Durga Puja 2023: When is Durga Puja? Find out the dates, puja timings, complete 5-day calendar, and all you need to know
Durga Puja is right around the corner. Here's all you need to know about the date of the festival, puja timings, the five-day calendar, and more.
The auspicious Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsav, is right around the corner. It marks Goddess Durga's victory over the demon king Mahishasura - which is why the Goddess is also known as Mahishasura Mardini. Devotees of Maa Durga wait with bated breath for the five-day festival to arrive. Though the festival is celebrated on a grand scale in West Bengal, other states like Assam, Odisha, Bihar, Tripura and Jharkhand mark Durga Puja with equal pomp. The five days are observed as Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami. The celebrations begin a week before with Mahalaya, which marks the arrival of Goddess Durga to Earth from Kailash Parvat with her divine powers. On this day, sculptors only make Goddess Durga's eyes, fill colours in them, and also perform a special puja before this.
(Also Read | Hindu Calendar October 2023: Shardiya Navratri, Solar Eclipse, Durha Puja to Dussehra; see complete list of festivals)
If you and your loved ones celebrate Durga Puja, here's all you need to know about the date of the festival, puja timings, the five-day calendar, and more.
When is Durga Puja 2023?
This year, Durga Puja celebrations will begin with Mahalaya, which falls on October 14. Meanwhile, the five-day celebrations will kickstart about a week later, on October 20 and end on October 24.
Durga Puja 2022 Calendar:
Mahalaya - October 14, Saturday
Maha Shashthi - October 20, Friday
Maha Saptami - October 21, Saturday
Maha Ashtami - October 22, Sunday
Maha Navami - October 23, Monday
Durga Ashtami / Vijaya Dashami - October 24, Tuesday
Durga Puja timings and shubh muhurat:
According to Drik Panchang, the Shahthi Tithi shubh muhurat will begin on October 20 at 12:31 am and end on October 20 at 11:24 pm. Meanwhile, the Saptami tithi will start at 11:24 pm on October 20 and end on October 21 at 9:53 pm.
The Maha Ashtami or Durga Ashtami tithi will start on October 21 at 9:53 pm and end on October 22 at 7:58 pm. The Sandhi (Sondhi) Puja muhurat will begin from 7:34 pm to 8:22 pm on October 22. Lastly, the Maha Navami tithi shubh muhurat will last from October 22, 7:58 pm, till October 23, at 5:44 pm.
The Durga Visarjan shubh muhurat will last from 6:27 am to 8:42 am on October 24, according to Drik Panchang. Meanwhile, the Dashami Tithi will start on October 23 at 5:44 pm and end on October 24 at 3:14 pm. The Shravan Nakshatra will begin on October 22 at 6:44 pm and end on October 23 at 5:14 pm.