Chaitra Navratri 2026 calendar: Start and end dates, colours for every 9 days and Maa Durga avatars to worship

Chaitra Navratri 2026 calendar: Chaitra Navratri is celebrated over nine days, honouring Maa Durga's nine forms with fasting and prayers. Check out all dates.

Chaitra Navratri 2026 calendar: Chaitra Navratri is a nine-day festival devoted to worship, fasting, and spiritual introspection, honouring Maa Durga and her nine divine forms, the Navdurgas. The celebrations conclude with Ram Navami, which marks the birth of Lord Rama.

Chaitra Navratri 2026 calendar: The Chaitra Navratri festival spans nine days, focusing on the nine forms of Maa Durga. (AI generated image)

Observed from the first day of the Chaitra month, it also marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar new year, making it a time of renewed energy and faith. If you’re gearing up to celebrate Navratri in 2026, here’s everything you need to know, from the start date and the significance of each of the nine days to the timing of Ashtami and Ram Navami.

Chaitra Navratri 2026 date and time

Chaitra Navratri is observed during the Shukla Paksha (bright lunar phase) of the Hindu month of Chaitra, which usually falls between late March and April in the Gregorian calendar. As per Drik Panchang, the festival begins on the Pratipada Tithi of this auspicious phase.

• Chaitra Navratri begins: Thursday, March 19, 2026
• Ghatsthapana muhurat: 6:52 AM to 7:43 AM
• Abhijit Muhurat: 12:05 PM to 12:53 PM
• Chaitra Navratri ends: Friday, March 27, 2026

The festival spans nine days and concludes with Ram Navami, which marks the birth of Lord Rama. Since it falls on the ninth day of Navratri, it is also popularly referred to as Ram Navratri.

Chaitra Navratri is a nine-day festival dedicated to Maa Durga and her forms, celebrated through fasting, prayers, and temple visits. (Pexels)

Chaitra Navratri 2026 full calendar

Take a look at the festival calendar below for the exact dates of the nine days of Chaitra Navratri, along with the designated colours and the forms of Maa Durga to worship each day:

Navratri Day	Date	Festival	Tithi	Colour
Day 1	Thrusday, March 19	Ghatasthapana and Maa Shailputri Puja	Pratipada	Yellow
Day 2	Friday, March 20	Maa Brahmacharini Puja	Dwitiya	Green
Day 3	Saturday, March 21	Gauri Puja, Saubhagya Teej Chandraghanta Puja	Tritiya	Grey
Day 4	Sunday, March 22	Kushmanda Puja, Vasudeva Chaturthi	Chaturthi	Orange
Day 5	Monday, March 23	Naag Puja, Lakshmi Panchami Skandamata Puja	Panchami	White
Day 6	Tuesday, March 24	Skanda Sashti, Yamuna Chhath Katyayani Puja	Shashthi	Red
Day 7	Wednesday, March 25	Maha Saptami, Kalaratri Puja	Saptami	Royal blue
Day 8	Thrusday, March 26	Durga Ashtami and Rama Navami	Ashtami	Pink
Day 9	Friday, March 27	Dashami, Navratri Parana	Navami	Purple

Chaitra Navratri 2026 calendar: Nine days of fasting

During the sacred nine days of Navratri, devotees worship the nine divine forms of Maa Durga: Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kaalratri, Maa Mahagauri, and Maa Siddhidatri.

Each day is dedicated to one form, with devotees observing fasts, offering prayers, preparing special bhog at home, and visiting temples to seek blessings.

On the eighth day, known as Ashtami, young girls are worshipped as manifestations of the Goddess in her purest form. The ninth day marks Ram Navami, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama. Devotees observe the occasion with prayers, devotional songs, temple visits, and fasting to seek the blessings of both Lord Rama and Maa Durga.