Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October and runs to Monday, 19 October, with Dussehra on Tuesday, 20 October. Nine nights, and almost as many ways of celebrating them — fasting and Ramlila in the north, garba in Gujarat, Durga Puja in Bengal, Golu dolls in the south. This guide has the dates, the crowd situation at the big shrines, and where to travel if you want to be part of it.
Navratri 2026 dates, day by day
| Date | Day | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11 Oct | Pratipada | Ghatasthapana — the pot is installed and the fast begins. Mahalaya in Bengal. |
| Mon, 12 Oct | Dwitiya | Worship of Brahmacharini |
| Tue, 13 Oct | Tritiya | Worship of Chandraghanta |
| Wed, 14 Oct | Chaturthi | Worship of Kushmanda |
| Thu, 15 Oct | Panchami | Worship of Skandamata |
| Fri, 16 Oct | Shashthi | Worship of Katyayani. Durga Puja opens in Bengal. |
| Sat, 17 Oct | Saptami | Worship of Kalaratri |
| Sun, 18 Oct | Ashtami | Maha Ashtami — one of the two biggest days for fasting families |
| Mon, 19 Oct | Navami | Maha Navami and Kanya Puja, when young girls are honoured |
| Tue, 20 Oct | Dashami | Dussehra — effigies burn across the north |
Tithis shift by a few hours from place to place, so your local panchang is the final word on puja timings.
Vaishno Devi in Navratri: what to expect
These nine days are the busiest of the year at Vaishno Devi. Lakhs of pilgrims arrive, the track stays crowded through the night, and darshan queues run long. It is also the most charged the shrine ever feels. If you are going, go prepared.
- Registration is compulsory and the RFID card is issued at Katra. Carry original photo ID for everyone in the group, children included.
- Book stays weeks ahead. Katra hotels sell out early, and rates roughly double for these nine days.
- Start the climb late at night or before dawn. It is cooler, and you reach Bhawan as the morning queues are just forming.
- Helicopter slots go first. If the 13 km climb is not possible for someone in your group, book the helicopter yatra well in advance.
- Ponies, palkis and porters are available at Banganga, and they are in heavy demand in Navratri.
- Add Shivkhori or Patnitop if you want one calm day after the crowd.
Our Navratri-specific Vaishno Devi guide covers registration and crowd timing in more detail, and the 12 things to know piece has the practical checklist.
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Gujarat: nine nights of garba
Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot turn into open-air dance grounds. Traditional garba circles start late and go past midnight, and the big commercial venues sell passes for the season. Dress is part of it — chaniya choli and kediyu. If you want the older, quieter version, look for the neighbourhood sheri garba rather than a ticketed ground.
West Bengal: Durga Puja
From Shashthi on 16 October, Kolkata stops sleeping. Pandals, lights, crowds and food until sunrise. It is a completely different festival from the fasting Navratri of the north — our Durga Puja pandal-hopping guide explains how to plan those days.
North India: Ramlila and fasting
Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi and hundreds of smaller towns stage Ramlila every evening through the nine nights, ending with the burning of Ravana on Dussehra. In Ayodhya the whole town becomes the stage — see our Ayodhya Ram Mandir darshan trip and the Dussehra guide. Many families keep a nine-day fast, eating one sattvik meal a day.
The Devi temples worth travelling to
- Vaishno Devi, Katra — the biggest draw of all.
- Chintpurni, Jwala Ji, Naina Devi and Chamunda Devi in Himachal — a circuit many families do together in Navratri. Pair them with a hill stay from our Himachal trips.
- Ambaji and Pavagadh in Gujarat, busy through the nine nights.
- Kalighat and Dakshineswar in Kolkata — see the Dakshineswar & Kalighat trip.
- Chamundeshwari temple, Mysuru, where Dasara is a royal affair.
South India: Golu and Ayudha Puja
In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, families build Golu — tiered displays of dolls telling stories from the epics — and invite neighbours home through the nine days. On 19 October, Ayudha Puja honours the tools of your work: vehicles, machines, books and instruments are cleaned and garlanded.
Travelling while fasting
A nine-day fast and a train journey do not naturally go together. A few things that help:
- Carry your own vrat food — roasted makhana, dry fruit, sabudana, peanut chikki and fruit travel well.
- Ask for sendha namak at restaurants; many places near pilgrim towns keep a separate vrat menu through Navratri.
- Drink more water than usual. Most people who feel faint at Vaishno Devi are dehydrated rather than unwell.
- Eat something before the climb. Fasting is not the same as skipping food entirely.
Booking tips for these nine days
- Weekend peaks: 17–19 October falls on a Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Expect the heaviest rush at every shrine and every garba ground.
- Trains to Katra, Ahmedabad and Kolkata are the first to go. Check Tatkal and flights early rather than late.
- Rooms are priced by the night, not the week. Moving your trip by two days can change the bill more than changing the hotel.
- Keep Dussehra travel separate. On 20 October, roads around Ramlila grounds close from the evening.
Navratri rewards the traveller who plans backwards from the crowd: book the stay first, pick the quiet hours for darshan, and leave the loud evenings for the celebrations themselves.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Navratri 2026 dates?
Sharad Navratri runs from Sunday, 11 October to Monday, 19 October 2026, and Dussehra falls on Tuesday, 20 October.
When are Ashtami and Navami in 2026?
Maha Ashtami is on Sunday, 18 October and Maha Navami on Monday, 19 October.
Is Vaishno Devi very crowded during Navratri?
Yes, it is the busiest period of the year. Register in advance, book your Katra stay early, and start the climb at night or before dawn.
Where can I see garba as a visitor?
Ahmedabad and Vadodara have the largest grounds, and passes are sold for the season. Neighbourhood garba is free, friendlier and usually more fun.
Can I travel during the fast?
Yes, with a little planning. Carry vrat-friendly food, keep drinking water, and do not attempt a long climb on an empty stomach.
Plan your Navratri trip with Yatraved
We can arrange the Vaishno Devi yatra with registration handled and a stay close to the track, a Himachal Devi temple circuit, or a Kolkata puja trip. See our Vaishno Devi packages, the pilgrimage collection, or tell us your dates.
