Durga Puja Rituals 2026
Durga Puja follows a fixed ritual calendar across all of Bengal, and Durga Puja 2026 is no exception — from the Bodhon on Shashthi (16 October) that invites the goddess, through Pushpanjali, Kumari Puja and the 48-minute Sandhi Puja window on Ashtami, to Sindoor Khela and visarjan on Dashami (21 October). Every timing below comes from the verified Mirpur schedule data this site runs on.
Ritual days 2026
What happens when
Maha ShashthiFriday, Oct 16
Maha Shashthi marks the formal start of the puja. Shashthibihita Puja must wrap up before 08:30 AM, and the evening brings Bodhon, Amantran and Adhibas — the rituals that invite the goddess.
Maha SaptamiSaturday, Oct 17
Maha Saptami begins with the Nabapatrika Prabesh (Kolabou Snan) in the early morning, followed by Saptami Puja and Pushpanjali through the morning hours.
Maha AshtamiMonday, Oct 19
Maha Ashtami is the peak day of Durga Puja 2026, falling on Monday 19 October. Ashtami Puja starts at 05:30 AM, Kumari Puja begins at Belur Math at 09:00 AM, and the auspicious Sandhi Puja window runs 10:28 AM – 11:16 AM.
Sandhi PujaMonday, Oct 19
Sandhi Puja falls at the junction of Ashtami and Navami on Monday 19 October 2026. The auspicious 48 minutes run 10:28 AM to 11:16 AM; some regional panjikas calculate a morning transition, but the main pandals and Belur Math observe the late-morning window.
Maha NavamiTuesday, Oct 20
Maha Navami on Tuesday 20 October brings Navami Puja, Homa and Pushpanjali, commencing around 06:30 AM and concluding by mid-morning.
VijayadashamiWednesday, Oct 21
Vijaya Dashami on Wednesday 21 October closes the festival — Dashami and Aparajita Puja from 06:30 AM, Devi Boron and Sindoor Khela after 10:30 AM, then visarjan (idol immersion) from the evening.
Key rituals explained
- Bodhon, Amantron & Adhibas (Shashthi)
- The evening rituals of Maha Shashthi that formally invite the goddess and begin the festival.
- Nabapatrika Prabesh / Kolabou Snan (Saptami)
- The early-morning bathing and entry of the nine-leaf plant bundle (Nabapatrika) — honoured as the banana-bride or Kolabou — before the Saptami puja begins.
- Pushpanjali
- The morning flower offerings — visitors chant the mantra and offer flowers to the goddess. Open to all; times vary by day, starting early on Ashtami.
- Kumari Puja (Ashtami)
- A pre-pubescent girl is worshipped as the living goddess — most famously at Belur Math, where the puja begins at 09:00 AM on Ashtami.
- Sandhi Puja (Ashtami–Navami junction)
- The sacred 48 minutes where Ashtami meets Navami. In 2026 the auspicious window runs 10:28 AM – 11:16 AM on Monday 19 October.
- Sindoor Khela & visarjan (Dashami)
- After Devi Boron, married women playfully smear each other with vermilion (Sindoor Khela), then the idols are immersed — visarjan — in the evening.
Durga Puja rituals — Frequently asked questions
When is Pushpanjali during Durga Puja 2026?
Pushpanjali runs in the morning hours — Ashtami Pushpanjali is 06:30–07:15 AM (early is recommended), with Saptami and Navami offerings through the morning. Check the day pages for exact timings.
When is Sandhi Puja in 2026?
Sandhi Puja falls at the junction of Ashtami and Navami on Monday 19 October 2026, with the auspicious 48-minute window from 10:28 AM to 11:16 AM. Some regional panjikas calculate a morning transition, but the prime pandals and Belur Math observe the late-morning window.
Can visitors take part in rituals?
Pushpanjali is open to all at most community pandals — arrive early, follow the queue, and the priests guide the offering. Sandhi Puja and Sindoor Khela are best experienced as a spectator; Kumari Puja is a temple ceremony.
What is Sindoor Khela?
On Vijaya Dashami, married women apply vermilion to the goddess and then playfully to each other in celebration — it is one of the most emotional moments of the festival, followed by the idol immersion (visarjan).