Navratri 2026: The 9-Day Devi Worship Guide — Colour, Mantra & Samagri for Each Day (Oct 11-19)

TL;DR — Sharada Navratri 2026 at a glance

Sharada Navratri runs Sunday, 11 October to Monday, 19 October 2026, with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on Tuesday, 20 October. Each of the nine days honours one of the Navadurga — Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri. Every day has its own colour to wear, mantra to chant, and naivedyam to offer. Use this guide as your day-by-day reference, and source your Govt. Certified Devi idols, kalash, and 9-colour samagri at Divine Hindu Store, Jayanagar 3rd Block East, Bengaluru.

Why Navratri Is the Most Powerful Devi-Sadhana of the Year

Navratri — literally "nine nights" — is the festival when the formless Adishakti manifests in nine distinct forms across nine consecutive lunar days. Of the four Navratris in the Hindu year, Sharada Navratri in the bright fortnight of Ashwin (Sept-Oct) is the largest, observed across India from Bengal's Durga Puja pandals to Gujarat's Garba grounds to the Kanjak puja kitchens of North India.

The spiritual logic is simple and astonishing: the cosmos itself is said to be especially porous to Devi's grace during these nine nights. A single mantra recited with attention now is said to equal a hundred recited at other times. The vrat (fast), the daily colour, the specific mantra, the prescribed naivedyam — these are not arbitrary rituals. Each is a tuning fork, calibrated by the rishis to align the sadhaka with that day's Devi-frequency.

This guide walks you through all nine days with the date, Devi form, colour, primary mantra, naivedyam, and significance — followed by the full samagri checklist, the Ashtami Kanjak puja vidhi, and Dussehra. Bookmark it; share it with your mother and your daughter; print it for the puja room.

Navratri 2026 — The Complete 9-Day Reference Table

This is the single table to save. Dates are verified for the Bengaluru meridian by the Divine Hindu Team; mantra forms follow traditional Devi worship sequences.

Note: Colour traditions vary slightly between regions (Maharashtrian, North Indian, Bengali). The sequence above follows the most widely cited Sharada Navratri colour calendar.

Day 1 — Sunday, 11 October: Maa Shailputri (Orange / Yellow)

Devi: Daughter of the mountain (Himavan). Rides Nandi the bull, holds a trishul and a lotus. She is the first manifestation — the literal foundation, the rooted-ness, on which all later forms stand. In yogic anatomy she presides over the Muladhara chakra.

Mantra: ॐ देवी शैलपुत्र्यै नमः (108 times).

Naivedyam: Pure cow's ghee — offered with the prayer for freedom from disease. Wear: orange or marigold-yellow. Decor tip: a fresh hibiscus or marigold garland on the kalash brings Her presence in instantly.

Day 2 — Monday, 12 October: Maa Brahmacharini (White)

Devi: Parvati in her tapasya form — barefoot, holding a rudraksha mala and a kamandalu, performing the thousand-year penance to win Lord Shiva as her husband. She is the embodiment of disciplined longing, of sankalpa held against time.

Mantra: ॐ देवी ब्रह्मचारिण्यै नमः (108 times). She blesses students, sadhakas, and anyone holding to a vow with whole-hearted resolve.

Naivedyam: Sugar or mishri — offered for longevity of family members. Wear: pure white, the colour of sattva.

Day 3 — Tuesday, 13 October: Maa Chandraghanta (Red)

Devi: The warrior bride — Her forehead bears a half-moon (chandra) shaped like a bell (ghanta). Ten arms, riding a tiger, mounted for battle. She is grace and ferocity in the same body — the bell on Her brow rings to drive away every negative entity in earshot.

Mantra: ॐ देवी चन्द्रघण्टायै नमः (108 times). Recite while ringing the puja bell — the vibration is the worship.

Naivedyam: Kheer (milk-rice with sugar and elaichi), offered for relief from worldly sorrows. Wear: red — the colour of Shakti at full intensity.

Day 4 — Wednesday, 14 October: Maa Kushmanda (Royal Blue)

Devi: The cosmic creator — the Puranas say She produced this universe simply by smiling ("Ku-ushma-anda": the little cosmic egg). Eight-armed, radiant as the sun, residing within the solar disc itself. She is health, vitality, and the original creative impulse.

Mantra: ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः (108 times). Especially powerful for those seeking healing from chronic illness or low energy.

Naivedyam: Malpua — sweet, syrupy, abundant. Wear: royal blue, the colour of the boundless sky in which She abides.

Day 5 — Thursday, 15 October: Maa Skandamata (Yellow)

Devi: The mother of Skanda (Kartikeya, Murugan). She is seated on a lion with the infant Skanda on her lap — fierce protector and tender mother in a single image. Her worship blesses children, motherhood, and the love-bond between parent and child.

Mantra: ॐ देवी स्कन्दमातायै नमः (108 times). Mothers traditionally invoke Her for the protection of their children's health and dharma.

Naivedyam: Bananas — six fruits, offered with the prayer for wisdom and prosperity. Wear: bright yellow.

Day 6 — Friday, 16 October: Maa Katyayani (Green)

Devi: Born of the combined tejas (fire) of all the gods to slay the demon Mahishasura — She is the warrior incarnate, four-armed, riding a lion, blazing gold. Unmarried girls traditionally fast on this day praying for a noble husband; the Bhagavata Purana mentions the gopis worshipping Her for Krishna's love.

Mantra: ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नमः (108 times). Recite for the resolution of long-pending obstacles, particularly in marriage and partnership.

Naivedyam: Honey — sweetness as a prayer for an attractive, well-spoken life. Wear: green, the colour of fertile prana.

Day 7 — Saturday, 17 October: Maa Kalaratri (Grey)

Devi: The most fearsome form — dark as a moonless night, riding a donkey, four-armed, the destroyer of darkness, ignorance, demons, and time itself ("kala-ratri" = the night of dissolution). And yet She is called Shubhankari — the bestower of auspiciousness — because what She destroys was never yours to keep.

Mantra: ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः (108 times). Particularly potent against persistent negative influences, drishti, or psychic disturbance.

Naivedyam: Jaggery (gud) — offered with the prayer for protection from sudden grief. Wear: grey, the colour of ash and dissolution.

Day 8 — Sunday, 18 October: Maa Mahagauri (Purple) — Ashtami & Kanjak

Devi: After Her fierce Kalaratri penance, the same Devi emerges purified, luminous, conch-white — Mahagauri, the supremely fair one. Sixteen years old, four-armed, riding a white bull, dressed in white. She represents the soul washed clean — and the day's worship is said to dissolve sins of past lifetimes.

Mantra: ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः (108 times). This is the day of Kanjak puja (also called Kanya Pujan) — nine young girls (representing the nine Devis) are honoured, washed, fed, and gifted.

Naivedyam: Coconut, plus the full Kanjak thali: kala chana, halwa, puri, and a small dakshina. Wear: purple, the colour of divine royalty.

Day 9 — Monday, 19 October: Maa Siddhidatri (Peacock Green) — Navami

Devi: The bestower of all eight siddhis (anima, mahima, garima, laghima, prapti, prakamya, ishitva, vashitva). Seated on a lotus, four-armed, served by gandharvas and asuras alike. The Devi Purana says Lord Shiva himself attained His siddhis by Her grace — the left half of His body became Hers (Ardhanarishvara).

Mantra: ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः (108 times). The mantra to recite when seeking the completion of any sadhana you have carried through all nine days.

Naivedyam: Sesame seeds (til) — offered for protection from accidents and the granting of moksha. Wear: peacock green, the colour of awakened siddhi.

Day 10 — Tuesday, 20 October: Vijayadashami / Dussehra

The tenth day is Vijayadashami — the day of victory. Rama slew Ravana; Durga slew Mahishasura. In Mysuru (a short drive from Bengaluru), the Jamboo Savari procession winds through the city with the royal Chamundeshwari idol — a sight worth planning a Navratri trip around. In homes, this is the day for Ayudha Puja (worship of one's tools, vehicles, instruments, and books) and Vidyarambham (initiating young children into letters). For deeper context on the full festival year, see our Hindu Festival Calendar 2026.

The Complete Navratri Puja Samagri Checklist

Source these once on Day 1 (or pre-order from Divine Hindu Store, Jayanagar) and you'll be set for all nine days.

For the spiritually-aligned mala to wear during your daily japa, refer to our Mala Comparison Guide.

Kanjak (Ashtami) Puja — The Heart of the Festival

On the morning of Ashtami (Sunday, 18 October 2026), households across North India and increasingly across Bengaluru observe Kanjak Pujan (also Kumari Puja or Kanya Pujan) — the worship of nine young girls aged 2 to 10, each treated as a living embodiment of one of the Navadurga.

The vidhi, simplified: Invite nine girls (and traditionally one young boy, called Langoor, representing Batuk Bhairav). On arrival, wash their feet with clean water, apply tilak of kumkum and akshat to their foreheads, and tie a red mauli on their right wrists. Seat them on a clean cloth or chowki. Serve the Kanjak thali — kala chana, sooji halwa, and poori. Offer a small dakshina, a red chunari or hair ribbon, and a small gift.

Touch their feet as they leave. The girls are not symbolic — for that one morning, they are the Devi receiving your bhog. The faith with which the puja is performed is the prasada returned to you.

After Navratri — The Festival Season Continues

Navratri is the gateway into India's most luminous festival stretch. Three weeks after Dussehra comes Diwali — Dhanteras, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj. For the full Lakshmi Puja vidhi, see our Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja Guide. And before Navratri itself, Ganesh Chaturthi sets the festival tone — read the complete Ganesh Chaturthi Puja Vidhi.

If you like to align your daily spiritual wear with planetary energies, our Rashi Bracelets Guide walks through the right gemstone bracelet for each of the 12 rashis.

Get Your Complete Navratri 2026 Puja Kit

Navratri puja items, Govt. Certified Devi idols, Kalash sets, 9-day flower arrangements, Kanjak gift bundles, and the full 9-colour decoration kit — all curated and dispatched from Divine Hindu Store, Jayanagar 3rd Block East, Bengaluru.

Shop Navratri 2026 Collection →

Free shipping across Bengaluru on orders above ₹1499  |  Govt. Certified authenticity on every idol

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 9 forms of Durga worshipped during Navratri?

The nine forms — collectively called the Navadurga — are worshipped one per day during Sharada Navratri in this order: Day 1 Shailputri, Day 2 Brahmacharini, Day 3 Chandraghanta, Day 4 Kushmanda, Day 5 Skandamata, Day 6 Katyayani, Day 7 Kalaratri, Day 8 Mahagauri, and Day 9 Siddhidatri. Each form has its own mantra, colour, and naivedyam offering.

What are the colours of Navratri 2026?

The nine Navratri colours for 2026, in order: Day 1 (Oct 11) Orange/Yellow, Day 2 (Oct 12) White, Day 3 (Oct 13) Red, Day 4 (Oct 14) Royal Blue, Day 5 (Oct 15) Yellow, Day 6 (Oct 16) Green, Day 7 (Oct 17) Grey, Day 8 (Oct 18) Purple, and Day 9 (Oct 19) Peacock Green. Each colour aligns with the energy of that day's Devi form. Variations exist across regional traditions; the sequence above follows the most widely observed Sharada Navratri calendar.

What are the dates of Navratri 2026?

Sharada Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October 2026 (Pratipada of Ashwin Shukla Paksha) and concludes on Monday, 19 October 2026 (Navami). Vijayadashami / Dussehra falls on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. Ashtami — the day of Kanjak puja — is Sunday, 18 October. Tithi-based timings (especially the muhurat for Ghatasthapana on Day 1) may shift by a few minutes depending on your exact location, so confirm with your local panchanga for precise sankalpa timing.