Chaitra Navratri 2026 — Bhavnagar
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 2026, Chaitra Navratri runs from Thursday, 19 March 2026 to Friday, 27 March 2026.
Ghatasthapana: Thursday, 19 March 2026
- Shukla Pratipada begins: 19 Mar 2026, 6:53 AM
- Shukla Pratipada ends: 20 Mar 2026, 4:52 AM
Date and timings for Bhavnagar.
All days of Chaitra Navratri 2026
| Date | Observance | Tithi / timing |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 19 Mar | Ghatasthapana | Shukla Pratipada: 19 Mar 2026, 6:53 AM to 20 Mar 2026, 4:52 AM |
| Thursday, 19 Mar | Navratri day 1 — Shailaputri | Shukla Pratipada: 19 Mar 2026, 6:53 AM to 20 Mar 2026, 4:52 AM |
| Friday, 20 Mar | Navratri day 2 — Brahmacharini | Shukla Dwitiya: 20 Mar 2026, 4:52 AM to 21 Mar 2026, 2:31 AM |
| Saturday, 21 Mar | Navratri day 3 — Chandraghanta | Shukla Tritiya: 21 Mar 2026, 2:31 AM to 11:56 PM |
| Sunday, 22 Mar | Navratri day 4 — Kushmanda | Shukla Chaturthi: 21 Mar 2026, 11:56 PM to 22 Mar 2026, 9:17 PM |
| Monday, 23 Mar | Navratri day 5 — Skandamata | Shukla Panchami: 22 Mar 2026, 9:17 PM to 23 Mar 2026, 6:38 PM |
| Tuesday, 24 Mar | Navratri day 6 — Katyayani | Shukla Shashthi: 23 Mar 2026, 6:38 PM to 24 Mar 2026, 4:08 PM |
| Wednesday, 25 Mar | Navratri day 7 — Kalaratri | Shukla Saptami: 24 Mar 2026, 4:08 PM to 25 Mar 2026, 1:50 PM |
| Thursday, 26 Mar | Navratri day 8 — Mahagauri | Shukla Ashtami: 25 Mar 2026, 1:50 PM to 26 Mar 2026, 11:49 AM |
| Friday, 27 Mar | Navratri day 9 — Siddhidatri | Shukla Navami: 26 Mar 2026, 11:49 AM to 27 Mar 2026, 10:07 AM |
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 Bhavnagar. 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 2026?
In 2026, Chaitra Navratri runs from Thursday, 19 March 2026 to Friday, 27 March 2026. (Bhavnagar)
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.