Maha Shashthi
Also called Durga Puja Begins, Bodhon, Bilva Nimantran
When
Friday, 16 October 2026 in 36 days
New Delhi ยท change location
See the complete panchang for that day โ
Why this date?
Ashwin Shukla Shashthi. This is the sixth night of Navaratri, and in the east it is where Durga Puja proper begins โ the nine nights and the five days are two different framings of the same fortnight, not two festivals.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- Governed by the whole day rather than a specific period
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate โ
Dates in the coming years
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The day the Goddess's face is unveiled and she is formally invited in. Bodhon is her awakening, Amantran the invitation and Adhibas the consecration; the pandals open to the public from this evening.
- Deity: Durga
Why The reason behind it
Durga's worship in Ashwin is akal bodhon โ an untimely awakening. Rama is said to have woken her out of season to seek her help against Ravana, and the entire east's autumn festival is built on that irregularity. Shashthi is the moment of the waking.
Traditional basis
Krittivasi Ramayana (Bengali) โ The akal bodhon narrative โ Rama's out-of-season invocation โ which is the basis for the autumn Durga Puja in the east.
Devi Mahatmya and the Bengal puja paddhati โ Fix the Bodhon, Amantran and Adhibas sequence on Shashthi.
How At home, step by step
- Attend the Bodhon in the evening, when the Goddess's face is uncovered.
- The bel tree is invited โ Bilva Nimantran โ and the Adhibas consecration follows.
- Pandal-hopping begins from this evening in the east.
What you'll need
- Bel leaves and branch
- Vermilion and flowers
- A ghee lamp
- New clothes for the family, traditionally worn from this day
Fasting and breaking the fast
Not generally a fasting day in the east. Those keeping the nine-night Navaratri fast continue it.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- North India yours
Falls within Navaratri and is generally not marked separately from it. - Bengal (Bengali)
The public Durga Puja opens; the five days are counted from here. - Odisha (Odia)
Kept with the same sequence; the pandal tradition is strong in the coastal towns.
For children
The evening the Goddess's face is uncovered and Durga Puja really begins. It is the first night people go out to see the pandals.
Common questions
- Is this the start of Navaratri?
- No โ Navaratri begins five days earlier, on the Pratipada. Maha Shashthi is where the eastern Durga Puja begins within Navaratri. The two count the same fortnight differently, which is why this site lists both.
Not the same day
These fall nearby or share the tithi, and are often confused with this observance. They are separate, and this site dates them separately.
- Navaratri Begins
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.