The Navratri 2026 festivities are being held from October 11 to October 20, with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on October 20. Fasting, prayer and Kanya Puja, the festival’s main practices, are not only customs but also ways in which devotees express discipline, gratitude and reverence for the divine feminine energy known as Shakti.
What Navratri Represents:
Navratri means "nine nights". The devotees worship nine forms of Goddess Durga on these nine nights. These are collectively known as Navadurga, which are Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. Each form is a different quality—purity, austerity, courage, creation, nurturing, valour, the removal of ignorance, wisdom, and spiritual accomplishment.
The Sharad Navratri, which falls in the Hindu month of Ashwin, is the most popular Navratri. It culminates on Vijayadashami, celebrating the victory of good over evil, symbolised by Goddess Durga slaying the demon Mahishasura.
Why Fasting Is Important:
Navratri fasting is a spiritual and personal practice. For many devotees it is a means of withdrawal from everyday indulgence and of focusing the mind on prayer, meditation and self-restraint. The purpose is not to simply avoid eating but to make one’s life simpler for nine days so that attention may be turned inward.
In the spiritual sense fasting is linked to purification. Through the minimisation of distractions and the regulation of desires, devotees seek to cultivate patience, humility, and devotion. Many believe that the discipline of the fast helps to align the body and mind with the energy of the Goddess.
There is also a pragmatic side to health. Traditional Navratri fasting usually includes light, easily digestible foods such as fruits, milk, buttermilk, coconut water, vegetable soups and dishes made with permitted flours and seeds. This can give your digestive system a break and encourage mindful eating.
Common Navratri Fasting Rules:
The rules for Navratri fasting vary from family to family, region to region and community to community, but some traditions are widely observed. Many devotees avoid grains, lentils, onion, garlic, common salt and heavily spiced or fried food. They eat ingredients like rock salt (sendha namak), buckwheat flour (kuttu), water chestnut flour (singhare ka atta), amaranth (rajgira), sabudana, potatoes, fruits, milk and ghee.
Some people fast through all nine days, while others fast only on the first and last days or on Ashtami and Navami. Elderly people, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers or people with health conditions who cannot follow a strict fast are generally encouraged to follow a gentler version rather than risk their well-being.
Common practices include:
Eating only satvik food, prepared without onion and garlic.
Using rock salt instead of regular salt.
Avoiding non-vegetarian food, eggs, and alcohol.
Drinking adequate water, coconut water, milk, or fruit juices.
Avoiding overeating, even when consuming permitted foods.
Breaking the fast with a light, easily digestible meal.
The deeper purpose is balance. A fast should strengthen devotion and self-control, not cause exhaustion or harm. Traditions themselves recognise flexibility for those who need it.
What Is Kanya Puja?
Kanya Puja, or Kanya Pujan, or Kanjak Puja, is the ritual worship of young girls during Navratri. It is specially performed on the eighth and ninth days of the festival, i.e. on Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami. Ashtami will be observed on 18 or 19 October depending upon the calculations of the regional panchang in 2026. Navami will be observed on 19 October.
In this ritual, young girls are invited into the home and honoured as the living embodiments of the nine forms of Goddess Durga. The practice is an expression of the belief that the divine feminine energy resides in every girl child, and by serving her with respect, one is serving the Goddess herself.
Significance of Kanya Puja:
Kanya Puja carries a powerful social and spiritual message. It recognises the girl child as sacred, worthy of honour, and central to the idea of Shakti. In a festival devoted to the Goddess, worshipping young girls reminds devotees that divinity is not distant or abstract—it can be seen and served in everyday life.
The ritual also encourages humility. By washing the girls’ feet, offering them food, and seeking their blessings, devotees symbolically set aside ego and status. The act teaches respect for children, women, and the vulnerable, making the festival not only devotional but also deeply humane.
Traditionally, nine girls are invited to represent the Navadurga. Some families also include a young boy, sometimes called Langur or Bhairav, who is honoured alongside them. However, customs vary, and many households perform the ritual with fewer girls if nine are not available.
Kanya Puja Rituals:
The rituals are simple but meaningful. Usually, the families respectfully invite the girls and seat them on a clean platform or special chair and wash their feet as a sign of hospitality. Then devotees apply kumkum or sandalwood paste, tie a sacred thread or kalawa on their wrists and may also offer a chunri, flowers or new clothes.
The traditional bhog often includes halwa, puri, and black chickpeas (kale chane). After the meal, devotees offer gifts, clothes, fruits, or dakshina and seek the girls’ blessings before they leave. The food is prepared as satvik bhog, generally without onion and garlic.
The essential spirit of the ritual is dignity. A respectful welcome, a wholesome meal, and a joyful farewell matter more than elaborate arrangements. The girls should leave feeling valued and happy, reflecting the festival’s message of care and reverence.
Ashtami and Navami Kanya Puja:
Kanya Puja is performed on Ashtami and Navami, as these days are considered to be particularly auspicious, marking the end of nine days of worship. Durga Ashtami is related to the goddess Mahagauri, and Maha Navami is related to the goddess Siddhidatri. These two days are believed by many devotees to be the days when the divine power of Durga is at its height.
The timings in 2026 are a bit tricky. Ashtami Tithi starts on 18th October and ends the next morning, i.e., on 19th October, whereas Navami Tithi lasts till 20th October. While some communities celebrate Durga Ashtami on October 19, some follow the day-wise calendar, taking Ashtami on October 18. Generally, families follow the tradition of their local temple, pandal or family panchang.
Kanya Puja on either day is considered meaningful. Ashtami is a time of purity, protection and worship of Mahagauri, and Navami is a symbol of completion, fulfilment and the blessings of Siddhidatri.
A Festival of Devotion and Respect:
Navratri fasting and Kanya Puja together express the heart of the festival: self-discipline, devotion, gratitude, and respect for feminine divine energy. Fasting turns attention inward and encourages restraint; Kanya Puja turns that devotion outward into hospitality, honour, and service.
As Navratri 2026 continues through October 19 and concludes with Vijayadashami on October 20, these traditions remind devotees that spirituality is lived through everyday choices—what we eat, how we pray, and how we treat others, especially children.
