Every year, millions of families invite little girls home on Ashtami or Navami, wash their feet and serve halwa-puri as an offering to Maa Durga. This year, though, calendars show something unusual. Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday, 19 October 2026.So is it a printing error? No. It’s a genuine tithi overlap, and the panchang explains it clearly.
Ashtami and Navami Timings 2026 (Delhi Panchang)
·Ashtami tithi begins: Sunday, 18 October, 8:27 AM·Ashtami tithi ends: Monday, 19 October, 10:51 AM·Navami tithi begins: Monday, 19 October, 10:51 AM·Navami tithi ends: Tuesday, 20 October, 12:50 PM·Sandhi Puja: Monday, 19 October, 10:27 AM to 11:15 AM·Vijayadashami (Dussehra): Tuesday, 20 October
Why Ashtami Is Not on 18 October
Hindu festivals follow the lunar tithi, not the English calendar. A tithi can begin at any hour of the day or night.On 18 October, Ashtami begins only at 8:27 AM. Sunrise that morning still belongs to Saptami. Under the Udaya Tithi principle, which most North Indian panchangs follow, the tithi present at sunrise governs the day.There’s a scriptural reason as well. Dharma texts like the Nirnaya Sindhu, which pandits commonly refer to for festival decisions, discourage observing Durgashtami when it is mixed with Saptami. Ashtami joined with Navami is considered far more auspicious. On 19 October, Ashtami is present at sunrise and then merges into Navami. That makes it the correct day for Durga Ashtami.
Why Navami Is Also on 19 October
Navami begins at 10:51 AM on Monday and runs through the day. The same texts give importance to Navami connected with Ashtami. So North Indian calendars mark Maha Navami on 19 October too.Dashami begins at 12:50 PM on 20 October and covers the afternoon, the Aparahna Kaal. That’s the time window that decides Vijayadashami. So Dussehra stays on Tuesday.Bengal and parts of Maharashtra follow a different reckoning. Their panchangs keep Maha Navami on 20 October. Neither approach is wrong. Families should follow the panchang their household and local temple have always used.
When Exactly to Do Kanya Pujan
For families who observe Ashtami: Perform Kanya Pujan on the morning of 19 October, before 10:51 AM. Sunrise in Delhi is around 6:25 AM. That gives about four hours.For families who observe Navami: Do it on 19 October after 10:51 AM. If you follow a Bengali or Maharashtrian panchang, the morning of 20 October before 12:50 PM is also valid.
Why Girls Aged 2 to 10?
The Devi Bhagavata Purana links each age with a specific form of the Goddess. A two-year-old girl is worshipped as Kumarika, while a girl of seven is seen as Chandika. At nine, she is honoured as Durga herself. That’s why families invite girls within this age range and treat them as living forms of Devi.Nine girls is the ideal number, one for each Navdurga. But two or three girls offered with sincere devotion is also accepted. A young boy is invited too, as Langur or Bhairav, the guardian of the Goddess.
How to Perform Kanya Pujan
Welcome the girls at the door and wash their feet. Seat them on a clean cloth or asan. Apply roli tilak and tie kalawa on their right wrist. Offer a red chunri if possible.Serve the bhog of sooji halwa, puri and kala chana. After they eat, give dakshina, fruits or a small useful gift like stationery or bangles. Touch their feet and seek blessings before they leave.Devotees keeping the full nine-day fast generally do Parana after Kanya Pujan, on Navami or on Dashami morning, depending on family custom.
Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t perform Kanya Pujan after Navami ends on 20 October. Also avoid using onion or garlic anywhere in the prasad kitchen. And never force a girl to eat more than she wants. The ritual is about respect, not quantity.Timings follow the New Delhi panchang. Tithi times may shift by a few minutes in other cities, so confirm with your local panchang or family priest.
