Navratri 2026: Dates and Highlights for India and the USA

Sharad Navratri begins on Sunday, 11 October 2026 in the India and United States calendar references used here. The nine-night period is 11–19 October, followed by Vijayadashami on Tuesday, 20 October. The New Delhi reference places Durga Ashtami on 19 October; the U.S. references place it on 18 October. These dates concern autumn Sharad Navratri, not spring Chaitra Navratri.

The India reference is New Delhi. The U.S. comparison includes New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, with local temple confirmation from Northern Virginia. Lunar tithis do not follow midnight-to-midnight civil dates, and observances depend on local time, sunrise and the calendar tradition followed. Consult your temple’s calendar for your location and exact ritual timings.

India dates: New Delhi reference

• Sharad Navratri begins: 11 October 2026.
• Nine-night period: 11–19 October 2026.
• Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami: 19 October in the cited New Delhi calendar.
• Vijayadashami: 20 October 2026.

The Government of India’s Incredible India Navratri overview lists 11–19 October for the festival period. The New Delhi calendar for 2026 supplies the named observances above.

United States / USA dates

The New York City and Los Angeles calendar references and the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago’s 2026 calendar agree on these dates:

• Sharad Navratri begins: 11 October 2026.
• Nine-night period: 11–19 October 2026.
• Durga Ashtami: 18 October 2026.
• Maha Navami: 19 October 2026.
• Vijayadashami: 20 October 2026.

See the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago’s 2026 calendar, October page, alongside the New York City and Los Angeles references. The Durga Temple of Virginia also lists Sharad Navratri from 11 October and Durga Ashtami on 18 October.

This agreement provides useful USA coverage without establishing one ritual timetable for every American location or tradition. The Ashtami difference from New Delhi shows why an Indian date should not simply be copied into a U.S. calendar. No universal muhurta or daily ritual sequence is supplied here.

Navratri in the United States

Temple worship, Garba and cultural programs take place across established U.S. communities. The organizations below provide local information; they are examples, not a ranking or an exhaustive directory.

• Washington, DC / Northern Virginia: Durga Temple of Virginia publishes its Sharad Navratri worship program and Durga Ashtami observance.
• New York / New Jersey: Indian Culture Society of New Jersey organizes Navratri Garba in Elizabeth, New Jersey, serving the wider metropolitan community.
• Chicago: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, in Lemont, publishes Navratri, Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami observances in its temple calendar.
• Dallas–Fort Worth: Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas, in Allen, publishes a Navratri Mahotsav program with worship, Garba and Dandiya.
• Houston: Gujarati Samaj of Houston describes its Navratri Garba and Raas programs with invited singers and music groups.
• San Francisco Bay Area: Gujarati Cultural Association publishes a series of Ras Garba evenings during the autumn season.
• Los Angeles / Southern California: San Fernando Valley Gujarati Association includes Navratri in its community program.

Festival dates and celebration schedules serve different purposes. Garba evenings may be arranged on nearby weekends, including dates before or after the nine-night period. For example, Chicago’s temple calendar distinguishes Vijayadashami on 20 October from its community celebration on 24 October. Check organizers’ current notices for venues, admission and schedule changes; an event date does not determine a religious observance date.

Highlights across regional traditions

Navratri includes several forms of Goddess worship. Gujarat’s Garba centers on devotion to the Goddess, northern Devi temples receive pilgrims, South Indian traditions include Golu and learning-related observances, and Bengal’s Durga Puja has its own ritual and artistic sequence. Durga is central to many observances, while Amba, Lakshmi, Saraswati and other forms of Devi receive particular emphasis in different communities.

• Read about Garba and Gujarat’s Goddess tradition.
• Read about Himachal Shakti Peetha pilgrimage.
• Read about South Indian Golu and worship.
• Read the Durga Puja guide.

The Durga Puja 2026 section follows the West Bengal government’s public festival calendar, which lists Vijaya Dashami on 21 October. That public-calendar reference differs from the 20 October ritual-calendar reference used here. Follow the calendar used by your temple or Puja committee for the specific observance.

Sources and calendar scope

The Government of India tourism dates, New Delhi reference, Chicago temple calendar and Northern Virginia temple notices were checked on 7 October 2026. New York City and Los Angeles references were verified on 4 October 2026. Chicago’s published calendar confirms the U.S. dates listed here. Community links were reviewed on 7 October 2026.

This guide remains a dated 2026 reference. Later years require newly checked calendars. For the festival’s meaning, Navadurga, regional traditions, fasting and Kanya Puja context, read the evergreen Navratri guide. See Hindu Goddess festivals for the wider seasonal setting.