When is Durga Puja 2026?
Durga Puja 2026 runs from Maha Shashthi on Friday, 16 October 2026 to Vijaya Dashami on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, preceded by Mahalaya on 10 October. The dates follow the Bengali panjika (Drik Panchang); some family panjikas place Shashthi on 17 October depending on the tithi span.
Durga Puja 2026 day-by-day schedule
| Day | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya | 10 Oct | Pitru Paksha ends; Devi Paksha and the countdown to Puja begins. |
| Maha Shashthi | 16 Oct | Bodhon — the Goddess is welcomed and the idol unveiled. |
| Maha Saptami | 18 Oct | Kola Bou (Nabapatrika) snan; main puja begins. |
| Maha Ashtami | 19 Oct | Kumari Puja and the sacred Sandhi Puja at the Ashtami–Navami junction. |
| Maha Navami | 20 Oct | Maha Aarti and the final full day of worship. |
| Vijaya Dashami | 21 Oct | Sindoor Khela and Bisarjan (immersion) — farewell to Maa Durga. |
What is Durga Puja?
Durga Puja (Durgotsav) celebrates Goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura — the triumph of good over evil. It is the biggest annual festival of West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Tripura, when neighbourhoods raise elaborately themed pandals, artisan idols travel from Kumortuli, and the beat of the dhakfills the streets for five days. UNESCO inscribed Kolkata's Durga Puja on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2021.
Durga Puja across the regional calendars
Durga Puja coincides with Navratri 2026 and closes into Dussehra 2026. Find every tithi on the Bengali Calendar 2026, Odia Calendar 2026 and Assamese Calendar 2026, or browse the 2026 Festivals hub.
Frequently asked questions
When is Durga Puja 2026?
The main days run from Maha Shashthi on Friday, 16 October to Vijaya Dashami on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. Mahalaya falls on 10 October.
When is Maha Ashtami and Sandhi Puja 2026?
Maha Ashtami is on 19 October 2026, with the sacred Sandhi Puja and Kumari Puja performed the same day.
What is Mahalaya?
Mahalaya (10 October 2026) ends Pitru Paksha and begins Devi Paksha — the day Durga is believed to begin her journey to earth, seven days before Shashthi.
What is Sindoor Khela?
On Vijaya Dashami (21 October 2026) married women smear vermilion on the Goddess and one another before the immersion (Bisarjan).