2026 Navratri Dates in India: Chaitra, Sharad and Dussehra

Which 2026 Navratri date do you mean?

The phrase 2026 Navratri date can point to two different observances. The season matters first: Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri do not fall in the same month. Dussehra is then listed separately as a related festival date.

The President of India’s official release identifies 19 March 2026 as Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, the first day of Navratri. For the October observance, the Incredible India Navratri listing gives Sunday, 11 October to Monday, 19 October 2026.

When is Sharad Navratri in October 2026?

For a general Sharad Navratri calendar entry, use:

11–19 October 2026

That is the date range stated in the official tourism listing. It answers the question, “When is the October Navratri period?” It should not be expanded simply because another calendar lists Dussehra on the following day.

Why does 20 October also appear?

The India Post holidays list separately labels Tuesday, 20 October 2026 as Dussehra (Vijay Dashmi). This is why a search for Navratri-related dates can show both 11–19 October and 20 October without the sources necessarily answering the same question.

A practical distinction is:

• Chaitra Navratri: 19 March 2026, the date identified as Chaitra Shukla Pratipada.
• Sharad Navratri: 11–19 October 2026.
• Dussehra/Vijay Dashmi: 20 October 2026, as listed by India Post.

What should go in your calendar?

If the calendar entry is for the October Navratri observance, write Sharad Navratri: 11–19 October 2026. If the entry is for the holiday named Dussehra or Vijay Dashmi, write 20 October 2026 instead. For a Chaitra reference, use 19 March 2026.

The official pages used here establish dates and festival labels, not a city-specific puja time. A date-only entry should therefore be treated as a calendar reference, not as a ritual-time instruction.

In short: 2026 Sharad Navratri is listed for 11–19 October, Dussehra is listed for 20 October, and Chaitra Navratri began on 19 March.