Chaitra Navratri 2026 Start and End Date

Chaitra Navratri is a Hindu festival which is celebrated over a period of nine days. It marks the beginning of the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated during the month of Chaitra. It falls in the months of March and April every year. People start the celebration from the first day of Shukla Paksha.

In the year 2026, the celebrations of Chaitra Navratri will begin on Thursday, the 19th of March, and will conclude on Friday, the 27th of March. Devotees across the country will be busy preparing for the celebrations.

Vasanta Navratri is the other name for the Chaitra Navratri celebrations because the Hindu festival is celebrated during the spring season. The ninth day of the Hindu Navratri will be the Rama Navami day, which is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Rama.

Chaitra Navratri 2026 Day-Wise Schedule and Navratri Colors

Each day of the festival is dedicated to different forms of Goddess Durga. People worship their deity by performing prayers, fasting, and special rituals. On every day of the festival, devotees also wear different colored clothes as per the tradition of Navratri.

Here is the entire day-wise list of Chaitra Navratri 2026.

Day 1 – March 19, 2026 (Thursday)

The festival of Chaitra Navratri 2026 starts on the very first day of Pratipada Tithi by worshipping Maa Shailputri. On this day, devotees also perform Ghatasthapana, which represents the invocation of Goddess Durga. The color of the day for Chaitra Navratri 2026 is Yellow.

Day 2 – March 20, 2026 (Friday)

Devotees worship their deity Maa Brahmacharini on Dwitiya Tithi of Chaitra Navratri 2026. People also celebrate Chandra Darshana and Sindhara Dooj. The Navratri color for this day is Green.

Day 3 – March 21, 2026 (Saturday)

The third day is dedicated to the worship of Maa Chandraghanta on Tritiya Tithi. On this day, devotees perform the ritual of Gauri Puja and Saubhagya Teej. The color of the day is Grey.

Day 4 – March 22, 2026 (Sunday)

On the fourth day, devotees perform the ritual of worshipping Maa Kushmanda on Chaturthi Tithi. The day is also observed as Vasudeva Chaturthi by many devotees. The color of the day is Orange.

Day 5 – March 23, 2026 (Monday)

The fifth day is dedicated to the worship of Maa Skandamata on Panchami Tithi. On this day, devotees perform the ritual of Naag Puja and Lakshshmi Panchami. The Navratri color for the day is White.

Day 6 – March 24, 2026 (Tuesday)

Worship Maa Katyayani on the day of Shashthi Tithi. Skanda Sashti and Yamuna Chhath are also celebrated on this day. The color for the day is Red.

Day 7 – March 25, 2026 (Wednesday)

The seventh day of Navratri is the day when Maa Kalaratri is worshiped on the day of Saptami Tithi. Maha Saptami is celebrated on this day. The color for the day is Royal Blue.

Day 8 – March 26, 2026 (Thursday)

Devotees worship Maa Mahagauri on Ashtami Tithi. The day is generally celebrated as Durga Ashtami and Sandhi Puja, which is of great spiritual importance. The color of the day is Pink.

Day 9 – March 27, 2026 (Friday)

The final day is dedicated to the worship of Maa Siddhidatri on Navami Tithi. The day is celebrated as Navratri Parana and Rama Navami. The color of the day is Purple.

Spiritual Significance of Chaitra Navratri

Chaitra Navratri is the spiritual beginning of the Hindu calendar. It is the time when the devotees focus on practicing discipline and spirituality.

It has been found that many devotees observe the fast during the nine days of Navratri. They recite the Durga Saptashati and perform daily puja. It is the time when the devotees seek the blessings of the goddess for health and wealth.

It has also been found that the festival symbolizes spiritual awakening. It has been found that many people start practicing spirituality during this time.

Regional Celebrations During Chaitra Navratri

Regions in India celebrate Chaitra Navratri in their own ways. However, the rituals performed are all the same.

In Maharashtra, it is celebrated by starting with Gudi Padwa, which is observed as the Marathi New Year. At the same time, in Andhra Pradesh, it is celebrated as Ugadi, which is observed as the Telugu and Kannada New Year.

While it is observed in a similar way to Shardiya Navratri, which is celebrated in autumn, Chaitra Navratri holds significance in the north.

Why Chaitra Navratri Is Also Called Rama Navratri

The ninth day of Chaitra Navratri is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Rama. Therefore, this festival is also known as Rama Navratri.

On this day, the devotees keep fast and recite the holy text from the Ramayana. They seek righteousness, courage, and moral strength by praying to Lord Rama.

Key Timings and Important Notes For 2026

All Navratri timings are based on the Panchang system, in which the timings are calculated according to the sun’s rise in the morning, and the timings mentioned are according to New Delhi’s local time.

The devotees need to perform the Ghatasthapana ritual after sunrise during the muhurat on March 19. This marks the beginning of the Navratri celebration.

The next important ritual in the Navratri celebration is Sandhi Puja. This ritual falls on the day of Durga Ashtami. In the year 2026, the Sandhi Puja will take place between 11:24 AM and 12:12 PM on March 26.

Thus, the Chaitra Navratri celebration in the year 2026 will be a blessed time for the devotees as they get nine days to seek the divine power of Goddess Durga and end the celebration by commemorating the birthday of Lord Rama.