Chaitra Navratri 2026

This sacred festival occurs during the lunar month of Ashwin in the Sharad Ritu. As a matter of fact, the name of the festival is also inspired by its occurrence in the Sharad Ritu. As the name further suggests, the festival is celebrated over a period of nine nights or nav ratris.

Each day is dedicated to the nine different forms of the Goddess Shakti. As per the Gregorian calendar, on the other hand, this festival arrives each year during the months of September or October, and the nine-day-long festivities finally conclude on the tenth day, which is also known as Vijay Dashmi or Dussera.

Chaitra Navratri 2026 Dates & Tithi

Each day of Navratri is associated with a specific form of Goddess Durga and carries a unique significance, offering devotees a chance to seek blessings for strength, prosperity, wisdom, and protection. From the divine energy of Maa Shailputri on the first day to the blessings of Maa Siddhidatri on the final day, the festival is a blend of devotion, rituals, and spiritual awakening.

Dive into the detailed day-by-day schedule and tithi of Chaitra Navratri 2026 to align your prayers and rituals for maximum blessings during this holy festival.

Navratri Kalash Sthapna Puja Vidhi

This festival is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine forms. Each day is celebrated with a lot of excitement and fervor. The puja vidhi of these days is listed below, as well as the special puja process for each day-

• Devotees should get up early in the morning on each day of the festival. Take a bath and wear clean clothes to begin the day.

• Clean the house with holy water while also cleaning the place of worship each day.

• Take a copper kalash and fill it with water. Place mango leaves and a coconut on top of the kalash while making a swastika with roli on the urn.

• Place the idol of the Goddess Durga on a chowki and light a diya next to it. One can also put the images of the nine avatars of the goddess on the chowki alongside the idol of Durga Mata.

• Pray to Lord Ganesha for his blessings for completing the nine-day vrat and puja without any hassle.

• Offer fruits, flowers, sweets, and prashad to the goddess on each of the nine days.

• Light an incense stick and perform the aarti dedicated to each avatar of the goddess.

• Join both hands to offer your prayers with sincerity and seek the blessings of the goddess.

• Recite bhajans and devotional songs of the Devi throughout the day and celebrate the Navratri 2026 date with dedication.

Mentioned below are the special puja rituals for every nine days, dedicated to the nine avatars of Durga Mata-

- 1st Day of Navratri: Shailputri Mata

Decorate the image or idol of the Devi with jasmine flowers and recite the following mantras for her blessings:

"Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Maa Shailaputri Rupena Samsthita

Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah

Om Devi Shailaputryai Namah"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Yellow

- 2nd Day of Navratri: Brahmacharini Mata

Offer Panchamrit to the goddess made out of ghee, milk, honey, curd, and sugar. Chant the following mantras for her blessings:

"Om Devi Brahmacharinyai Namah||

Om Devi Brahmcharinyai Namah Dadhaanaa Kar Padmaabhyaamakshmala Kamandaloo||"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Green

- 3rd Day of Navratri: Chandraghanta Mata

She is considered the "suhag ki devi," so offer her suhag samagree that contains sindoor, bangles, bindi, toe rings, aalta, etc. Chant the following mantra to appease the goddess:

"Om Devi Chandraghantayai Namah||"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Grey

- 4 Day of Navratri: Kushmanda Mata

She is said to love the Bali of white pumpkin, so offerings of the same are made to the goddess to appease her. She is also offered halwa on this auspicious day. Given below is the mantra to appease her:

"Om Devi Kushmandayai Namahà ¥¥"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Orange

- 5th Day of Navratri: Skanda Mata

Offer flowers, durva, sandalwood, and sindoor to the mata on this auspicious day. Recite the following mantra to get her blessings:

"Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Ma Skandamata Rupena Samsthita|

Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah||"

Auspicious Color of the Day – White

- 6th Day of Navratri: Katyayni Mata

Offer kalava, coconut, and roli to the mata. Seek her blessings by chanting the following mantra:

"Om Devi Katyayanyai Namah||"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Red

- 7th Day of Navratri: Kalratri Mata

Offer red flowers and jaggery to the Mata along with a garland made out of lemons. Appease the goddess with the following mantra:

"Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah||"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Royal Blue

- 8th Day of Navratri: Mahagauri Mata

Perform Sandhi puja during the last 24 minutes of the Ashtami tithi and the beginning of the Navami tithi, as it is considered an auspicious time. Chant the following mantra for best results:

"Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah||"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Pink

- 9th Day of Navratri: Siddhidatri Mata

Offer pan (betel leaf) and supari (betel nut) to the mata and read the Shri Durga Saptshati path on this day. Recite the following mantra for added blessings:

"Om Devi Siddhidatryai Namah||"

Auspicious Color of the Day – Purple

Chaitra Navratri Significance:

During these auspicious nine days, devotees worship the different forms of Durga. The nine different avatars of Durga Mata are listed below-

1. Shailputri

2. Chandraghanta

3. Brahmacharini

4. Skanda Mata

5. Kushmanda

6. Katyayni

7. Mahagauri

8. Kalaratri

9. Siddhidatri

Goddess Durga is a representation of Shakti. She has the combined powers of the nine forms as well as every God and Goddess. It is for this reason that offering prayers to her during these nine days is believed to enrich an individual with health, wealth, and prosperity in life.

As per the beliefs of the Hindu religion, during this propitious period of nine days, Goddess Durga vanquished the evil demon Mahishasura and saved humankind from his tortures. Different religious scriptures credit the different forms of Goddess Durga with the killing of Mahishasura.

However, the most prevalent belief is that Goddess Durga, taking the form of the eighteen-handed Ugrachandi avatar, slew the demon, according to the Rambha Kalpa. Hence, this festival of Navratri 2026 is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Goddess Durga over the immoral rakshasa.

Rituals Associated with Chaitra Navratri

All across the nation, this festival is celebrated in different ways reflecting the spirit of unity in diversity. Let us see how Goddess Durga is worshipped from the North to the South and from East to the West:

• Large pandals with idols of Goddess Durga are installed throughout the city in the states of Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha. People deck up in new clothes to visit the pandals, and the color red is specifically chosen for all activities related to these sacred days.

• Devotees in Gujarat keep a fast for nine days, while in the evenings, dandiya nights are organized where people get together to perform the Garba dance to their heart's content.

• In Tamil Nadu, Kolu is a special attraction these days. It is a 9-step ladder where each step is a representation of the 9 Navratri days. Miniature idols of Gods and Goddesses adorn each step of the ladder.

• The same Kolu is called Batukamma Panduga in Andhra Pradesh, and it is worshipped on all nine days of the festival. At the end of the ninth day, the ladder is set afloat in a nearby waterbody.

• Massive processions with elephants are taken out, similar to those in the Vijayanagara dynasty in Karnataka, on this occasion.

• Keralites celebrate learning and education during these auspicious times and pay their respects to musical instruments and books.

• In Punjab, little girls are worshipped in the image of Goddess Durga. They are showered with gifts and food on the last day of the festival and are known as Kanjak.

Astrological Significance of Navratri

This day is celebrated with the arrival of the autumn season, and soon after the nine days of Goddess Durga, the tenth day marks the festival of Dussera. The celebrations of this festival thus last for a period of ten days and are full of frolic and joy. These nine days are said to be so auspicious, as per astrology, that all projects can be started during this period without paying heed to the muhurats.

As per the belief, all problems can be resolved with sincere worship of Goddess Durga during these nine days. Tragedies can be turned into opportunities with the blessings of Durga mata in these nine days as she showers her blessings upon her bhakts, who show their devotion and staunch belief.

The nine days of the Devi during the Ashwin month have special relevance as this period is synonymous with the dakshinayan period of the Sun. Hence, it is deemed auspicious to worship Goddess Durga during this time.

Legends Associated with Navratri

As per the scriptures, Lord Rama invoked Durga Mata to seek her blessings before going to war against the demon king Ravana. This ultimate invocation by Lord Rama to awaken Goddess Durga from her slumber during the Navratri days is referred to as Akal Bodhan of Shakti.

It is for this reason that this Navratri, among the four Navratris, namely, Ashadha Gupt Navratri, Chaitra Navratri, Sharad Navratri, and Magha Navratri, holds so much significance.

The festival is extremely important to Hindus all around the world, and the nine days enable devotees to exhibit their devotion and sincerity towards the Goddess with increased enthusiasm.

To know more about the festival and seek expert advice from astrologers, connect with certified astrologers only at Astroyogi!