Panchangam 11 October 2026 (Sunday): Ghatasthapana, Navratri Day 1 (Maa Shailaputri), Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti, Tithi and Nakshatra

Quick answer: Sunday 11 October 2026 is Ghatasthapana, the first day of Sharad Navratri, dedicated to Maa Shailaputri. In Hyderabad, Shukla Pratipada lasts until 09:30 PM IST and Chitra nakshatra until 10:32 PM. It is also Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti, and the second day of Bathukamma (Atukula Bathukamma) in Telangana.

Yesterday was for the ancestors; today the house turns towards the Mother. A pot of water is set up as the seat of the Goddess, barley or other grain is sown in soil beside it, and a lamp is lit that many families keep burning for nine days. You do not need a large altar. A clean corner, a small kalash and a heart that says "welcome, Amma" are enough to begin.

Today's panchang (Hyderabad)

Source: Drik Panchang for Hyderabad. The Moon rises at 06:34 AM, just after the Sun, so the new crescent is not visible tonight; the first sighting, Chandra Darshana, is tomorrow evening. Sunday is the day of Surya, and today it opens the nine nights of Devi.

Navratri Day 1: Maa Shailaputri

Shailaputri, "daughter of the mountain", is the first of the Navadurga. She is Parvati born to Himavan, shown on a bull with a trident and a lotus, and she represents steadiness: the firm ground on which the rest of Navratri is built. Our detailed Navratri 2026 Day 1: Maa Shailaputri mantra, colour, bhog and puja vidhi page has the dhyana shloka, the stuti, the bhog (cow ghee is commonly offered) and step-by-step worship, so we only summarise here. For the full nine-day plan, see the Navratri 2026 complete guide.

Religious significance

Ghatasthapana means "establishing the pot". The kalash filled with water represents the Goddess's presence and the fullness of creation; the sprouting grain sown beside it is watched over through the nine days as a sign of growth. The worship of Devi in autumn is described in the Devi Bhagavata Purana, and the Devi Mahatmya (Durga Saptashati) is widely recited during these nights. The exact sequence of the kalash rite, however, differs from region to region and family to family.

Muhurta note: In Hyderabad, Chitra nakshatra lasts until 10:32 PM and Vaidhriti yoga until 09:05 PM. Several panchang traditions treat these as less favourable for Ghatasthapana, and in such years they usually recommend a specific window, often around midday. We do not have that window in our data, so please check a local panchang or ask your priest.

Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti: Ashwina Shukla Pratipada is also the birth anniversary of Maharaja Agrasen, the legendary king of Agroha revered by the Agrawal community. It is marked with processions, prayers and seva. Atukula Bathukamma: in Telangana, the second day of Bathukamma takes its name from atukulu (flattened rice) offered as naivedyam.

Simple Ghatasthapana at home

1. Clean the puja corner and place a low stool or plate. Spread a little soil or sand and sow barley or other grain in it.
2. Fill a copper, brass or clay kalash with clean water. Add a coin, a betel nut or rice if your family does so, place mango or betel leaves in the mouth and set a coconut on top.
3. Tie a sacred thread around the kalash, apply a dot of kumkum and turmeric, and place it on or beside the soil.
4. Light a ghee or oil lamp. If you wish to keep an akhand (unbroken) lamp, use a large lamp in a safe spot and never leave it near curtains.
5. Offer flowers, then pray to Maa Shailaputri with her naam mantra. Offer ghee or a simple sweet as bhog.
6. Sprinkle water on the sown grain each day.

Essentials vs optional: the kalash, water, a lamp and prayer are essential; the coconut, the sown grain and the akhand jyoti are cherished customs that you can adapt. No materials? Place a glass of clean water before a picture of the Goddess, light a candle or lamp, and pray. Our apartment-friendly Navratri puja vidhi shows a small-space setup.

Mantra for the day

Om Devi Shailaputryai Namah (oṃ devī śailaputryai namaḥ): "Salutations to Goddess Shailaputri." Chant it 11, 27 or 108 times after lighting the lamp, as an offering of welcome rather than a request for any outcome.

Fasting on Day 1

Many devotees keep a vrat today, eating fruit, milk and vrat foods such as sabudana or kuttu. Others fast only on the first and eighth days, or not at all. Elderly people, pregnant women and anyone with a medical condition should not feel obliged to fast; please consult a doctor. The Navratri fasting rules guide lists what is usually eaten and avoided.

What you can do today

• Set up the kalash and sow the grain, using a muhurta from your local panchang.
• Light the first Navratri lamp and decide whether you will keep it burning all nine days.
• Chant the Shailaputri naam mantra and read one chapter of the Devi Mahatmya if you can.
• Wear or offer orange, the colour many lists give for Day 1, if you like the custom.
• In Telangana, offer atukulu for Atukula Bathukamma.
• Plan the next eight days: which evenings you will visit a temple, Golu, Garba or Bathukamma.

With family and children

Let children sow the grain themselves and give them the job of watering it each morning; watching the shoots rise over nine days teaches more than any lecture. Tell them Shailaputri's story at bedtime from our Navratri stories for kids. If your family keeps a Golu or Bommala Koluvu, today is a good day to start arranging it; see our Golu setup guide.

Hindus abroad: today's panchang in your city

These are local clock times for each city, computed with HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik Panchang; festival dates abroad can differ by a day — follow your temple's panchang. Never add or subtract hours from the Hyderabad times to get your local time.

Shukla Pratipada prevails at sunrise in every city listed, so Navratri begins on 11 October abroad as well. For local Ghatasthapana guidance, see our Navratri 2026 USA city-by-city guide and UK city-by-city guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Ghatasthapana in 2026?

Ghatasthapana is on Sunday 11 October 2026, on Ashwina Shukla Pratipada. In Hyderabad, Pratipada lasts until 09:30 PM IST. The exact Ghatasthapana muhurta varies by city, so check a local panchang for your window.

Is Chitra nakshatra or Vaidhriti yoga a problem for Ghatasthapana?

Several panchang traditions consider Chitra nakshatra and Vaidhriti yoga less favourable for Ghatasthapana, and both prevail through most of today in Hyderabad. In such years panchangs commonly point devotees to a suitable window such as the midday Abhijit muhurta. Follow your local panchang or priest; installing the kalash with devotion on Pratipada is what matters.

Which goddess is worshipped on Navratri Day 1?

Maa Shailaputri, the daughter of the mountain king Himavan, is worshipped on the first day. She is shown riding a bull, holding a trident and a lotus.

Who was Maharaja Agrasen?

Maharaja Agrasen is revered in tradition as the ruler of Agroha and the ancestor of the Agrawal community. His jayanti is celebrated on Ashwina Shukla Pratipada, the first day of Sharad Navratri, with processions and community service.

Do I have to fast all nine days?

No. Some people fast all nine days, some only on the first and last, and many do not fast at all. Devotion matters more than the fast. Elderly people, pregnant women and anyone with a medical condition should consult a doctor before fasting.

What is the colour for Navratri Day 1 in 2026?

Many lists give orange for Sunday 11 October, following the weekday rule used in popular Navratri colour charts. Colours are a modern custom rather than a scriptural requirement.

A reflection for the first night

Shailaputri is the mountain's daughter, and mountains do not hurry. The first day asks only for a firm beginning: a pot set down, a lamp lit, a promise to show up each evening. Steadiness today makes devotion possible for the next eight days.

Editor's note

Editor's note (9 October 2026): Panchang timings and festival observances can vary by location, regional calendar and family tradition. This guide follows Drik Panchang for Hyderabad (IST). Please verify local puja timings with a trusted panchang or priest.

Previous and next day

Previous day: Panchang Saturday 10 October: Ashwina Amavasya, Darsha Amavasya. Next day: Panchang Monday 12 October: Chandra Darshana. Whole month: October 2026 Hindu festival calendar.

Related guides

• Navratri 2026 Day 1: Maa Shailaputri
• Navratri 2026 colours: the 9 days list
• Navratri & Dussehra 2026: complete 9-day Devi worship guide
• Bathukamma 2026 dates: Engili Pula to Saddula
• Navratri day-wise mantras and their significance
• Navratri without fasting: a devotional routine