Navaratri Begins 2026 நவராத்திரி தொடக்கம்

The day in the Tamil calendar

Timings for Chennai. The date follows the Tamil Nadu calendar.

About the festival

Navaratri is a nine-night festival of the goddess, in which Tamil households honour Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, and it ends with Vijayadashami on the tenth day.^1,2,3

In Tamil Nadu, families set up a Golu (Kolu): a display of dolls of deities, sages and human figures arranged on tiered steps, usually an odd number.^1,3

Neighbours and relatives visit one another's homes to see the Golu, devotional songs are sung, and guests receive gifts such as betel leaves, coconut, flowers and turmeric-kumkum.^1,3

Temples also hold Navaratri celebrations, including processions of the goddess.³

When it falls: Navaratri starts on Shukla Pratipada, the opening lunar day of the waxing half of the month Ashvin, generally in the Tamil month of Purattasi.^1,2,3

Sources

1. tamilnadutourism.tn.gov.in
2. Wikipedia: Navaratri
3. aninews.in

Navaratri Begins in other years