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इतिहास
The history, origin and significance of Shardiya Navratri — where it comes from, what it means, and how it changed over time.
Shardiya Navratri 2026: 11–19 October 20269 daysशारदीय नवरात्रि
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Navratri means nine nights. The Shardiya Navratri, the one that falls before Dussehra, begins in the Hindu month of Ashwin and ends with Vijayadashami. In 2026 Ghatasthapana is on Sunday 11 October and the nine nights run through Maha Navami, with Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October.
Each of the nine days is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Durga, and many households assign a colour to each day. Gujarat is the festival's most visible centre: whole neighbourhoods run garba and dandiya raas every night, and the dance is the ritual rather than an accompaniment to it. West Bengal celebrates the same nine days as Durga Puja, the largest annual festival in the state, with elaborate pandals, dhunuchi naach and sindoor khela on Dashami. In Karnataka and Tamil Nadu the nine nights are Golu or Bommai Kolu, a display of dolls arranged on tiered steps in the home.
The practical shape of Navratri is fasting, night-time worship, and, in Gujarat especially, nine nights of social dancing. Fasting food (farali) is a whole cuisine of its own — sabudana, makhana, sama rice, singhara flour and rock salt instead of common salt.
Navratri is also the biggest fashion and shopping season in western India after Diwali itself, with new outfits needed for each night, which makes it a genuine commercial event as well as a religious one.
Almost every large Indian festival means something different in different states. That is not a contradiction — it is the history.
The commercial and cultural centre of Navratri. Nine nights of garba at the neighbourhood and district level, culminating in large organised grounds. A different colour is prescribed for each night and the whole state follows it. The eighth and ninth nights (Ashtami, Navami) are the biggest.
Durga Puja, the state's largest festival. Pandal construction begins months ahead and the big reveal is on Maha Sasthi. Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami bring anjali, bhog and community lunches; Dashami ends with sindoor khela and immersion. Recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2021.
Observed as Golu or Bommai Kolu — dolls arranged on odd-numbered tiered steps in the home, with women and children visiting each other to sing and exchange sundal and kumkum. Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja fall on the last days.
Navratri is a fasting festival here rather than a dance one. Families keep vrat for seven or nine days, do Kanya Pujan on Ashtami or Navami, and treat it as a period of abstinence and nightly aarti.
Garba is now common in Indore and Bhopal, and many communities keep the fast. The festival closes with Dussehra on the tenth day.
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Sources and how this was checked
Last reviewed 6 October 2026. Prokerala — Navratri 2026, NDTV — October 2026 festival calendar. How we source and correct festival content.