Chaitra Navratri 2026 will be observed from March 19–27, 2026. This nine-day Hindu festival honors Maa Durga and her nine forms, celebrated with daily puja, fasting, and community rituals. The festival also marks the Hindu New Year in many regions and concludes with Rama Navami, the birth of Lord Rama. Widely observed across India, it symbolizes spiritual renewal, discipline, and the eternal triumph of good over evil.
Chaitra Navratri › Date (2026) - Thu, 19 Mar, 2026 – Fri, 27 Mar, 2026
The arrival of Summer has been announced by the heat in the air, seasonal flowers, and fruits all around, and the elongation of daytime. With the Sun getting intense and a new phase beginning, the Hindu society at the onset of this season celebrates Chaitra Navaratri- nine days dedicated to the great mother goddess Durga and her nine forms.
Chaitra Navratri marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar year and the arrival of spring. For nine days, devotees worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga through fasting, rituals, and prayers, culminating in the celebration of Rama Navami or the birthday of Lord Rama. More than a seasonal festival, Chaitra Navratri represents renewal, victory of good over evil, and spiritual discipline making it one of the most significant celebrations in India.
Chaitra Navaratri falls in the month of Chaitra, which is the first month of the Hindu calendar (lunar), in the months of March and April. The first day of Chaitra Maas (month) is celebrated by many traditional Hindu families. The first day of Chaitra month is also known as Ugadi/Yugadi, celebrated as the start of a new era. Though the entirety of Chaitra is lined with different auspicious occasions, the most important one is the Navaratri, a celebration of the supreme mother and her benevolence.
According to prevalent beliefs around Chaitra Navaratri, it is a remembrance of goddess Durga’s victory over the demon-king Mahishasura. Shakta tradition narrates the saga of the emergence of Devi Durga as an answer to the prayers of the gods, who were terrorized by Mahishasura, a shape-shifting demon who with his army had attacked the abode of the gods.
When no one was able to defeat the demon, all the gods joined forces and prayed to the primordial principle, who came forth, in the form of the powerful Durga. Each god offered their powers to the potent goddess in the form of a weapon, arming her for the battle with the menacing Mahishasura. In the battleground, the goddess appeared as a beautiful warrior, seeing which the demon was mesmerized and approached her with a marriage proposal.
When Durga laughed at the demon, angered, he tried to attack her. But who could defeat the cosmic powers of Durga? Piercing Mahishasura with her Trishula (trident), the great goddess put an end to the chapter of his evil attacks and bestowed balance and auspiciousness on the Universe. Since then, the Navaratri has been celebrated by her devotees to appease the great mother and gain her protection against the negativity and evil of the world.
Other traditions link Chaitra Navratri to Lord Rama, who performed Durga Puja during this period to gain strength for his battle against Ravana. In some interpretations, the nine nights also represent the descent of the divine mother into the human realm to sustain creation and bless her devotees.
Chaitra Navratri always falls in March–April as per the Gregorian calendar. It is observed in the month of Chaitra in the Hindu lunar calendar (Vikram Samvat). The festival not only celebrates the nine forms of Maa Durga but also marks the Hindu New Year in states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Pratipada - 19th March 2026 Thursday / गुरुवार - Ghatasthapana, Chandra Darshana, Shailputri Puja - Color of the day - RedDwitiya - 20th March 2026 Friday / शुक्रवार - Sindhara Dooj, Brahmacharini Puja - Color of the day - Royal BlueTritiya - 21st March 2026 Saturday / शनिवार - Gauri Puja, Saubhagya Teej, Chandraghanta Puja - Color of the day - YellowChaturthi - 22nd March 2026 Sunday / रविवार - Kushmanda Puja, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Lakshmi Panchami - Color of the day - GreenPanchami - 23rd March 2026 Monday / सोमवार - Naag Puja, Skandamata Puja, Skanda Sashti - Color of the day - GreyShashthi - 24th March 2026 Tuesday / मंगलवार - Yamuna Chhath, Katyayani Puja - Color of the day - OrangeSaptami - 25th March 2026 Wednesday / बुधवार - Maha Saptami, Kalaratri Puja - Color of the day - WhiteAshtami - 26th March 2026 Thursday / गुरुवार - Mahagauri Puja, Annapurna Ashtami, Sandhi Puja - Color of the day - PinkNavami - 27th March 2026 Friday / शुक्रवार - Rama Navami, Navratri Parana - Color of the day - Sky Blue
Chaitra Navratri 2026 will be celebrated from March 19 (Thursday) to March 27 (Friday). The 9 days are dedicated to the nine forms of goddess Durga- Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhadatri.
These forms are mentioned in the Devi Mahatmya’s “Kavachastotra” (a hymn of protection). Chaitra Navaratri ends with Navami or Rama Navami celebrations, with many devotees performing elaborate worship for all nine days and conducting Bhoja (food distribution) for young girls who are worshipped as living forms of Durga.
During Chaitra Navratri, devotees worship the nine forms of Maa Durga over nine days through rituals like Ghatasthapana (Kalash Sthapana), fasting, prayers, and daily puja. Each day is dedicated to a specific form of the goddess, symbolizing different virtues and powers.
🔸Ritual: Ghatasthapana (Kalash Sthapana) is performed.
🔸Offering: Pure ghee.
🔸Significance: Worship of Shailputri, symbol of nature and stability.
🔸Ritual: Devotees offer prayers with flowers and perform simple puja.
🔸Offering: Sugar or fruits.
🔸Significance: Represents penance, devotion, and self-control.
🔸Ritual: Lighting of diya and offering milk or kheer.
🔸Offering: Milk-based sweets.
🔸Significance: Symbolizes courage, peace, and protection from negativity.
🔸Ritual: Puja with flowers, incense, and lamp.
🔸Offering: Malpua or pumpkin.
🔸Significance: Known as the creator of the universe, she brings energy and health.
🔸Ritual: Devotees chant mantras and offer prayers for children’s well-being.
🔸Offering: Bananas.
🔸Significance: She blesses devotees with wisdom and prosperity.
🔸Ritual: Puja performed with red flowers and kumkum.
🔸Offering: Honey.
🔸Significance: Considered the warrior goddess, remover of obstacles in marriage.
🔸Ritual: Puja with black sesame, lighting of ghee lamp.
🔸Offering: Jaggery.
🔸Significance: Fierce form of Durga, protector against evil and fears.
🔸Ritual: Fasting devotees offer prayers with white flowers.
🔸Offering: Coconut.
🔸Significance: Symbolizes purity, calmness, and blessings for prosperity.
🔸Ritual: Special puja and havan are performed. Kanya Puja (worship of young girls) is common.
🔸Offering: Til (sesame seeds) or seasonal fruits.
🔸Significance: Maa Siddhidatri grants siddhis (spiritual powers). The day also celebrates Rama Navami, birth of Lord Rama.
While each day has unique rituals, common practices include fasting, chanting Durga mantras, offering flowers, fruits, and prasad, and reading the Durga Saptashati. Many families also perform Kanya Puja on Ashtami or Navami to honor the divine feminine.
The most popular forms of goddess Durga associated with Navaratri are
1. Shailaputri (the daughter of shaila or mountain Himalaya)
2. Brahmacharini (she who follows the path of supreme wisdom)
3. Chandraghanta (whose bell is shaped like the moon)
4. Kushmanda (she who carried the egg or anda of Universe in her womb)
5. Skandamata (the mother of Skanda or Karttikeya)
6. Katyayani (the daughter of sage Katyayana)
7. Kalaratri (the dark night), Mahagauri (the great Gauri or Parvati)
8. Siddhadatri (she who bestows siddhi or perfection in endevours).
However, in popular worship traditions in Hindu households, the idol that is established and the main deity revered during the Navaratri is goddess Durga, in her form as a lion-riding, warrior goddess with ten arms, draped in beautiful red saree, ornamented with queenly jewelry and raising her hand in Abhaya mudra or the gesture of fearlessness, often lovingly called “Sherawali Mata” (the lion-rider mother) or simply Devi Maa (mother goddess) by her followers.
Navratri fasting and puja vidhi involve nine days of devotion through rituals, prayers, and dietary discipline. Devotees either keep a nirjala fast (without water), a phalahar fast (fruits and milk only), or eat satvik meals without onion, garlic, or grains. Puja is performed twice daily with specific offerings and mantras.
🔸Nirjala Vrat - strict fast, no food or water.
🔸Phalahar Vrat - fruits, milk, nuts, and water allowed.
🔸Satvik Bhojan - one meal a day, no onion, garlic, wheat, or rice (use kuttu flour, sabudana, samak rice).
🔸Eat only satvik food items.
🔸Avoid alcohol, tobacco, meat, onion, and garlic.
🔸Break the fast with prasad (not regular food).
🔸Many devotees complete the fast with Kanya Pujan on Ashtami/ Navami.
1. Ghatasthapana (Day 1) - Place a Kalash with water, mango leaves, and coconut; invoke Goddess Durga.
2. Morning Puja - Bathe, wear clean clothes, light a diya (oil/ghee lamp), offer flowers, incense, and prasad.
3. Durga Mantras/Path - Recite Durga Saptashati, Devi Stotra, or Navratri aarti.
4. Naivedya/Prasad - Offer fruits, milk, or specific bhog (varies by day).
5. Evening Puja - Repeat diya lighting, offer fresh flowers, and perform aarti.
6. Kanya Pujan (Day 8/9) - Worship young girls as forms of the goddess, offering food, gifts, and blessings.
7. Visarjan (Day 9) - Conclude the fast and rituals with final prayers and immersion of Kalash.
While fasting rules may vary by region and family tradition, the essence of Chaitra Navratri fasting is self-discipline, purity, and devotion. Many devotees also read the Durga Chalisa or Atharvashirsha daily, aligning mind and body with spiritual focus. Some also light the Akhand-deepak or the eternal lamp which is to be kept constantly lit for the duration of the nine days.
The fasts of the nine days end with a home-cooked feast, made up of various sweet and savory local dishes which are first offered to goddess Durga and then distributed amongst the family members and neighbors. The festivities of Navaratri, much like any other Indian festival are incomplete without a lip-smacking variety of regional dishes, which are prepared with devotion and love throughout the country.
Mother or Maa in Indian culture is the most divine and loved being. Throughout the country thus, there are innumerable ways of worshipping her and welcoming her. From north to south, there exists a rich variance in the celebration of Chaitra Navaratri, which shows how ancient and primal the tradition of Devi-Puja (worship of goddess) is to Indian culture.
Chaitra Navratri is celebrated differently across India, blending local traditions, food, and rituals. From Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra to Garba in Gujarat, each state adds its own cultural essence while honoring Goddess Durga. Let us take a look at a few examples from different states of India, to witness the bliss of Chaitra Navaratri-
A welcoming of the new moon, Gudi Padwa marks the Marathi New Year and coincides with Chaitra Navratri. A gudi (translated by many as a symbolic flag), consisting of a silk cloth tied to a bamboo, with leaves of Mango and Neem trees, flowers and a metal pot is hung from every Marathi home. It is also the welcoming of spring and the crops of Rabi, changes which are integral to an agriculture-based locale of Maharashtra and Konkan.
People consume jaggery and neem leaves during the festival as a symbol of the mixed experiences of life, and also for the health benefits they offer. With food and community participation, Chaitra festivities in Maharashtra have a marvelous local flavor. During the Navaratri, the abode of Tulja Bhavani, the mother goddess worshipped by Chhatrapati Shivaji is crowded by devotees pouring from every direction, to participate in her Abhishekam (consecration) and worship.
✔️Traditional food: Neem leaves with jaggery (symbolizing life’s bittersweet nature), puran poli, shrikhand.
Known as Ugadi (or Yugadi) as the Hindu lunar new year. Homes are decorated with rangoli and mango-leaf toranas (door decoration), and festivities begin in all temples. Pachadi (dish made with tamarind, neem flowers, jaggery, chili, salt, raw mango) symbolizes the six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, and tangy) of life. Temples hold special pujas for Goddess Durga and Vishnu.
Though Shardiya Navratri (Durga Puja) is more popular, Chaitra Navratri is equally significant. Temples of goddesses are visited by the devotees, with many Devi-pujak and Sadhaka (devotees of goddesses) performing elaborate worship for nine days at home. The festivities also include the preparation of soulful Bengali food such as bhoger khichudi (rice & lentil porridge) and Labra (a mixture of fresh seasonal vegetables). Many Bengali households observe Annapurna Puja during this period.
The people of the colorful state of Gujarat welcome Ambe Maa (a local name for goddess Durga) during Chaitra with the vibrant Garba (folk dance) and Kalash-Sthapana, placing an earthen vessel called “garbha” or womb in their home. The pot is an ancient symbol of the fertility and auspiciousness of the female principle, which continues to be worshipped in rituals related to the great goddess.
The festivities declare the coming of the new year and new beginnings for the people, who worship the goddess to gain her blessings. Fasting foods include sabudana khichdi, rajgira sheera, and kuttu puri.
Chaitra Navratri ends with Rama Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Rama. Jhankis or tableaus dedicated to goddess Durga and Sri Rama with processions of devotees cheering, singing and dancing travel the lanes of villages and towns, especially on the day of Rama Navami.
In 2026, Rama Navami Mela will be conducted on 3rd, and 4th February -2026, Saturday / शनिवार and Sunday / रविवार. Popular Rama Navami Melas are held in Ayodhya, Varanasi, and other cities of India. Devotees also perform Kanya Pujan and distribute food as prasad.
Other states of India add their own traditions, Punjab observes Navratri jagrans, Tamil Nadu celebrates Sri Rama Navami with Panakam (jaggery drink), and Odisha temples hold special Durga Homas.
Chaitra Navratri is a festival of rituals and spiritual journey of self-discipline, devotion, and energy cleansing. The nine days symbolize the victory of light over darkness, helping devotees align body, mind, and soul with divine consciousness.
During Chaitra Navaratri, recitation of Devi’s name, singing her glories through hymns and performing virtuous acts becomes the routine of her devotees. With the heart focused on the lotus feet of the mother of the Universe, Jagadambba, the nine nights of the goddess or Navaratri is a period of Sadhana which brings the devotee closer to the mighty mother.
1. Worship of Shakti (Energy): Durga represents cosmic energy that protects and empowers.
2. Inner Cleansing: Fasting and meditation purify the body and mind, making one receptive to divine energy.
3. Sadhana (Spiritual Practice): Devotees dedicate nine nights to prayer, chanting, and self-control, which enhances inner strength.
4. Balance of Life: The goddess’s nine forms represent courage, wisdom, prosperity, and purity qualities that balance human life.
5. Karma & Dharma: Navratri encourages virtuous acts like feeding the poor, Kanya Pujan, and charity, aligning one with dharma.
1. Daily Meditation: Focus on Durga mantras like “Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu” to calm the mind.
2. Recitation of Scriptures: Reading Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmya builds mental resilience.
3. Mantra Chanting: Each day is linked with a different mantra for the corresponding form of Durga.
4. Charity & Seva: Helping the needy or offering food during Navratri is considered equal to worship.
5. Mindful Living: Observing silence, reducing distractions, and practicing gratitude bring spiritual clarity.
🌸 Cleansing of negative energy
🌸 Strengthening of willpower & focus
🌸 Cultivation of compassion and humility
🌸 Emotional balance & peace of mind
🌸 Awakening of inner strength through devotion
In Hindu-Shakta tradition celebrate two major Navratris every year, Chaitra Navratri in spring and Sharada Navratri in autumn. While both honor Goddess Durga, they differ in timing, traditions, and associated festivals.
Chaitra Navaratri, also known as Vasanteeya (spring) Navaratri falls during March or April. Chaitra Navaratri is associated with the lunar new year and Rama Navami (birth of Rama), linked to Rama worship.
Sharada Navratri is observed during the months of September and October, also known as Maha Navratri, Sharadiya Navratri. Sharada Navaratri celebrates the victory of goodness over evil, ending with Vijayadashami or Dussehra, especially grand in West Bengal, Gujarat, North India.
Durga literally translates to “she who is difficult to attain”, however, one of her dhyana-mantra worshiped her as “Durgati-Nashini” or “she who ends evil or misfortune”. Simply put, goddess Durga is the ultimate deity, the beginning, sustenance, and end of creation. She is Srishti (creation), Maya (the visual and experienced world around), and Kali (the annihilator). In all the sects and traditions of the country, her presence is felt in one form or the other.
Thus, to seek her blessings before any big changes and new beginnings is only natural. Chaitra Navaratri marks the beginning of the new year and a new season in India, a transformation that is blessed by the great mother, who is evoked across the country during this time, tying the subcontinent together in a string of devotion and celebration.
Chaitra Navratri marks the worship of Goddess Durga’s nine forms and symbolizes new beginnings, discipline, and spiritual growth.
It is observed in March–April during the Hindu month of Chaitra, coinciding with the spring season.
Nine different forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped, one on each day of the festival.
Chaitra Navratri ends with Rama Navami, while Sharada Navratri concludes with Dussehra, marking Durga’s victory over Mahishasura.
Devotees observe fasting, daily puja, mantra chanting, reciting scriptures, and Kanya Pujan on the eighth or ninth day.
Fasting purifies the body and mind, enhances willpower, and deepens devotion to the goddess.
Yes, it concludes with Rama Navami, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama.
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