Indian calendars & daily rhythm
Navratri: nine nights, many traditions
Navratri brings worship, music, dance and family traditions into the calendar. Use this guide to understand the festival and find the dated schedule for your plans.
What Navratri means
Navratri is associated with nine nights of devotion to the Goddess. The autumn Shardiya celebration falls in the Ashwin season of the Hindu lunar calendar. Chaitra Navratri is a separate spring celebration; searching for “Navratri” without the season and year can lead to the wrong dates.
For this autumn’s dates, open the 2026 Shardiya schedule. The nine-night description is a cultural idea, while the civil-date table depends on the almanac’s rules.
A festival with regional character
| Tradition | What visitors may encounter | Planning question |
|---|---|---|
| Gujarat and Garba | Community dance gatherings and colourful evening celebrations. | Who is organising this venue, and is entry ticketed? |
| Durga Puja traditions | Community worship and public displays, especially associated with West Bengal. | Which local puja committee publishes the visiting schedule? |
| Mysuru Dasara | Palace traditions and a publicly announced festival programme. | Which event and date are on the official programme? |
Incredible India’s Navratri overview describes this regional variety. These are examples, not rules for every household.
Read a date before arranging a visit
Use the same city, year and reference for ritual planning. A sunrise-based Panchang day need not match a midnight-to-midnight civil day. One Tithi can appear on two calendar rows, and more than one observance may fall on one civil date.
For example, the Lucknow 2026 reference lists Saptami on both 17 and 18 October. Mysuru’s official programme runs until 21 October. These sources describe different local conventions and activities; avoid turning them into one “all India” schedule.
Make the celebration easier to revisit
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Common questions
Does a festival date mean a public holiday?
No. Check the actual employer, school or government notification. The bank guide explains why region and branch matter.
Can I use the sunrise tool for Ghatasthapana?
The tool estimates daylight at city-centre coordinates. Ghatasthapana uses additional almanac rules. Use a locally appropriate published Panchang for that ritual.
Where are the colours and rituals?
Daily colour and ritual customs differ. The dated guide links its source; a household or community tradition should be followed in its own context.
References
Incredible India: Navratri · Drik Panchang: Lucknow 2026 · Official Mysuru Dasara programme
Sources checked on 9 October 2026. Published programmes and specifications can change; follow the linked provider for current details.