Maha Navami
Ninth day of Sharad Navratri.
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- CategoryFestival
- DeityMaa Durga
- Defining tithi / momentShukla Paksha Navami: to
- Lunar monthAshwin Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta)
Timings on Monday, 19 October 2026
Rule applied: Smarta — The tithi touches two days; the earlier day, where it is joined with the preceding tithi (purva-viddha), is preferred.
Not selected:
- Day on which the tithi prevails at sunrise (udaya tithi): 20/10/2026 (Tue)
Why this date?
- The tithi touches two days; the earlier (purva-viddha) day is preferred — the tithi-pair (yugma) rule of Nirnaya Sindhu.
Puja vidhi
Mantra & Bhakti
Across India
How this festival is celebrated in different regions, with the regional names and each date's rule.
How the date is determined
- The date is Ashwin Shukla Paksha Navami; the month name is the same in the Amanta and Purnimanta systems.
- It falls on the day when this tithi prevails at local sunrise (udaya tithi).
- The sunrise counts only if the tithi then lasts at least 3 muhurtas (each a fifteenth of the daytime); if it is shorter, the previous day, on which the tithi begins, is taken.
- If the tithi is present at two sunrises (a vriddhi tithi), the first day is taken.
- When the tithi prevails for at least three muhurtas (a fifth) of the daylight on two days, the earlier day, joined with the preceding tithi, is taken (the tithi-pair (yugma) rule of Nirnaya Sindhu).
- If the tithi does not touch that period on any day (a kshaya tithi), the Hindu day on which the tithi prevails longest is used.
- When the day chosen is not the day on which the tithi prevails at sunrise (udaya tithi), that day is also shown as the alternative.
- In a year with an Adhik month of the same name, it is observed in the regular (Nija) month.
Traditional variation
Maha Navami follows the tithi-yugma rule of Nirnaya Sindhu: Navami is taken joined with Ashtami, so when Navami touches two days the earlier day is shown (often the same day as Durga Ashtami). Many households keep the Navami fast and Kanya Puja on the day Navami prevails at sunrise (udaya tithi); that day is shown as the alternative when it differs. Official holiday lists are divided in such years: the Government of India list gave the Ashtami-joined day in 2024 (11 October) and 2027 (8 October) but the udaya day in 2026 (20 October); Tamil Nadu (Ayudha Puja) and Bihar gave the Ashtami-joined day in 2024 and 2026 (11 October, 19 October); West Bengal gave it in 2024 (11 October) and the udaya day in 2026 (20 October); Kerala gave the udaya day in both years (12 October 2024, 20 October 2026).
This is the date given by the rule shown above for the selected place. It is not the only valid date: regional Panchangs, family customs and sampradayas may observe it on a different day.
Rule source: Navami at sunrise; when Navami touches two days, the Ashtami-joined (earlier) day (Nirnaya Sindhu, Ashvina-masa, Durga-navami: Navami is taken Ashtami-viddha, not Dashami-viddha), by the tithi-yugma rule (Garuda Purana 1.128.16-17 as quoted in Nirnaya Sindhu, Prathama Pariccheda, tithi-yugma). A sunrise makes a Navami day only when Navami lasts three muhurtas after it; otherwise the Ashtami-joined day on which Navami began is kept (e.g. 26 Sep 2028 at New Delhi). The udaya-Navami day is shown as the alternative when it differs.
Traditions may vary by region and Panchang convention. Times are shown for the selected place, time zone and calculation profile.
Calculated with engine 1.4.2 · rules rules-2026-09-29-a0a4505e · profile north-lahiri-calibrated v1 · ayanamsa lahiri_drik_compat · astronomy-engine@2.1.19 · Asia/Kolkata
Dates in 2026
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19/10/2026 (Mon)
Next
Ashwin Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta) |
Shukla Paksha Navami: to | — |
|
Dates in 2027
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08/10/2027 (Fri)
Ashwin Shukla Paksha (same name in Amanta and Purnimanta) |
Shukla Paksha Navami: to | — |
|