Key dates at a glance
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Amavasya (new moon) | 10 October, 15:50 UTC |
| Navratri begins, Ghatasthapana | Sunday, 11 October |
| Pratipada ends | 11 October, 16:01 UTC |
| Durga Ashtami (most calendars) | Monday, 19 October |
| Maha Navami | 19 or 20 October, depending on the calendar |
| Dussehra (Vijayadashami) | Tuesday, 20 October |
Ghatasthapana time by city (Sunday, 11 October)
Ghatasthapana is traditionally done in the morning while Pratipada is present. We show the first third of the daylight, cut off where Pratipada ends. If you want the midday Abhijit slot, it only works where Pratipada is still running at that time.
| City | Sunrise | Pratipada ends | Ghatasthapana window | Midday Abhijit slot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 7:03 am | 11 Oct, 12:01 pm EDT | 7:03 am to 10:49 am | after Pratipada ends |
| Chicago | 6:58 am | 11 Oct, 11:01 am CDT | 6:58 am to 10:44 am | after Pratipada ends |
| Houston | 7:20 am | 11 Oct, 11:01 am CDT | 7:20 am to 11:01 am | after Pratipada ends |
| Los Angeles | 6:55 am | 11 Oct, 9:01 am PDT | 6:55 am to 9:01 am | after Pratipada ends |
| Toronto | 7:27 am | 11 Oct, 12:01 pm EDT | 7:27 am to 11:11 am | after Pratipada ends |
| London | 7:17 am | 11 Oct, 5:01 pm BST | 7:17 am to 10:57 am | 12:24 pm to 1:08 pm |
| Dubai | 6:15 am | 11 Oct, 8:01 pm GST | 6:15 am to 10:08 am | 11:42 am to 12:28 pm |
| Sydney | 6:19 am | 12 Oct, 3:01 am AEDT | 6:19 am to 10:34 am | 12:16 pm to 1:07 pm |
| Delhi | 6:19 am | 11 Oct, 9:31 pm IST | 6:19 am to 10:11 am | 11:44 am to 12:30 pm |
| Mumbai | 6:31 am | 11 Oct, 9:31 pm IST | 6:31 am to 10:27 am | 12:01 pm to 12:48 pm |
Important for the USA and Canada: Pratipada ends at 16:01 UTC, which is 9:01 am in Los Angeles and 12:01 pm in New York, so the window closes by midday at the latest. Plan to finish before then.
Some calendars also avoid certain nakshatras and yogas during Ghatasthapana. If your family follows those rules, check with your priest, and keep the windows above as the base.
The nine days of Navratri
Each day honors one form of the goddess. The list below follows the tithi at sunrise in India. In some years a tithi spans two sunrises or none, so your temple may shift a day.
| Day | Date | Tithi | Form of the goddess |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun 11 Oct | Pratipada | Shailaputri |
| 2 | Mon 12 Oct | Dwitiya | Brahmacharini |
| 3 | Tue 13 Oct | Tritiya | Chandraghanta |
| 4 | Wed 14 Oct | Chaturthi | Kushmanda |
| 5 | Thu 15 Oct | Panchami | Skandamata |
| 6 | Fri 16 Oct | Shashthi | Katyayani |
| 7 | Sat 17 and Sun 18 Oct | Saptami (spans two sunrises in India) | Kalaratri |
| 8 | Mon 19 Oct | Ashtami | Mahagauri |
| 9 | Tue 20 Oct (morning) | Navami | Siddhidatri |
In the Americas, Ashtami is already present at sunrise on Sunday 18 October and runs until 1:22 am EDT on 19 October, so some local temples hold Ashtami on 18 October. Ask your own temple which day it follows.
Sandhi Puja: the junction of Ashtami and Navami
Sandhi Puja is held in the 48 minutes around the moment Ashtami ends and Navami begins, which is 19 October, 05:22 UTC. For many diaspora cities this falls in the night.
| City | Sandhi Puja (last 24 min of Ashtami, first 24 min of Navami) |
|---|---|
| New York | 19 Oct, 12:58 am to 1:46 am EDT |
| Chicago | 18 Oct, 11:58 pm to 12:46 am CDT |
| Houston | 18 Oct, 11:58 pm to 12:46 am CDT |
| Los Angeles | 18 Oct, 9:58 pm to 10:46 pm PDT |
| Toronto | 19 Oct, 12:58 am to 1:46 am EDT |
| London | 19 Oct, 5:58 am to 6:46 am BST |
| Dubai | 19 Oct, 8:58 am to 9:46 am GST |
| Sydney | 19 Oct, 3:58 pm to 4:46 pm AEDT |
| Delhi | 19 Oct, 10:28 am to 11:16 am IST |
| Mumbai | 19 Oct, 10:28 am to 11:16 am IST |
Dussehra 2026: 20 or 21 October?
Vijayadashami is observed when Dashami is present in the afternoon (aparahna). Dashami runs from 20 October, 07:20 UTC to 21 October, 08:42 UTC. In most cities that covers the afternoon of 20 October. In Sydney, Dashami has not started yet in the afternoon of 20 October, so the afternoon rule points to 21 October. Many Australian community calendars follow the Indian date, so confirm with your local temple.
| City | Dussehra by the afternoon rule | Afternoon (aparahna) window on that day |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Tuesday 20 October | 1:46 pm to 3:57 pm |
| Chicago | Tuesday 20 October | 1:40 pm to 3:50 pm |
| Houston | Tuesday 20 October | 2:13 pm to 4:29 pm |
| Los Angeles | Tuesday 20 October | 1:44 pm to 3:58 pm |
| Toronto | Tuesday 20 October | 2:06 pm to 4:16 pm |
| London | Tuesday 20 October | 1:47 pm to 3:52 pm |
| Dubai | Tuesday 20 October | 1:12 pm to 3:29 pm |
| Sydney | Wednesday 21 October | 1:58 pm to 4:35 pm |
| Delhi | Tuesday 20 October | 1:13 pm to 3:30 pm |
| Mumbai | Tuesday 20 October | 1:33 pm to 3:52 pm |
Plan your Navratri week
- Check your city page for the daily timings: Choghadiya today and Panchang today.
- Choose your Ghatasthapana time from the table above and prepare the kalash, soil, grain and coconut the evening before.
- If you fast, start on 11 October and plan the breaking of the fast on Dussehra after the Dashami puja.
How we calculated these times
Tithi boundaries come from the angle between the Sun and the Moon (12 degrees per tithi), found to the minute with the Swiss Ephemeris. Sunrise and sunset are for the city center. We cross-checked the festival dates against published calendars. This guide is for general information and does not replace the advice of your family priest or temple.
Related: Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja time by city | Panchang today | Moon phase today