Durga Puja 2026 Events
Every day of Durga Puja 2026 (16–21 October) has its own round of rituals and events — from the Bodhon on Shashthi to the visarjan processions on Dashami. Below is the day-by-day event calendar with the verified timings the site runs on; the app‘s Today‘s Event chip surfaces the current day‘s highlight automatically.
Day-by-day events
Maha ShashthiFriday, Oct 16
- Shashthibihita Puja — Must wrap up before 08:30 AM
- Evening Rituals — Bodhon, Amantran, and Adhibas
Maha SaptamiSaturday, Oct 17
- Nabapatrika Prabesh (Kolabou Snan) — Early morning
- Saptami Puja & Pushpanjali — Morning hours, starting around 07:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Maha AshtamiMonday, Oct 19
- Ashtami Puja Commences — 05:30 AM (must wrap up early due to tithi transition)
- Kumari Puja (at Belur Math) — Begins at 09:00 AM
- Ashtami Pushpanjali — 06:30 AM – 07:15 AM (Highly recommended to do early)
Sandhi PujaMonday, Oct 19
- Auspicious 48 Minutes — 10:28 AM to 11:16 AMSome regional community panjikas calculate a morning transition between 07:26 AM and 08:14 AM, but prime pandals and Belur Math observe the late morning 10:28 AM window.
Maha NavamiTuesday, Oct 20
- Navami Puja & Homa — Commences in the morning around 06:30 AM
- Navami Pushpanjali — Concludes by mid-morning (09:30 AM – 10:00 AM)
VijayadashamiWednesday, Oct 21
- Dashami Puja & Aparajita Puja — Begins at 06:30 AM
- Devi Boron & Sindur Khela — Starts after 10:30 AM
- Visarjan (Idol Immersion) — Evening onwards
Highlights worth planning around
- Mahalaya (Saturday 10 October) — the festival‘s curtain-raiser; the artists paint the idols‘ eyes (Chokkhu Daan).
- Kumari Puja (Ashtami, Monday 19 October) — a pre-pubescent girl is worshipped as the living goddess; the most famous ceremony at Belur Math begins at 09:00 AM.
- Sandhi Puja (19 October) — the sacred 48-minute window between Ashtami and Navami, observed 10:28 AM – 11:16 AM by the prime pandals and Belur Math.
- Sindoor Khela & visarjan (Dashami, 21 October) — Devi Boron and the vermilion celebration after 10:30 AM, then the idol immersions from the evening.
Follow the festival live
Events land on the day — and crowds change by the hour. Every pandal page shows a live crowd level reported by visitors, and the pandal list sorts by popularity, proximity and crowd so you can plan around what is actually happening tonight. The Durga Puja 2026 guide links out to every part of the festival.
Durga Puja 2026 events — Frequently asked questions
What happens on Ashtami 2026?
Ashtami (Monday 19 October 2026) is the peak day: Ashtami Puja starts at 05:30 AM, Ashtami Pushpanjali runs 06:30–07:15 AM, Kumari Puja begins at Belur Math at 09:00 AM, and Sandhi Puja is observed 10:28–11:16 AM.
Where is Kumari Puja held in 2026?
The most famous Kumari Puja is at Belur Math, beginning at 09:00 AM on Ashtami. Many community pandals also hold their own Kumari Puja ceremonies in the morning.
When is Sindoor Khela in 2026?
On Vijaya Dashami, Wednesday 21 October 2026 — Devi Boron and Sindoor Khela start after 10:30 AM, and visarjan (idol immersion) runs from the evening.
How can I keep up with what's happening during the pujas?
The app's 'Today's Event' chip shows the current day's highlight, and every pandal page shows the live crowd level from visitor reports — combine them to plan each evening.