The Ashtami tithi, the eighth lunar day of the Shukla Paksha that marks the climax of Navratri and Durga Puja, begins on Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 8:27 AM and ends on Monday, October 19 at 10:51 AM, according to panchang-based reports by Aaj Tak and India TV, a reading also used by Vedantu's festival calendar.
Why Some Readers See Both October 18 and 19
Because the tithi spans parts of two days, coverage differs on which date to treat as "the" Ashtami. India TV reports that households can perform Kanya Pujan, puja and havan on October 18 itself, between 8:27 AM and 5:49 PM, if they follow traditions that start rituals as soon as the tithi begins.
Aaj Tak and Vedantu instead point to October 19 as the date for Kanya Pujan and the main Ashtami puja, citing an astrologer quoted by Aaj Tak who says October 18 does not carry "udaya tithi" — the rule that a tithi is considered valid for ritual purposes only if it is present at sunrise. Since Ashtami is present at sunrise on October 19 but not on October 18, that source treats October 19 as the correct day for most observances.
Puja Muhurat Timings Compared
Key muhurat timings reported for Ashtami 2026| Ritual / Muhurat | October 18 (India TV) | October 19 (Aaj Tak / Vedantu) |
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| Brahma Muhurat | 4:43–5:33 AM | 4:52–5:40 AM |
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| Abhijit Muhurat | 11:43 AM–12:29 PM | 11:49 AM–12:34 PM |
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| Kanya Pujan window | 8:27 AM–5:49 PM (best before 10:30 AM) | Before 10:51 AM, when the tithi ends |
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| Sandhi/Sandhya Puja | Vijay Muhurat 2:00–2:46 PM | 10:27–11:15 AM |
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Vedantu notes its Sandhi Puja window of 10:27–11:15 AM on October 19 lasts 48 minutes, the junction period Durga Puja tradition treats as the moment of transition from Ashtami to Navami. Aaj Tak adds that in 2026 both Ashtami and Navami tithis fall on October 19, so some devotees combine the two days' rituals.
Core Rituals: Kanya Puja, Sandhi Puja and Pushpanjali
According to the English Wikipedia entry on Durga Ashtami, the day's best-known North Indian ritual is Kanya Puja, in which five to seven young unmarried girls are invited into the home, treated as living forms of the goddess, have their feet washed, receive arati, and are given sweets and gifts.
The same entry states that Ashtami also marks the appearance of the goddess Chamunda from Durga's forehead, who is said to have killed the demons Chanda, Munda and Raktabija — an episode central to the day's religious significance alongside Astra Puja, the ritual worship of weapons.
Regional practice varies: Vedantu's guide notes that West Bengal's community Durga Puja pandals emphasise the morning Pushpanjali, a collective flower offering with mantras, while Kerala observances on these days are built around Saraswati worship rather than Kanya Puja.
Background
Durga Ashtami, also called Maha Ashtami, falls on the eighth day of the nine-night Navratri festival, during which nine forms of the goddess Durga are worshipped, according to Wikipedia. Exact clock times for tithi and muhurat are calculated for Delhi in the reports cited here; local panchangs can shift timings by a few minutes depending on the city.
Questions
- Is Navratri Ashtami 2026 on October 18 or 19?
- Most puja-timing guides, including Aaj Tak and Vedantu, name October 19 as the main day for Kanya Pujan because the Ashtami tithi is present at sunrise only on that date, even though the tithi technically starts on October 18 at 8:27 AM.
- Can Kanya Pujan be done on October 18 instead?
- India TV reports that households following traditions which begin rituals as soon as the tithi starts can perform Kanya Pujan, puja and havan on October 18 between 8:27 AM and 5:49 PM.
- What is Sandhi Puja and when is it on October 19, 2026?
- Sandhi Puja is the 48-minute ritual at the junction of Ashtami and Navami; Vedantu lists its 2026 window as 10:27 AM to 11:15 AM.
- Do Ashtami and Navami fall on the same day in 2026?
- Yes — Aaj Tak reports that both the Ashtami and Navami tithis fall on October 19, 2026, so some devotees combine rituals for both days.
- What is Kanya Puja and who participates?
- According to Wikipedia, Kanya Puja involves inviting five to seven young unmarried girls, washing their feet, performing arati, and offering them sweets and gifts as living representations of the goddess.
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