Durga Puja 2026: Start Date, Vrat & Significance

Maa Durga festival season arrives well before the pandals open up. It begins with the auspicious day of Mahalaya, where people pay tribute to their forefathers and welcome the arrival of Devi Paksha. The next day marks the arrival of Shardiya Navratri, beginning with Kalash Sthapana for nine days of worship of Devi. After that, there is the eagerly awaited Durga Puja of Bengalis, from Shashthi to Vijayadashami.

So, when is Durga Puja 2026? When will you perform Kalash Sthapana? And what are the dates of Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, and Vijayadashami?





Sharad Navratri 2026 starts on Sunday, October 11, ends on Maha Navami on Monday, October 19, and Dussehra occurs on Tuesday, October 20. Mahalaya, the day that marks the beginning of Devi Paksha, falls on October 10, 2026




Primary muhurat: 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM on October 11 (around 3 hours and 52 minutes),

Abhijit Muhurat: 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM,

• Copper, brass or clay kalash and either clay plate or wide plate for jau (barley) bed
• Pure soil (if possible, take soil from riverbank or farm) and barley or jau seeds
• Gangajal or pure water, and a small quantity of Gangajal for the kalash
• Mango leaves (5 or 7), a coconut with its husk, red cloth/chunri or moli
• Supari, a silver/some coin, akshat, durva grass
• Roli/Kumkum, turmeric powder, sandal paste
• Red flowers (Maa loves hibiscus flowers), garland, incense, camphor
• Ghee diya/oil lamp (to keep light lit all the time if you have Akhand Jyot), matchbox
• Idol/Photo of Maa Durga and red cloth for the chowki
• Fruit offerings, sweets, panch meva and bhog

• Preparation. Rise early, bathe and put on clean clothes (red, yellow or white traditionally). Clean the puja area and Gangajal.
• Arrange the altar. Put up a chowki towards east or north-east direction, cover with a red cloth, place a Maa Durga idol/photo on it.
• Sankalp. Sit towards the east direction, hold water, rice and flower in your right hand and mention your name, gotra, date and intention of worshipping Maa Durga for 9 days. Throw water from your hand.
• Arrange Jau Bed. Spread layer of soil over clay plate, sow barley seeds over it, then spread another layer of soil, sprinkle water. The sprouts symbolize prosperity and are observed for nine days.
• Fill Kalash with water. Fill the kalash with clean water, a little Gangajal, supari, coin, small rice and durva.
• Decorate the Kalash. Decorate it by tying moli around the neck, keeping mango leaves over mouth (5/7), and covering coconut above it in red cloth.
• Install it. Set up the kalash on the soil bed next to the idol and mark it with kumkum or Swastik.
• Invoke the deities. Worship Lord Ganesh first and then invoke Varun and all other gods present inside the kalash after that, followed by Mata Durga.
• Offerings. Offer flowers, kumkum, dhoop, lamp, fruit and sweets, Durga Saptashati, Durga Chalisa or mantra Om Dum Durgayai Namah.
• Aarti. Conclude with aarti and distributing prasad.
• Akhand Jyot. If you keep a lamp lit, then you have to ensure its burning till end without interruption for nine days, hence have sufficient amount of ghee or oil.

Kalash Sthapana goes beyond the mere placement of a pot before the Goddess. It indicates that Shakti will be invoked at the start of Navratri. In the traditional procedure, water and certain other holy things are used to prepare the Kalash; alternatively, one can grow barley or other kinds of grain during the ceremony. The Akhand Jyoti is kept burning all through Navratri.



The transition from Kalash Sthapana to Durga Visarjan has an enchanting spiritual tempo. In the first place, people welcome the presence of the divine in their houses. Then come days of prayers, fasting, Pushpanjali and celebrations. In the end, there comes the ritual of immersion, which symbolizes the fact that everything changes, but faith stays.

It seems to me that it is one of the most beautiful messages of Durga Puja. Maa Durga stands for the strength to face tough times, for the courage to uphold righteousness and for the faith to start anew. Her coming is greeted with happiness and her departure promises her return.


Unlock insightful tips and inspiration on personal growth, productivity, and well-being. Stay motivated and updated with the latest at My Life