Chaitra Navratri 2016
Chaitra Navratri is the spring Navratri: nine nights of worship of the nine forms of Goddess Durga, from the first to the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra. It ends with Ram Navami.
In 2016, Chaitra Navratri runs from Friday, 8 April 2016 to Friday, 15 April 2016.
Ghatasthapana: Friday, 8 April 2016
- Shukla Pratipada begins: 7 Apr 2016, 4:53 PM
- Shukla Pratipada ends: 8 Apr 2016, 1:05 PM
Date and timings for New Delhi.
All days of Chaitra Navratri 2016
| Date | Observance | Tithi / timing |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 8 Apr | Ghatasthapana | Shukla Pratipada: 7 Apr 2016, 4:53 PM to 8 Apr 2016, 1:05 PM |
| Friday, 8 Apr | Navratri day 1 — Shailaputri | Shukla Pratipada: 7 Apr 2016, 4:53 PM to 8 Apr 2016, 1:05 PM |
| Saturday, 9 Apr | Navratri day 2 — Brahmacharini | Shukla Dwitiya: 8 Apr 2016, 1:05 PM to 9 Apr 2016, 9:22 AM |
| Saturday, 9 Apr | Navratri day 3 — Chandraghanta | Shukla Tritiya: 9 Apr 2016, 9:22 AM to 10 Apr 2016, 5:55 AM |
| Sunday, 10 Apr | Navratri day 4 — Kushmanda | Shukla Chaturthi: 10 Apr 2016, 5:55 AM to 11 Apr 2016, 2:54 AM |
| Monday, 11 Apr | Navratri day 5 — Skandamata | Shukla Panchami: 11 Apr 2016, 2:54 AM to 12 Apr 2016, 12:27 AM |
| Tuesday, 12 Apr | Navratri day 6 — Katyayani | Shukla Shashthi: 12 Apr 2016, 12:27 AM to 10:41 PM |
| Wednesday, 13 Apr | Navratri day 7 — Kalaratri | Shukla Saptami: 12 Apr 2016, 10:41 PM to 13 Apr 2016, 9:41 PM |
| Thursday, 14 Apr | Navratri day 8 — Mahagauri | Shukla Ashtami: 13 Apr 2016, 9:41 PM to 14 Apr 2016, 9:29 PM |
| Friday, 15 Apr | Navratri day 9 — Siddhidatri | Shukla Navami: 14 Apr 2016, 9:29 PM to 15 Apr 2016, 10:03 PM |
How the date is fixed
Ghatasthapana falls on Shukla Pratipada of Chaitra. The day is decided by the tithi prevailing at sunrise (udaya tithi). When the tithi touches that time on two days, the day it covers more is used.
Calculated for New Delhi. Festival dates can differ by a day between cities and between regional traditions; your family priest's panchang has the final word.
How it is celebrated
On the first morning a kalash is installed and barley sown (ghatasthapana). Devotees fast or eat sattvic food, worship one form of the goddess each day, and on Ashtami or Navami worship young girls as the goddess (kanya puja).
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Frequently asked questions
When is Chaitra Navratri in 2016?
In 2016, Chaitra Navratri runs from Friday, 8 April 2016 to Friday, 15 April 2016. (New Delhi)
Why do calendars sometimes show different dates for Chaitra Navratri?
Hindu festivals follow the lunar tithi, which begins and ends at different clock times. Each festival has a rule about which part of the day the tithi must cover — sunrise, midday, dusk or midnight. When the tithi straddles two days, calendars that apply the rule for a different city, or a different tradition, can land on different days. We show the rule we used and the tithi timings so you can check.