Navratri 2027
Nine nights of devotion, danced in circles until dawn.
Countdown to Navratri 2027
Dates
When is Navratri?
Navratri 2027 falls from Thursday, 30 September 2027 to Saturday, 9 October 2027.
Ghatasthapana on 30 Sep (Pratipada begins 8:05 AM IST); Vijayadashami on 9 Oct.
Date checked against drikpanchang.com
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 – 20 October 2026Sun – Tue | 10 days | Past |
| 2027 | 30 September – 9 October 2027Thu – Sat | 10 days | Confirmed |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Music & Sound
- Tradition
- Hindu
- Where
- Vadodara, Gujarat
- Crowd
- Celebrated across India, largest in Gujarat
- UNESCO
- Not inscribed
Every autumn evening for nine nights, Gujarat's towns clear a patch of open ground, hang a lamp at the centre and dance around it. By midnight the circles are dozens deep and still turning.
Sharad Navratri begins on the first day of the bright half of the lunar month Ashvin and gives one night to each of the nine forms of the goddess Durga. Many households sow barley in a clay pot on the first morning, keep a lamp burning throughout, and fast or eat simply until the ninth day.
In Gujarat the nights belong to garba — a clapping, stepping circle dance around a lamp or an image of the goddess — and to dandiya raas, danced with pairs of painted sticks. Vadodara is known for its large, ticketed garba grounds with live singers and full bands, while older neighbourhoods still dance in their own streets to the same songs their grandparents used.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Navratri
Traditions
What actually happens
- Ghatasthapana — a water-filled pot is installed on the first morning to invite the goddess into the home.
- Garba — a circular dance around a central lamp, its rhythm building through the night.
- Dandiya raas — paired dancers strike decorated sticks in time, partners changing as the circle moves.
- Kanya puja — on the eighth or ninth day young girls are honoured as forms of the goddess and fed a festive meal.
Food
The table, widened
- Fasting fare: sabudana khichdi, kuttu (buckwheat) puris and potatoes cooked without onion or garlic.
- Halwa, puri and black chana offered at kanya puja, then shared with the family.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Garba songs are devotional folk pieces in Gujarati, traditionally led by a singer and dhol drummer. On the big grounds the same repertoire is played by full live bands, the tempo rising steadily from the slow opening rounds to the fast, spinning finish after midnight.
Religion
Why this date
Navratri celebrates Durga as Shakti, the active power of the divine, and her nine-day battle with the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Each night is linked to one of her nine forms, from Shailaputri on the first to Siddhidatri on the ninth; many families also mark the triumph of Rama over Ravana, which follows on Vijayadashami.
History
How it survived
Goddess worship in autumn is described in Puranic texts such as the Devi Mahatmya, and the festival has long carried different emphases across India. In 2023 UNESCO inscribed the Garba of Gujarat on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognising the dance as a living community tradition.
History
How it got here
Goddess worship in autumn is described in Puranic texts such as the Devi Mahatmya, and the festival has long carried different emphases across India. In 2023 UNESCO inscribed the Garba of Gujarat on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognising the dance as a living community tradition.
c. 500 CE
Devi Mahatmya
The text praising Durga's victory over Mahishasura is composed, later recited every Navratri.
Medieval
Royal Mahanavami
Kingdoms across India stage the ninth day as a public display of power and worship.
2023
UNESCO
The Garba of Gujarat is inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Today
Global garba
Diaspora communities hold garba nights from London to New Jersey through the same nine evenings.
Travel & practical
Visiting Vadodara for Navratri
Getting there
Vadodara airport has domestic connections; Ahmedabad's international airport is about two hours away by road or train.
When to go
Dancing usually starts after 9 pm and peaks close to midnight. The last three nights draw the largest crowds.
Practical notes
Big garba grounds sell passes in advance and some enforce traditional dress. Comfortable footwear matters more than anything else.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Navratri: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Navratri.
When is Navratri in 2026 and 2027?
Sharad Navratri 2026 begins with Ghatasthapana on Sunday 11 October and ends with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on Tuesday 20 October. In 2027 it begins on Thursday 30 September, with Vijayadashami on Saturday 9 October.
Why are there two Navratris a year?
The best known are Chaitra Navratri in spring and Sharad Navratri in autumn. The autumn one is the larger public festival in most of India.
Can visitors join a garba?
Yes. Most circles welcome newcomers, and the basic steps can be picked up by watching for a few rounds. Ticketed grounds may require a pass.
What are the nine colours?
Many people wear a different colour on each day. The sequence is set each year according to the weekday a day falls on, so it changes annually.
Also in September 2027
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