Navratri 2027

What this countdown tracks

Sharad Navratri 2027 – the nine-night autumnal Durga festival – runs from Thursday September 30 to Friday October 8, 2027, concluding with Dussehra on Saturday October 9. Observed across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the global Indian diaspora.

About Navratri

Navratri means "nine nights" in Sanskrit, and Sharad Navratri – the autumn observance in the Hindu month of Ashvin – is the largest of the four Navratris in the Hindu calendar. Each of the nine nights is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Durga, the Navadurga: Shailputri (the daughter of the mountain), Brahmacharini (the seeker), Chandraghanta (the half-moon-bell goddess), Kushmanda (the cosmic egg), Skandamata (mother of Skanda), Katyayani (the warrior), Kalaratri (the dark night), Mahagauri (the great fair one), and Siddhidatri (the giver of attainments).

The festival's central narrative is the Devi Mahatmya's account of Durga's nine-day battle with the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Mahishasura had received a boon making him invulnerable to all male gods, and the only way to defeat him was for the gods to pool their energies into the form of a goddess. Durga, riding a lion and bearing the weapons of all the gods, fought Mahishasura for nine days and nights and killed him on the tenth – the day observed as Vijayadashami or Dussehra. The festival therefore stands as a celebration of feminine divine power (shakti) and the triumph of dharma over adharma.

The same nine days carry parallel observances. In Bengal, the last five days are Durga Puja, with elaborate community pandals and artistically sculpted goddess idols immersed in the Hooghly on Vijayadashami. In Gujarat and Mumbai, the nine nights are dominated by garba and dandiya raas. In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, the focus is the Bommai Kolu doll display.

How it's observed

The festival's social signature in Gujarat is garba – the circular folk dance performed around a clay lamp (garbo) representing the goddess – and dandiya raas, the stick dance performed in pairs and lines. Public garba grounds in Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Rajkot host nightly events drawing tens of thousands of dancers, with women in mirror-work chaniya cholis and men in kediyu kurtas. The Vadodara United Way Garba is widely cited as the world's largest garba event.

In West Bengal, the last five nights (Shashthi to Dashami) are Durga Puja – the city's most important festival. Pandals (temporary pavilions) are erected on a competitive scale, each housing a clay Durga idol and themed installations that range from temple recreations to social-commentary art. Visiting (pandal hopping) becomes a city-wide all-night activity from Saptami through Navami. Durga Puja was inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2021.

In south India, Bommai Kolu / Gombe Habba is the homemaker's expression of the festival – tiered displays of dolls representing gods, scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, kings, weddings, and everyday life are set up at home and visited by friends and relatives during the nine days. In north India, kanya pujan – the worship of nine young pre-pubescent girls representing the nine Durgas – is performed on Ashtami or Navami; the girls' feet are washed, they are gifted clothes, and they are fed puri, halwa, and chana.

For many Hindus the first nine days are a fasting period: grains, onion, garlic, and meat are abstained from, with meals built around buckwheat (kuttu), water-chestnut (singhara) flour, sago (sabudana), and fruits.

Why this date specifically

Sharad Navratri begins on the first day (Pratipada) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month of Ashvin. In 2027, Ashvin Shukla Pratipada falls on September 30 in Indian Standard Time, making Thursday September 30 the start of Navratri and Saturday October 9 the day of Dussehra. The Hindu calendar's eleven-day annual drift means Navratri began October 11 in 2026 and will start September 19 in 2028.

What to watch for / notable observances in 2027

• September 30 – Day 1 (Shailputri puja); Ghatasthapana at home
• October 6 – Maha Saptami; major pandals open in Kolkata
• October 7 – Maha Ashtami; kanya pujan in north India; Sandhi Puja in Bengal
• October 8 – Maha Navami; Ayudha Puja in south India
• October 9 – Vijayadashami / Dussehra; immersion of Durga idols
• Largest garba events – Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai
• Public Durga Puja in Kolkata, Delhi CR Park, and Bengaluru
• Major US Durga Puja in New Jersey, Houston, and the Bay Area

Related festivals to track

Navratri 2027 culminates in Dussehra 2027 on October 9 and leads into Karwa Chauth 2027 (October 18) and Diwali 2027 (October 29). The family overview is at the Hindu festival hub.

FAQ

When is Navratri in 2027? Sharad Navratri runs from Thursday September 30 to Friday October 8, 2027, with Dussehra on October 9.

How is Navratri observed? Through nine nights of Durga worship, garba and dandiya in Gujarat, Durga Puja pandals in Bengal, Bommai Kolu in south India, kanya pujan in north India, and traditional fasting.

Is Navratri a public holiday? Most Indian states observe Ashtami, Navami, and Dussehra (October 7–9 in 2027) as public holidays.

What is the typical greeting? "Shubh Navratri" or "Happy Navratri"; "Shubho Pujo" during the Durga Puja days in Bengal.