Chaitra Navratri 2027चैत्र नवरात्रि

When is Chaitra Navratri?

Observed on Shukla Pratipada to Navami, Chaitra month. Dates follow the Panchang for New Delhi and can differ by a day in other places — check the Panchang for your city.

What Chaitra Navratri means

Chaitra Navratri, the nine nights from Chaitra Shukla Pratipada to Navami, is the spring Navratri — one of the two great Navratris of the year with Sharad Navratri in autumn. It opens the Hindu lunar New Year (Vikram Samvat), so the first day is also Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Goa, Ugadi in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Cheti Chand for the Sindhi community and Navreh in Kashmir.

For nine days devotees worship the Navadurga — Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri — set up the kalash, sow barley, keep fasts and read the Durga Saptashati, just as in autumn. In Bengal the spring worship of the goddess is called Basanti Puja.

The ninth day is Ram Navami, the birth of Shri Rama at noon in Ayodhya. So the festival moves from the Mother's protective power to the birth of the ideal king, and from the old year to the new, beginning the year with prayer, discipline and a bitter-sweet taste of neem and jaggery to accept whatever the year brings.

The story of Chaitra Navratri

The Brahma Purana tradition holds that Brahma began the work of creation on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, which is why the year begins on this day. The Vikram Samvat era, counted from King Vikramaditya, also starts its year now.

In Maharashtra the gudi — a bamboo staff topped with an inverted kalash, a bright cloth, neem leaves and a garland — is raised at the door as a flag of victory. Popular tradition links it with Rama's return to Ayodhya and with the victories of the Shalivahana kings, after whom the Shaka era (which also begins today) is named.

The goddess of the spring Navratri is the same Durga who destroyed Mahishasura; the Devi Mahatmya is read in full during these nine days. On the ninth, Navami, the noon birth of Rama is celebrated with the Ramcharitmanas verse "Bhae pragata kripala".

Chaitra Navratri puja vidhi, step by step

A simple Chaitra Navratri observance at home, with the new-year customs of your region. Follow your family's way where it differs.

What you need

• A clay or copper kalash with water, mango leaves, a coconut in red cloth and mauli thread
• A clay pot with soil and barley seeds
• An image of Durga, red chunari, sindoor, kumkum, akshat, red flowers
• An akhand jyoti (ghee lamp kept burning) if your family keeps it
• For Gudi Padwa: a bamboo staff, silk cloth, a small kalash, neem leaves, sugar garland; for Ugadi: raw mango, neem flowers, jaggery, tamarind, salt and pepper for the pachadi
• Fasting foods: fruit, milk, makhana, sabudana, kuttu and singhara flour, sendha namak

When to do the puja

In 2027 Chaitra Navratri begins on Wednesday, 7 April, and ends with Ram Navami on 15 April. Ghatasthapana is done on the morning of Pratipada; check the Panchang for the muhurat in your city. See the Panchang for your city.

Steps

1. New-year morning. Take an oil bath, wear new or clean clothes, and — in Maharashtra — raise the gudi at the door or window; in the Deccan, prepare Ugadi pachadi and hear the new year's Panchang read.
2. Ghatasthapana. Sow barley in the clay pot, set the kalash with water, mango leaves and the coconut, tie mauli, and invoke the Devi. Light the akhand jyoti if you keep one.
3. Nine days. Worship one Navadurga each day with flowers, a diya and naivedya; water the barley; read the Durga Saptashati or the Durga Chalisa.
4. Fast. Keep the fast your family follows — fruit and milk, one sattvic meal, or fasting on the first and eighth days.
5. Kanya puja. On Ashtami or Navami, honour nine young girls as the Devi with puri, chana and halwa and small gifts.
6. Ram Navami. On the ninth day do the noon janmotsav of Shri Rama, then conclude the Navratri and break the fast.

Offerings & food: Neem leaves with jaggery (new-year bitter-sweet), puran poli, Ugadi pachadi, halwa-puri-chana on Ashtami, panjiri on Ram Navami

Mantras for Chaitra Navratri

Chaitra Navratri across India

Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Goa, Ugadi in Karnataka, Andhra and Telangana, Cheti Chand (Sindhi), Navreh in Kashmir, Sajibu Cheiraoba in Manipur; Vaishno Devi and Devi shrines see huge crowds

Maharashtra and Goa

Gudi Padwa: the gudi is raised at every home, rangoli drawn, shobha yatras held, and neem leaves with jaggery eaten before puran poli.

Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Ugadi: homes are decorated with mango leaves, families eat Ugadi pachadi of six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent) and hear the panchanga shravanam — the forecast of the new year.

Sindhi community

Cheti Chand celebrates the birth of Jhulelal, with processions to rivers and the offering of bahrano.

Kashmir

Navreh: on the eve, a thali of rice, walnuts, a mirror, a pen and the new Panchang is prepared to be seen first in the new year.

North India and Jammu

Nine days of Devi worship, with huge crowds at Vaishno Devi, Jwala Devi and other shrines, and Ram Navami as the climax.

Prayers to recite

Do’s and don’ts

Temples to visit for Chaitra Navratri

Vaishno Devi MandirKatra, Jammu and KashmirJwala Devi TempleKangra, Himachal PradeshShri Ram Janmabhoomi MandirAyodhya, Uttar Pradesh

Frequently asked questions