When is Durga Puja in 2026?

Which story is remembered?

Granted near-invincibility by Brahma, the buffalo-demon Mahishasura conquered the heavens and could not be defeated by any god. The combined fury and energy of the gods coalesced into the resplendent ten-armed Goddess Durga, equipped with each deity's weapon and mounted on a lion. After a fierce battle she slew Mahishasura, earning the title Mahishasuramardini. Durga Puja also marks the goddess's annual descent to her earthly home with her children before returning to Mount Kailash.

Puja vidhi for Durga Puja

1. 1

   Crafting and installing elaborate clay idols of Durga with her children in themed pandals

2. 2

   Bodhan and invocation rites from Shashthi, including Kola Bou worship

3. 3

   Daily worship, anjali (floral offerings) and aarti from Saptami to Navami

4. 4

   Sandhi Puja at the juncture of Ashtami and Navami

5. 5

   Sindur Khela — married women smearing vermilion on Vijayadashami

6. 6

   Immersion (visarjan) of the idols in rivers on Dashami to bid the goddess farewell

Offerings and festive foods

What families prepare and offer on Durga Puja.

• Bhog of khichuri, labra, beguni, chutney and payesh
• One hundred and eight lotuses and lamps at Sandhi Puja
• Sandesh, rosogolla and fruit as naivedya
• Dhunuchi incense danced before the Goddess at the evening aarti
• Sindoor offered to the Goddess and shared in Sindoor Khela on Dashami

Mantras to chant

Chant with a clear sankalp, facing east or north, on a mala if you keep one.

Durga Mantra

Om Dum Durgayei Namaha

A prayer for protection and courage

Meaning and how to chant

Names and customs across India

Durga Puja is the defining festival of West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura and the wider East, famed for spectacular community pandals (notably in Kolkata, where it is recognised by UNESCO), cultural performances and the dhak drumbeat. In the rest of India the same days are observed as the latter part of Navratri, but the elaborate idol-worship and pandal culture are distinctly eastern.

Which classical sources guide the practice?

Panchang rule-derived — expected to hold, worth a final check against a published panchang closer to the date.