Festivals & Muhurat
Hindu festival dates follow the lunar calendar, not the Gregorian one, which is why the same festival shifts each year and occasionally splits across two days. These guides give the exact tithi and nakshatra windows behind each date, the muhurat for the ritual itself, and the Panchang reasoning - so you know not just when, but why.
18 guides by Astrologer Sheela Goklani.
Durga Puja 2026: Dates, Sandhi Puja Time by Panjika, Why There Are Two Saptamis & the Pujo Schedule from Kolkata to New Jersey
Durga Puja 2026 runs from Bodhon on the evening of Friday, October 16 to Bijoya Dashami on Wednesday, October 21, with Mahalaya on Saturday, October 10. Maha Ashtami is Monday, October 19 - but Sandhi Puja is at 7:26 AM by the Gupta Press panjika and 10:28 AM by Bisuddha Siddhanta, and the two panjikas also disagree on Saptami, which is why Bengal has two Saptamis this year. Here is the full schedule, Maa Durga's arrival and departure vahana, Sandhi Puja for 20 cities, and the dates for pujas in the USA, UK, Australia and the Gulf.
Read guide
Dussehra 2026: Vijay Muhurat, Ravan Dahan Time & Shami Puja by City - and Why Australia Celebrates on October 21
Dussehra 2026 (Vijayadashami) is Tuesday, October 20 in India, the USA, Canada, the UK and the Gulf, and Wednesday, October 21 in Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand. The Vijay Muhurat in New Delhi is 1:59 PM to 2:44 PM IST, the Aparahna puja window 1:13 PM to 3:30 PM, and Ravan Dahan follows sunset at 5:46 PM. Below are local Vijay Muhurat and Ravan Dahan times for 23 cities, the Shami, Aparajita and Shastra puja with their mantras, and which Moon signs should not begin anything major on the day.
Read guide
Navratri Day 9 2026: Maa Siddhidatri Puja, Maha Navami Havan, Navratri Parana Time & Dussehra Vijay Muhurat - Why Australia Celebrates Dussehra on October 21
Maha Navami 2026, Navratri Day 9, is Monday, October 19 in India, the USA, Canada and the UK. Navami tithi runs from 10:52 AM IST on October 19 to 12:51 PM IST on October 20, so the havan fits the afternoon of the 19th or the morning of the 20th, and the Navratri fast is broken after 12:51 PM IST on October 20. The goddess is Maa Siddhidatri, the colour is peacock green, the bhog is sesame and her graha is Ketu. Bengal's Durga Puja keeps Maha Navami on October 20, and havan and parana times for 10 time zones are below.
Read guide
Navratri Day 8 2026: Durga Ashtami Is October 19 in India but October 18 in the USA - Maa Mahagauri, Kanya Pujan & Sandhi Puja Time by City
Durga Ashtami 2026 - Navratri Day 8, the day of Maa Mahagauri - is Monday, October 19 in India, the Gulf, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, and Sunday, October 18 in the USA, Canada and the UK. In India, Kanya Pujan runs from sunrise until Ashtami ends at 10:52 AM IST, and Sandhi Puja is 10:28 AM to 11:16 AM IST, the same instant worldwide. The bhog is coconut, the mantra is 'Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah', and the day's colour, purple, is worn on October 18. Below: Kanya Pujan and Sandhi Puja times for 20 cities.
Read guide
Navratri Day 7 2026: Maa Kalaratri Puja Vidhi, Mantra, Grey Colour, Jaggery Bhog & the Saturn Remedy - Why Saptami Lasts Two Days in India
Navratri Day 7 is Saturday, October 17, 2026, the day of Maa Kalaratri: wear grey, offer jaggery (gur) as bhog and chant 'Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah' 108 times, ideally after sunset. Saptami tithi runs from 5:55 AM IST on October 17 to 8:29 AM IST on October 18, so in India and the Gulf it is present at two sunrises and Durga Ashtami moves to October 19. In the USA, Canada and the UK Saptami is October 17 only, while Singapore, Australia and New Zealand keep it on October 18 - but the Saptami night for Kalaratri's puja is Saturday evening everywhere.
Read guide
Navratri Day 6 2026: Maa Katyayani Puja Vidhi, Mantra for Early Marriage, Green Colour, Honey Bhog & Exalted Jupiter
Navratri Day 6 is Friday, October 16, 2026 in India, the USA, Canada, the UK and the Gulf, and Saturday, October 17 in Australia and New Zealand. The goddess is Maa Katyayani, the colour is green and the bhog is honey. Her marriage mantra from the Bhagavata Purana, 'Katyayani Mahamaye Mahayoginyadhishwari, Nandagopasutam Devi Patim Me Kuru Te Namah', is chanted 108 times a day from Day 6. With Jupiter exalted in Cancer and the Moon entering Jupiter's sign on the morning of Day 6, this is the strongest Katyayani day in years.
Read guide
Navratri Day 5 2026: Maa Skandamata Puja Vidhi, Mantra, Yellow Colour, Banana Bhog & Mercury Remedies for Children and Study
Navratri Day 5 is Thursday, October 15, 2026, with Panchami tithi from 1:14 AM IST on October 15 to 3:26 AM on October 16. Worship Maa Skandamata, the mother of Kartikeya: wear yellow, offer bananas and chant 'Om Devi Skandamatayai Namah' 108 times. The same Panchami is Lalita Panchami (Upang Lalita Vrat), and with the Moon in Mercury's own Jyeshtha nakshatra it is the strongest day of Navratri for students and children. Day 5 is October 15 in India, the USA, Canada, the UK and the Gulf; Perth keeps it on October 15 and 16, and Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand on October 16.
Read guide
Navratri Day 4 2026: Maa Kushmanda Puja Vidhi, Mantra, Royal Blue Colour, Malpua Bhog & Sun Remedies
Navratri Day 4 2026 is Wednesday, October 14. Worship Maa Kushmanda, wear royal blue, offer malpua (or petha made from ash gourd) and chant 'Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah' 108 times. Chaturthi tithi runs from 11:28 PM IST on October 13 to 1:14 AM IST on October 15. The USA, Canada and the UK also keep Day 4 on October 14; Sydney and Melbourne keep it on October 14 and 15, and New Zealand on October 15.
Read guide
Navratri Day 3 2026 (October 13): Maa Chandraghanta Puja Vidhi, Mantra with Meaning, Red Colour, Kheer Bhog and Retrograde Venus Remedy
Navratri Day 3 is Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the day of Maa Chandraghanta. Wear red, offer milk kheer as bhog and chant 'Om Devi Chandraghantayai Namah' 108 times. Tritiya runs from 10:14 PM IST on October 12 to 11:28 PM IST on October 13, but it ends at 1:58 PM in New York and 10:58 AM in California, so families in North America should do the puja in the morning. She rules Venus, which is retrograde in Libra all through Navratri, and that makes Day 3 the festival's relationship remedy.
Read guide
Navratri Day 2 2026: Maa Brahmacharini Puja Vidhi, Mantra, White Colour, Bhog & the Debilitated-Mars Remedy
Navratri Day 2 is Monday, October 12, 2026, the same date worldwide. Worship Maa Brahmacharini, wear white, offer sugar or mishri as bhog, and chant 'Om Devi Brahmacharinyai Namah' 108 times. Dwitiya tithi runs until 10:14 PM IST but only until 12:44 PM in New York and 9:44 AM in California, so in North America do the japa and bhog in the morning. She rules Mars, debilitated in Cancer beside an exalted Jupiter all through Navratri 2026 - the remedy for effort that keeps fading before results arrive.
Read guide
Navratri Day 1 2026: Maa Shailaputri Puja Vidhi, Mantra, Orange Colour, Bhog & Ghatasthapana Time in Your City
Navratri Day 1 is Sunday, October 11, 2026: worship Maa Shailaputri, wear orange, offer pure cow ghee as bhog and chant 'Om Devi Shailaputryai Namah' 108 times. Install the Kalash in the morning while Pratipada runs - it ends at 9:32 PM IST, which is 12:02 PM in New York and 9:02 AM on the US West Coast, so Abhijit Muhurat is not usable anywhere in North America this year. City-wise Ghatasthapana windows for the USA, Canada, UK, UAE, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are below.
Read guide
Chhath Puja 2026 Arghya Time by City: Sunset & Sunrise in India, USA, UK, Gulf, Australia, Mauritius & Fiji
Chhath Puja 2026 runs from Nahay Khay on Friday, November 13 to Usha Arghya on Monday, November 16. Sandhya Arghya is at sunset on Sunday, November 15 - 5:00 PM in Patna - but abroad your arghya time is your own sunset and sunrise, not IST converted. Times for 37 cities in India, the USA, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, the Gulf, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Mauritius, Fiji and South Africa, with the tithi checked for each.
Read guide
Karwa Chauth 2026 Moonrise Time in USA, Canada, UK, Australia & UAE: Why America Fasts a Day Earlier
Karwa Chauth 2026 is Thursday, October 29 in India - but in the USA and Canada the fast falls on Wednesday, October 28. City-wise sunrise and moonrise times for 45 cities worldwide, each calculated for local moonrise instead of converted from IST, plus what to do in the UK, Europe and the Gulf, where 2026 is a borderline year.
Read guide
Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja Muhurat in USA, UK, Canada, Australia & UAE: City-Wise Timings (Not IST)
Diwali 2026 is Sunday, November 8 in India and in every major diaspora city - but your Lakshmi Puja muhurat is not the Indian time converted to yours. Pradosh Kaal and Vrishabha Lagna recalculated for 45 cities from New York to Auckland, plus Dhanteras on Friday, November 6.
Read guide
Navratri 2026: Ghatasthapana Muhurat, the Chitra-Vaidhriti Problem & Why This Is the Last Navratri of the Rahu-Aquarius Cycle
Shardiya Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday, October 11 to Maha Navami on Monday, October 19, with Dussehra on Tuesday, October 20. Ghatasthapana is approximately 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM IST, but Chitra Nakshatra and Vaidhriti Yoga cover the whole day, so Abhijit Muhurat, 11:44 AM to 12:31 PM IST, is the stricter choice in India - in the USA and Canada Pratipada ends before noon, so install the Kalash in the morning. Saptami falls on two days in India, so Durga Ashtami is October 19 there and October 18 in the USA, Canada and the UK.
Read guide
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: Sthapana Muhurat, the Moon-Sighting Rule & Why This Year Is a Ketu Turning Point
Ganesh Chaturthi falls on Monday, September 14, 2026, with Sthapana Muhurat from 11:02 AM to 1:31 PM IST. Avoid sighting the Moon between 9:01 AM and 8:09 PM or you invite Mithya Dosha. This is also the last Ganesh Chaturthi of the Leo-Ketu cycle before the nodes shift on December 5 - which makes the Ketu remedies performed now unusually well-timed.
Read guide
Krishna Janmashtami 2026: Is It September 4 or 5? Rohini Nakshatra, Nishita Muhurat & What Krishna's Own Chart Teaches Us
Krishna Janmashtami 2026 splits across two dates - September 4 for Smarta households, September 5 for Vaishnava and ISKCON temples - because Ashtami tithi and Rohini Nakshatra do not fall on the same night this year. Here is the exact Nishita Muhurat, why the split happens, and what Rohini Nakshatra itself reveals in Vedic astrology.
Read guide
Pitru Paksha 2026: Dates (26 Sept - 10 Oct), Shradh Tithi Calendar, Pitra Dosha Signs & Tarpan Rules
Pitru Paksha 2026 runs from Saturday, 26 September to Saturday, 10 October 2026, ending on Sarva Pitru Amavasya. Get the complete day-by-day Shradh tithi calendar, the correct Tarpan and Pind Daan procedure, symptoms of Pitra Dosha in a Janam Kundali, and what to avoid during these 15 days.
Read guide