Durga Puja 2026 in Bengal runs from Maha Shashthi on Saturday 17 October to Vijaya Dashami on Wednesday 21 October. Maha Ashtami is on 19 October, and Sandhi Puja the same day from 10:29 AM to 11:17 AM. The Sandhi Puja time is set by the change of tithi, so it is the same in Indian time all over India.
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The days of the puja
- 10 October: Mahalaya (Ashwin Amavasya, the last day of Pitru Paksha)
- 16 October: Bilva Nimantran
- 17 October: Maha Shashthi: Kalparambha, Akal Bodhon, Amantran and Adhivas
- 18 October: Maha Saptami: Navapatrika (Kolabou) puja
- 19 October: Maha Ashtami: Pushpanjali, Kumari Puja, Sandhi Puja
- 20 October: Maha Navami and the Navami homa
- 21 October: Vijaya Dashami: Sindoor Khela and immersion of the images
What Sandhi Puja is
Sandhi Puja is held in the last 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami. This year Ashtami ends on the morning of 19 October, so Sandhi Puja is that morning too. By tradition 108 lamps are lit and 108 lotuses offered.
In North India Sharad Navratri runs at the same time: there Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on 19 October, and Dussehra on 20 October. In Bengal Vijaya Dashami is on 21 October.
Sources
- Drik Panchang: Durga Puja 2026 calendar, Kolkata; West Bengal government holiday notification 4188-F(P2) for 2026 (compared: docs/checks/durga-puja-2026.md)
- Sandhi Puja: SanatanBodh panchang calculation (last 24 minutes of Ashtami and first 24 of Navami)
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