Chaitra Navratri 2026 Dates, Ghatasthapana, Ugadi and Gudi Padwa
Chaitra Navratri 2026 ran from Thursday, 19 March to Friday, 27 March 2026. Ugadi, Gudi Padwa and the Hindu New Year (Shaka 1948) were on 19 March.
Chaitra Navratri 2026 dates
Chaitra Navratri 2026: 19–27 March 2026 (observed)
Chaitra (Vasant) Navratri begins on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the Hindu lunar new year. In 2026 Pratipada began at 6:52 AM on 19 March and ended at 4:52 AM on 20 March (New Delhi). Pratipada did not prevail at sunrise on either day (it was a kshaya, or skipped, tithi), so Ghatasthapana and the new-year observances were on Thursday, 19 March.
Ghatasthapana muhurat (New Delhi, 19 Mar)
| Window | Time (IST) |
|---|---|
| Ghatasthapana muhurat | 6:52 AM – 7:43 AM |
| Abhijit muhurat (alternative) | 12:05 PM – 12:53 PM |
Day-wise calendar
| Date | Observance |
|---|---|
| Thu, 19 Mar | Ghatasthapana, Shailaputri puja; Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand eve |
| Fri, 20 Mar | Brahmacharini puja; Cheti Chand |
| Sat, 21 Mar | Chandraghanta puja; Gangaur |
| Sun, 22 Mar | Kushmanda puja |
| Mon, 23 Mar | Skandamata puja |
| Tue, 24 Mar | Katyayani puja |
| Wed, 25 Mar | Kalaratri puja |
| Thu, 26 Mar | Durga Ashtami (Mahagauri); Ram Navami (Smarta) |
| Fri, 27 Mar | Navami (Siddhidatri), Navratri parana; Ram Navami (ISKCON/Vaishnava) |
Tithis do not map one-to-one to calendar days, so the Navdurga order above follows the common practice of one form per day. Your family panchang may differ by a day.
Ugadi, Gudi Padwa and Hindu New Year
Chaitra Shukla Pratipada starts the new Vikram Samvat in North India and Shaka Samvat 1948. It is celebrated as Ugadi (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka) with Ugadi pachadi and the reading of the year’s panchang (Panchanga Shravanam), as Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra, Goa) by raising a gudi on homes, and as Cheti Chand by the Sindhi community.
Rituals
- Install the kalash with barley sown in soil (Ghatasthapana) and light an akhand jyoti.
- Worship one form of Navdurga each day; many observe a fast for all nine days or on the first and last days.
- Perform Kanya Puja on Ashtami or Navami, then break the fast.
Panchang for the day
Panchang for 19 March 2026 (New Delhi).
Chaitra Navratri 2027
Chaitra Navratri, Ugadi and Gudi Padwa 2027 begin on Wednesday, 7 April 2027.
Related
All times are IST for New Delhi unless stated otherwise. Muhurat changes with your city’s sunrise, sunset and moonrise: check today’s Panchang for your location. Outside India the date can differ; use your local panchang. Sources: Drik Panchang (New Delhi), cross-checked with Free Panchang’s own calculation (Lahiri ayanamsa); AstroSage 2026 festival calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- Chaitra Navratri 2026 kab se thi?
- Chaitra Navratri 2026 began on Thursday, 19 March and ended with Navami on Friday, 27 March 2026.
- When were Ugadi and Gudi Padwa 2026?
- Ugadi and Gudi Padwa 2026 were both on Thursday, 19 March 2026.
- What was the Ghatasthapana muhurat in Chaitra Navratri 2026?
- In New Delhi it was 6:52 AM to 7:43 AM IST, with Abhijit muhurat 12:05 PM to 12:53 PM as an alternative, on 19 March 2026.