Chaitra Navratri 2026 Date, Importance & Story

Chaitra Navratri is one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus in India, dedicated to nine different forms of Goddess Shakti. Nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped during the nine days of Navratri. Mostly Chaitra and Shardiya Navratri are celebrated with great pomp in the country, whereas very few people know that Navratri comes four times in a year, which are as follows: Ashadha, Chaitra Ashwin, Magh, etc. Navratri of the Ashwin month is called Sharadiya Navratri, while Navratri of Ashadh and Magh is considered Gupt Navratri.

2026 Chaitra Navratri Date

Pratipada Chaitra Navratri Date Starts – 18th March 2026 from 7:23 PM

Pratipada Chaitra Navratri Date Ends – 19 March at 5:22 PM

Chaitra Navratri Date– 19 March 2026

Ghatasthapana Puja Muhurta– 12:05 pm to 12:53 pm

Abhijeet Muhurta– 12:05 pm to 12:53 pm on March 19

Chaitra Navratri 2026 Calendar

First Chaitra Navratri: Maa Shailputri Puja, Ghatasthapana: 19 March 2026, Thursday

Second Chaitra Navratri: Maa Brahmacharini Puja 20 March 2026, Wednesday

Third Chaitra Navratri: Maa Chandraghanta Puja 21 March 2026, Thursday

Fourth Chaitra Navratri: Maa Kushmanda Puja 22 March 2026, Friday

Fifth Chaitra Navratri: Maa Skandamata Puja 23 March 2026, Saturday

Sixth Chaitra Navratri: Maa Katyayani Puja 24 March 2026, Sunday

Seventh Chaitra Navratri: Maa Kalratri Puja 25 March 2026, Monday

Eighth Chaitra Navratri: Maa Mahagauri Durga Maha Ashtami Puja 26 March 2026, Tuesday

Ninth Chaitra Navratri: Maa Siddhidatri Durga Maha Navami Puja 27 March 2026, Wednesday

Tenth day of Navratri: Durga idol immersion 28 March 2026, Thursday

Importance of Chaitra Navratri

Navratri, celebrated in the month of Chaitra, has special significance in the Indian Hindu tradition. This nine-day festival is organized every year in the month of Chaitra. Although this is considered to have special significance, by observing fast during Chaitra Navratri, Mother Durga becomes happy with her devotees. According to the food habits, whenever we worship on other days, we do not get the same results as we get by fasting during Navratri. By observing fast during Navratri, we get four times more results. Along with this, it is believed that observing this fast brings happiness, prosperity, and mental strength. Happiness is attained.

Chaitra Navratri Story

According to the story described in mythological texts, the demon named Mahishasura was a great devotee of Lord Brahma. By pleasing Lord Brahma with his rigorous penance, he obtained the boon that no god, demon, or human living on earth would be able to kill him. After receiving the boon from Lord Brahma, Mahishasura became extremely cruel and merciless; he created terror in all three worlds. 

Troubled by his terror, the Gods and Goddesses, including Brahma Ji, Vishnu Ji, and Mahadev, prayed to Mother Shakti for help, then Goddess Durga appeared and freed the world from atrocities, after which there was a fierce battle between Mother Durga and Mahishasura for nine days. Finally, on the tenth day, Mother Durga killed Mahishasura. From that day onwards, the nine days of the war are celebrated as the festival of victory of good over evil.

According to Vedic beliefs, Lord Shri Ram first worshiped Goddess Durga for nine days on the beach at Rameshwaram before he invaded Lanka. Mother Bhagwati, the goddess of power, was worshiped with the wish of victory in the war against Lankan ruler Ravana. Pleased with the devotion of Shri Ram, Mother Durga blessed him for victory in the war, after which Lord Ram defeated and killed the Lankan king Ravana in the war, and from that time, he conquered Lanka as well. These days are celebrated as Navratri. The day of conquering Lanka is celebrated as Dussehra.

Chaitra Navratri Puja

During Navratri, we worship and worship the forms of Goddess Durga. Let us know how the Navratri puja is done:

• First of all, prepare a place for meditation. Be decorative and take care of purity.
• Keep the idol or picture of Goddess Durga for worship.
• Start the puja with Mangal Kalash.
• After worshiping the nine forms of Mother Goddess, worship Kumarika.
• After Aarti, distribute Prasad and perform puja.

Wrapping Up

Devotees of Goddess Durga wait for Chaitra Navratri throughout the year. The festival of this Navratri is celebrated from the first day of Vikram Samvat i.e. Pratipada Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month, till 9 days i.e., Navami Tithi. This Navaratri marks the beginning of the summer season and significant climatic changes in nature.

This Navratri generally falls in March or April. Navratri, which starts from Chaitra Shukla Pratham, ends on the day of Ram Navami. The last day of this Navratri i.e., Navami Tithi, is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Shri Ram. This date is also known as Ram Navami. It is believed that on this day, Lord Shri Ram was born from the womb of Mother Kaushalya in Ayodhya. For this reason, Chaitra Navratri is also known as Ram Navratri. If you want to know more information about Chaitra Navratri, then you can get information by consulting an online astrology consultation.