Durga Puja 2027
दुर्गा पूजाDurga Puja celebrates the goddess's victory over Mahishasura with five days of worship in pandals, from Shashthi to Vijaya Dashami, especially in Bengal.
Next: Tuesday, 5 October 2027
Quick answer
Durga Puja 2027 falls on 5 October 2027 to 9 October 2027 (Ashvin Shukla Shashthi to Dashami). In 2026 it fell on Friday, 16 October 2026.
Dates follow the Delhi panchang and can shift by a day in your region, so confirm the muhurat with a local panchang.
Durga Puja 2027 is celebrated from Tuesday, 5 October (Maha Shashthi) to Saturday, 9 October (Vijaya Dashami). It is the greatest festival of West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura and Bengali communities worldwide: the goddess Durga is welcomed home with her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, worshipped for five days in magnificent pandals, and sent off with tears and joy on Dashami. It falls in the last five days of Sharad Navratri.
Durga Puja 2027 dates
- Maha Shashthi: Tuesday, 5 October 2027
- Maha Saptami: Wednesday, 6 October 2027
- Maha Ashtami: Thursday, 7 October 2027
- Maha Navami: Friday, 8 October 2027
- Vijaya Dashami: Saturday, 9 October 2027
In 2026, Durga Puja ran from 16 to 20 October. Mahalaya, which invites the goddess, falls on the Amavasya before; see Pitru Paksha.
Why Durga Puja is celebrated
The Devi Mahatmya, part of the Markandeya Purana, tells how the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, made invincible to gods and men by a boon, drove the devas from heaven. From the combined radiance of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and all the gods arose Durga, armed with their weapons and riding a lion. She fought Mahishasura for nine days and slew him on the tenth, which is why she is called Mahishasuramardini.
Bengal adds the akal bodhan, the “untimely awakening”: in the Bengali Krittivasi Ramayana, Rama worshipped Durga in autumn before his battle with Ravana, offering 108 blue lotuses, and this is why her puja is held in autumn rather than spring. That episode comes from the Bengali retelling, not Valmiki.
How Durga Puja is celebrated
- Shashthi: the goddess’s face is unveiled and the bodhan (awakening) is performed.
- Saptami: the nabapatrika, nine plants tied as a symbol of the goddess, is bathed and installed.
- Ashtami: anjali (flower offering), kumari puja of a young girl as the goddess, and the sandhi puja at the meeting of Ashtami and Navami with 108 lamps and lotuses.
- Navami: the final great puja and bhog.
- Dashami: married women play sindoor khela, and the idols are immersed in rivers amid drums and dhunuchi dance.
The meaning of Durga Puja
Durga Puja celebrates the victory of good over evil and the return of a daughter to her parents’ home. For five days, art, music, food and devotion come together in one of the world’s largest public festivals. See all dates on the Hindu festival calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is Durga Puja in 2027?
Durga Puja 2027 runs from Maha Shashthi on Tuesday, 5 October to Vijaya Dashami on Saturday, 9 October.
Why is Durga Puja celebrated?
It celebrates Durga’s victory over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, told in the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana.
What is akal bodhan?
The akal bodhan is Rama’s autumn worship of Durga before his battle with Ravana, from the Bengali Krittivasi Ramayana.
Aartis for the day
Sources and further reading
- Valmiki Ramayana (valmikiramayan.net)
- Hindu festival dates 2026 (Samvat panchang calendar)
- Hindu festival dates 2027 (Samvat panchang calendar)
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