Sharad Navratri 2018
Sharad Navratri, the autumn Navratri, is the most widely celebrated: nine nights of worship of Goddess Durga from the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin, ending with Dussehra on the tenth day.
In 2018, Sharad Navratri runs from Wednesday, 10 October 2018 to Thursday, 18 October 2018.
Ghatasthapana: Wednesday, 10 October 2018
- Shukla Pratipada begins: 9 Oct 2018, 9:16 AM
- Shukla Pratipada ends: 10 Oct 2018, 7:25 AM
Date and timings for New Delhi.
All days of Sharad Navratri 2018
| Date | Observance | Tithi / timing |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, 10 Oct | Ghatasthapana | Shukla Pratipada: 9 Oct 2018, 9:16 AM to 10 Oct 2018, 7:25 AM |
| Wednesday, 10 Oct | Navratri day 1 — Shailaputri | Shukla Pratipada: 9 Oct 2018, 9:16 AM to 10 Oct 2018, 7:25 AM |
| Wednesday, 10 Oct | Navratri day 2 — Brahmacharini | Shukla Dwitiya: 10 Oct 2018, 7:25 AM to 11 Oct 2018, 6:06 AM |
| Thursday, 11 Oct | Navratri day 3 — Chandraghanta | Shukla Tritiya: 11 Oct 2018, 6:06 AM to 12 Oct 2018, 5:28 AM |
| Friday, 12 Oct | Navratri day 4 — Kushmanda | Shukla Chaturthi: 12 Oct 2018, 5:28 AM to 13 Oct 2018, 5:35 AM |
| Saturday, 13 Oct | Navratri day 5 — Skandamata | Shukla Panchami: 13 Oct 2018, 5:35 AM to 14 Oct 2018, 6:28 AM |
| Sunday, 14 Oct | Navratri day 5 — Skandamata (continues) | — |
| Monday, 15 Oct | Navratri day 6 — Katyayani | Shukla Shashthi: 14 Oct 2018, 6:28 AM to 15 Oct 2018, 8:05 AM |
| Tuesday, 16 Oct | Navratri day 7 — Kalaratri | Shukla Saptami: 15 Oct 2018, 8:05 AM to 16 Oct 2018, 10:16 AM |
| Wednesday, 17 Oct | Navratri day 8 — Mahagauri | Shukla Ashtami: 16 Oct 2018, 10:16 AM to 17 Oct 2018, 12:50 PM |
| Thursday, 18 Oct | Navratri day 9 — Siddhidatri | Shukla Navami: 17 Oct 2018, 12:50 PM to 18 Oct 2018, 3:29 PM |
| Friday, 19 Oct | Dussehra | Aparahna muhurat: 1:14 PM to 3:31 PM |
How the date is fixed
Ghatasthapana falls on Shukla Pratipada of Ashwin. 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
Ghatasthapana is done on the first morning; devotees fast, worship one of the nine forms of Durga each day, perform garba and dandiya in Gujarat, Ramlila in the North, and kanya puja on Ashtami or Navami.
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Frequently asked questions
When is Sharad Navratri in 2018?
In 2018, Sharad Navratri runs from Wednesday, 10 October 2018 to Thursday, 18 October 2018. (New Delhi)
Why do calendars sometimes show different dates for Sharad 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.