Navratri 2026 Dates: A Practical Temple Observance Guide

If you need to choose the correct day for your kalasha, request leave, or plan darshan, start by separating the two Navratri periods covered here. Vasant Chaitra Navratri falls in March 2026, while the Sharad observance begins in October.

For the autumn festival, keep 11 October for Ghatasthapana or Kalasha Sthapana and 20 October for Vijayadashami. Temple programmes can add their own daily alankarams to this calendar, so use the dates as firm anchors but confirm local puja and darshan times before travelling.

Key takeaways for your 2026 calendar

• Vasant Chaitra Navratri runs from 19 March to 27 March 2026; its second day is 20 March.
• Sharad Navratri begins on 11 October 2026 and culminates in Vijayadashami on 20 October.
• The opening day is Pratipada, with Kalasha Sthapana and Shailaputri Puja. The second day, 12 October, carries several tradition-specific observances.
• At Kolhapur Mahalakshmi Temple, the festival follows the 11-20 October span. At Vijayawada, Balatripura Sundari Devi is the first-day alankaram on 11 October.

The two Navratri date ranges at a glance

This distinction matters whenever an invitation, temple notice, or family message says only “Navratri 2026.” A March observance refers to the Vasant Chaitra period; an October journey belongs to Sharad Navratri. Check the month before you book transport or arrange leave.

A festival date is not automatically a universal clock time. Kalasha Sthapana muhurta and temple darshan schedules can depend on the panchanga and location being followed. Use the panchanga accepted by your family or temple rather than copying a time published for another city.

What to observe on 11 and 12 October

Sunday, 11 October 2026, is the first day of Sharad Navratri and Pratipada. It is the day for Kalasha Sthapana and Shailaputri Puja. If you maintain a household kalasha, this is the opening date to reserve in your family calendar; obtain the applicable local muhurta separately.

Monday, 12 October 2026, is the second day. It is associated with Preethi Dwitiya, Sthana Vriddhi Gauri Vrata, and Sindhara Dooj. The presence of several observance names does not make all of them a compulsory checklist for every devotee. Follow the vrata received through your family, region, or sampradaya, and ask your priest when the required sankalpa or procedure is unclear.

For Vasant Chaitra Navratri, the corresponding second day falls on 20 March 2026. In Nepal, Navratri is celebrated as Dashain, and the second day continues the regular worship of Goddess Durga. These parallel traditions are a reason to identify the calendar and local practice before forwarding a generic day-by-day schedule.

How temple observances affect the day you should visit

At Kolhapur Mahalakshmi Temple, a major Shakti Peetha in Maharashtra, Navratri 2026 opens with Ghatasthapana on 11 October and reaches Vijayadashami on 20 October. Those are the dependable dates around which to build a Kolhapur pilgrimage. The date range alone, however, does not establish the alankaram, seva, darshan hours, or entry arrangements for every intervening day.

At Vijayawada, Balatripura Sundari Devi is the first-day alankaram on 11 October. This does not conflict with Shailaputri Puja on Pratipada. One name identifies the broader first-day Navratri worship, while the other identifies the temple’s particular alankaram. Keeping those layers distinct prevents a common planning mistake: assuming that every Devi temple must use the same daily form and programme.

Before booking a temple journey, verify four details directly with the temple:

1. Whether the notice refers to March Chaitra Navratri or October Sharad Navratri.
2. Which Devi form or alankaram will be presented on your chosen date.
3. The local darshan, puja, and Kalasha Sthapana timings relevant to your visit.
4. Any booking, entry, queue, or ritual-material rules that could affect your plan.

If your purpose is the opening rite, mark 11 October. If you follow a second-day family vrata, also reserve 12 October. If Vijayadashami is the focus, keep 20 October free. For a temple-specific alankaram, confirm the daily programme before paying for travel; the festival span cannot tell you which form will be worshipped on every date.

Add the dates relevant to your practice now, then contact the temple before you finalise transport or accommodation. That simple order keeps your calendar accurate while respecting the local tradition through which Navratri is actually observed.

References

• Hindu Pad — 2nd day of Navratri 2026, 12 October 2026
• Hindu Pad — Navratri 2026 in Kolhapur Mahalakshmi Temple
• Hindu Pad — 1st day Navratri Puja Timings | 11 October 2026