place a small mound of soil on it.
3. Sow barley seeds in the soil — they'll sprout visibly over the nine days.
4. Fill a kalash with water, add mango leaves, a coconut, a coin, and a mauli thread.
5. Place the kalash on the soil and set a Durga idol or image behind it.
6. During the muhurat, light a diya, offer flowers and kumkum.
7. Light the Akhand Jyot — a continuous flame kept burning for all nine days.

Shaligram Puja During Navratri

While Navratri is primarily Devi worship, many households also honour Lord Vishnu through the Shaligram — a sacred stone considered a natural form of Vishnu, found along the Kali Gandaki river. Worshipping Shaligram alongside Durga during Sharad Navratri 2026 reflects a beautiful balance: Shakti and Vishnu, the divine feminine and the preserver, honoured together. For anyone curious about its deeper origin, Wikipedia's overview of the Shaligram is a good starting point.

A simple Shaligram puja during Navratri involves a gentle wash with clean water, a tulsi leaf offering, and a lit diya each morning alongside your regular Devi puja. Many families keep a Gopal Shaligram for easy daily worship, while others prefer the Vishnu Laxmi Shaligram as the festival moves toward the Lakshmi-focused celebrations later in the season. The Harihar Shaligram, combining Shiva and Vishnu in one form, is a lovely choice if your household already worships Shiva through rudraksha. If you'd like to build a full puja setup, a Shaligram Mala is a simple, meaningful addition.

Daily Navratri Puja Routine

Morning: Bathe, wear the day's colour, light the Akhand Jyot and incense, offer fresh flowers and kumkum, and recite the Durga Saptashati or simply chant "Jai Mata Di."

Evening: Perform sandhya aarti with camphor and a diya, sing the Durga aarti, and if your family celebrates with Garba, this is when the evening festivities begin.

Kanya Pujan — Date & Vidhi

Kanya Pujan is performed on either Ashtami (October 18) or Navami (October 19), depending on family tradition. Nine young girls are invited home, their feet are washed, and they're worshipped as living forms of the Goddess. Each girl is offered prasad — usually halwa, puri, and chana — along with a small gift.

Ghatasthapana Muhurat for Uttarakhand (Haridwar & Dehradun)

If you're observing Sharad Navratri 2026 in Haridwar, Dehradun, or elsewhere in Uttarakhand, the muhurat closely matches the Delhi-reference window of 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM, since sunrise timing here differs only by a few minutes. The Abhijit Muhurat fallback of 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM applies as well. That said, for a moment as precise as Ghatasthapana, it's always worth confirming the exact minute with a local panchang or your family priest closer to the date.

Navratri Fasting Rules — What to Eat and Avoid

Allowed: fruits, milk, curd, sabudana, kuttu atta, singhare atta, potatoes, sendha namak (rock salt), and dry fruits.

Avoid: wheat, rice, regular salt, onion, garlic, non-vegetarian food, and alcohol.

Navratri Puja Samagri List

Celebrate Sharad Navratri 2026 with the Right Devotion

Whether you're setting up a full nine-day Ghatasthapana or keeping it simple with daily prayers, Sharad Navratri 2026 is a time to invite Shakti into your home with sincerity. Explore our full range of Rudraksha and Shaligram collections to find the right piece for your puja this year.

FAQs

Q1. When is Sharad Navratri 2026?
Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, October 11, and runs through Monday, October 19, followed by Dussehra (Vijayadashami) on Tuesday, October 20.

Q2. Is Navratri celebrated twice a year?
Yes. Chaitra Navratri falls in spring (March 19–27, 2026) and marks the Hindu New Year, while Sharad Navratri, the larger and most widely celebrated one, falls in autumn (October 11–19, 2026).

Q3. What is the Ghatasthapana muhurat for Navratri 2026?
The main Ghatasthapana muhurat on October 11, 2026 is 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM. If this window is missed, the Abhijit Muhurat from 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM is the traditional fallback.

Q4. What is the difference between Chaitra and Sharad Navratri?
Chaitra Navratri occurs in spring and concludes with Ram Navami, while Sharad Navratri happens in autumn and concludes with Dussehra. Sharad Navratri is the more prominent of the two, observed with Ghatasthapana, Durga Puja, Garba, and Ramlila across most of India.

Q5. When is Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami in 2026?
Due to a tithi overlap this year, both Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami are observed on October 18–19, 2026, with most households performing Ashtami rituals on the 18th and Navami rituals on the 19th.

Q6. Is the Navratri date the same across North and South India?
The dates are the same nationwide since they follow the lunar tithi, but the style of celebration differs — North India focuses on Ghatasthapana, Durga Puja, and Ramlila, while South India observes Golu doll displays and Ayudha Puja, and East India centres around Durga Puja pandals.

Q7. When is Kanya Pujan performed in 2026?
Kanya Pujan is performed on either Ashtami (October 18) or Navami (October 19), 2026, depending on family tradition.

Q8. What is the Ghatasthapana muhurat for Uttarakhand (Haridwar/Dehradun)?
The muhurat for Haridwar and Dehradun closely matches the Delhi-reference window of 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM, since sunrise timing differs by only a few minutes. It's still worth confirming the exact minute with a local panchang closer to the date.

Q9. Which rudraksha should I wear during Navratri?
Each of the nine days can be paired with a specific mukhi rudraksha matching that day's form of Durga — for example, 1 Mukhi on Day 1 (Shailputri) through 9 Mukhi on Day 9 (Siddhidatri). A Rudraksha mala or bracelet also works well if you prefer one piece for all nine days.

Q10. Can Shaligram be worshipped during Navratri?
Yes. While Navratri primarily honours Goddess Durga, many households also worship the Shaligram, a sacred stone form of Lord Vishnu, alongside their Devi puja — a simple daily offering of water and a tulsi leaf is enough to include it in your Navratri routine.