Navratri 2026 in the USA, City by City: Ghatasthapana Times, Garba, Dandiya and Durga Puja

Quick answer: Navratri 2026 in the USA runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October. Ghatasthapana is on Sunday 11 October — for example 7:02 AM – 10:49 AM in New York, 6:58 AM – 10:43 AM in Chicago and 7:11 AM – 10:59 AM in the Bay Area. Durga Ashtami is Sunday 18 October, Maha Navami Monday 19 October and Dussehra Tuesday 20 October. Bengali Durga Puja begins with Maha Shashthi on Saturday 17 October. The big Garba and Dandiya weekends are 10–11 October and 16–18 October.

This is a city guide, not a puja manual. It is for anyone searching "Navratri 2026 near me" or "Garba 2026 in my city": the local Ghatasthapana time, what the Navratri scene in your metro area usually looks like, and the handful of events that have actually been confirmed. For the day-by-day puja vidhi, mantras and aarti, use our Navratri 2026 USA day-wise puja guide.

Navratri 2026 dates in the USA

These dates come from Drik Panchang for the USA and hold for every time zone from Eastern to Hawaii. On the Bengali (Kolkata) calendar the puja days are Shashthi 17, Saptami 18, Ashtami 19, Navami 19–20 and Dashami 21 October; US committees often keep rituals on those days and move cultural evenings to the weekend.

The Garba weekends: 10–11 and 16–18 October

Because Navratri is not a holiday in the USA, the largest Garba and Dandiya Raas nights cluster on weekends. In 2026 there are two:

• Opening weekend, Sat 10 – Sun 11 October: Saturday is the eve of Navratri, and some groups start their season that night; Sunday is Ghatasthapana itself.
• Second weekend, Fri 16 – Sun 18 October: usually the busiest of the season, overlapping with Maha Shashthi (17 October) and Durga Ashtami (18 October). Expect packed halls and Durga Puja pandals on the same weekend.
• Weekday nights: temples and smaller samaj groups often run Garba every evening of the nine nights, especially in the New Jersey, Chicago and Houston areas.

Navratri 2026, city by city

Each entry gives the Ghatasthapana window (the first third of the daytime from local sunrise on Sunday 11 October) and the Abhijit Muhurat around local midday, the accepted alternative if you miss the morning window. Windows are calculated from local sunrise and sunset (within about a minute of Drik Panchang). Scene notes are general; we name organisers only where an event is confirmed.

New York City and Long Island

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:02 AM – 10:49 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:19 PM – 1:05 PM.

New York has every strand of Navratri within an hour's travel: Gujarati Garba nights in Queens, Long Island and the suburbs; Bengali Durga Pujas run by long-standing community committees; South Indian families keeping Golu at home; and Navratri programmes at temples across the five boroughs.

Many New Yorkers also travel to New Jersey for Garba and to BAPS Robbinsville for darshan during the festival — check the temple's own announcements for 2026 programme times.

New Jersey: Edison, Iselin and Central Jersey

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:04 AM – 10:50 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:21 PM – 1:06 PM.

Central New Jersey has one of the densest Gujarati communities in the country, and Garba here is as close to Gujarat as it gets in America: nightly circles at temples, school gyms filled on weekends and large events with live music. Three things are already confirmed for 2026:

Edison's Dushahra festival with Ram Leela and Ravan Dahan at Lake Papaianni Park on Saturday 10 October — an early Dussehra-style community celebration on the eve of Navratri.

Trinayani and UTSOV Durga Pujas on Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 October, for Bengali families across the state.

For the sloka-by-sloka puja, see the USA day-wise guide.

Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:06 AM – 10:53 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:24 PM – 1:09 PM.

Greater Philadelphia's Gujarati and Bengali communities are large enough for weekend Garba and at least one Durga Puja in most suburbs, with South Jersey and the Main Line both active. Many families also cross into Central Jersey on the second weekend.

Boston and New England

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 6:52 AM – 10:37 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:08 PM – 12:53 PM.

The Boston area's university and tech population gives it a young Navratri crowd. Expect weekend Garba nights, student-run Dandiya evenings, Bengali Durga Pujas and Golu in Tamil and Telugu homes.

Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:13 AM – 11:00 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:31 PM – 1:17 PM.

The DMV spreads its Navratri across Maryland and Northern Virginia suburbs: Garba in community halls and temple grounds, Bengali Durga Pujas, and South Indian temples holding daily Navaratri alankaram and Golu displays. Traffic on the Beltway on a Friday night is the main practical challenge — leave early.

Atlanta

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:39 AM – 11:29 AM. Abhijit alternative: 1:01 PM – 1:47 PM.

Atlanta's Gujarati community supports large weekend Garba nights across the northern suburbs, and the metro area has active Bengali, Telugu and Tamil communities, so Durga Puja, Bathukamma and Golu all appear in the same fortnight. Ghatasthapana starts later here (7:39 AM) because Atlanta sits at the western edge of Eastern Time.

Detroit and South-East Michigan

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:40 AM – 11:25 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:56 PM – 1:41 PM.

Metro Detroit's Navratri centres on its suburban temples and Gujarati samaj groups, with Bengali Durga Puja and South Indian Golu alongside. Like Atlanta, Detroit has a late Eastern-Time sunrise, so its Ghatasthapana window runs to 11:25 AM.

Chicago and the suburbs

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 6:58 AM – 10:43 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:14 PM – 12:59 PM.

Chicagoland has one of the Midwest's biggest Navratri seasons: Garba and Dandiya in the north-west and western suburbs, Bengali Durga Pujas, Golu in South Indian homes, and temple programmes through the nine nights.

For Dussehra, a Vijayadashami celebration with Ravan Dahan at the Shree Radhey Shyam Temple in the Chicago area on Tuesday 20 October is listed by third-party sites (†) — confirm with the organiser.

Houston

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:20 AM – 11:12 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:44 PM – 1:31 PM.

Houston's large Gujarati, Bengali and South Indian communities make for a full Navratri: weekend Garba nights that run late, Durga Puja pandals on the second weekend, and Golu and Bathukamma in Telugu and Tamil families.

Confirmed for 2026: ISKCON of Houston holds its Dussehra celebration, Shri Ramachandra Vijayotsava, on Tuesday 20 October.

Dallas–Fort Worth

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:28 AM – 11:18 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:50 PM – 1:36 PM.

DFW's fast-growing Indian population — strong in Irving, Plano, Frisco and the northern suburbs — supports Garba on both weekends, several Durga Pujas and a large Telugu community that celebrates Bathukamma and Dasara. Check your local temple or association for dates; many DFW groups announce in early October.

Denver and Colorado

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:05 AM – 10:52 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:23 PM – 1:09 PM.

Denver's community is smaller but close-knit: expect a handful of weekend Garba nights, a Bengali Durga Puja and temple programmes rather than nightly events.

Phoenix and Arizona

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 6:29 AM – 10:19 AM. Abhijit alternative: 11:51 AM – 12:37 PM.

Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year, and together with its position in the zone that gives Phoenix the earliest Ghatasthapana window on this list (6:29 AM). The Valley's Navratri includes weekend Garba, Durga Puja and South Indian temple programmes; warm October evenings make it one of the few places where outdoor Garba is comfortable.

Los Angeles and Southern California

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 6:54 AM – 10:44 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:16 PM – 1:02 PM.

Southern California spreads Navratri across a huge area, from Artesia and the South Bay to Orange County and the Inland Empire. You will find large ticketed Garba nights, smaller samaj events, Bengali Durga Pujas and temple programmes; allow plenty of time for freeway traffic on Friday evenings.

San Jose and the Bay Area

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:11 AM – 10:59 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:31 PM – 1:16 PM.

The Bay Area has a big, varied season: Garba and Dandiya across the South Bay and East Bay, several Bengali Durga Pujas, Golu in many Tamil, Telugu and Kannada homes, and temple Navaratri programmes.

A Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, on Saturday 17 October is listed by third-party sites (†) — confirm with the organiser before you plan around it.

Seattle and the Puget Sound

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:22 AM – 11:04 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:33 PM – 1:17 PM.

Greater Seattle's tech-driven community, concentrated on the Eastside, holds weekend Garba nights, Bengali Durga Puja and Golu, with temple programmes through the week.

Not on the list? Use the closest city in the same time zone — differences within a metro area are only a minute or two — or check the time your temple announces.

Confirmed events, October 2026

These are the only US Navratri-season events we have verified so far. Entries marked † are listed by third-party sites — confirm with the organiser before you travel.

For everything else — Garba nights, most Durga Pujas, temple timings — organisers are still publishing 2026 flyers. Your local temple, Gujarati samaj, Bengali association or Telugu and Tamil associations are the best sources.

What to wear: the nine colours

Many Garba groups and offices follow a colour for each day. In the USA, where Ashtami and Navami fall on separate days, the sequence runs straight through:

For Garba, women usually wear chaniya choli and men kediyu or kurta; for Durga Puja, saris (often red-and-white on Dashami) and kurtas are typical. Comfortable flat footwear or clean socks matter more than the outfit — many halls ask dancers to remove shoes.

Practical tips for NRI families

• Garba etiquette: join the circle in the direction it is moving, start in an outer ring if you are learning, and keep phones away while you dance. For Dandiya, hold the sticks low and watch your partner's rhythm.
• Kids: many events run a children's session early in the evening. Weeknight Garba often finishes late, so plan around school the next morning; ear defenders help small children near big speakers.
• Tickets: buy from the organiser directly, check refund and age policies, and be wary of resold tickets for the sold-out second weekend.
• Fasting, only if your health allows: many keep a fruit-and-milk or grain-free fast, or fast only on Ashtami. Pregnant women, people with diabetes or other conditions, older relatives and children should check with a doctor first. Hydrate well before a long night of Garba.
• Do not use India's timings: muhurats depend on local sunrise. Use your city's window above or your temple's time, never a forwarded IST time converted to US time.
• Temple etiquette: dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees, follow photography rules and expect parking queues on 17–18 October.

After Navratri: Dussehra and Diwali

Dussehra falls on Tuesday 20 October. The Vijay Muhurat is a local afternoon window: 2:29–3:13 PM in New York City, 2:23–3:07 PM in Chicago, 2:59–3:44 PM in Houston and 2:42–3:26 PM in San Jose. India's window converted to US time is not the right window here. Every state is covered in Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state, and Telugu families can find Bathukamma (10–18 October) in Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 in the USA.

Diwali is on Sunday 8 November 2026. Plans, city events and Lakshmi Puja timings are in our Diwali 2026 USA guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Navratri 2026 in the USA?

Sharad Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October in the USA (Drik Panchang). Durga Ashtami is on Sunday 18 October, Maha Navami on Monday 19 October and Dussehra (Vijayadashami) on Tuesday 20 October. The dates are the same in every US time zone.

What is the Ghatasthapana time in New York on 11 October 2026?

In New York City the Ghatasthapana window is 7:02 AM – 10:49 AM on Sunday 11 October, the first third of the daytime from local sunrise. The Abhijit Muhurat, 12:19 PM – 1:05 PM, is the usual midday alternative. Other cities are listed in the city-by-city section of this guide.

When are the big Garba nights in the USA in 2026?

Most community Garba and Dandiya nights fall on weekends, so expect the busiest nights on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October and on Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October. Many groups also hold weekday evenings. Check your local temple, Gujarati samaj or community association for exact dates and tickets.

When is Durga Puja 2026 in the USA?

On the Bengali calendar Maha Shashthi is Saturday 17 October, with Saptami on the 18th, Ashtami on the 19th, Navami on the 19th–20th and Vijaya Dashami with Sindoor Khela on the 21st (Kolkata dates). Many US puja committees hold their main days on the weekend of 17–18 October; in New Jersey, Trinayani and UTSOV are confirmed for 17–18 October.

Is Navratri a holiday in the USA?

No. Navratri, Durga Ashtami and Dussehra are not federal holidays. Ashtami falls on a Sunday this year, but Maha Navami (Monday 19 October) and Dussehra (Tuesday 20 October) are working and school days, so most families plan evening pujas.

When is Diwali 2026 in the USA?

Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 in the USA.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): Dates follow Drik Panchang for the USA; Bengali Durga Puja days follow the Kolkata calendar. Ghatasthapana and Abhijit windows were calculated from local sunrise and sunset and agree with Drik Panchang to within about a minute; please confirm for your city. Events marked † come from third-party listings. Most Garba nights, Durga Pujas and temple programmes are not yet confirmed — organisers are still publishing 2026 flyers; we will update this guide.

Related guides

• Navratri 2026 USA — day-wise puja guide
• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state
• Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 in the USA
• Navratri 2026 in Canada, city by city
• Navratri 2026 in the UK, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 (main guide)
• Sharad Navratri to Dussehra 2026
• October 2026 Hindu festivals calendar
• Diwali 2026 USA