Maha Navami 2026 in the UK: Monday 19 October, Navami Tithi, Havan and Parana Time

Quick answer: Maha Navami 2026 is on Monday 19 October 2026 in the UK. In London the Navami tithi runs from 6:21 AM on Monday 19 October to 8:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October (BST). Drik Panchang lists the Navratri parana, the formal end of the fast, on Tuesday 20 October, which is also Dussehra.

Last updated: 18 October 2026. Temples and Bengali puja committees set their own programmes, so confirm community timings with them.

This guide for British Hindus covers the local Navami times, Maa Siddhidatri, the Navami havan, Kanya Pujan on a working Monday, the parana and Bengal Maha Navami. For the day before, see Durga Ashtami 2026 in the UK.

Maha Navami 2026 date in the UK: Monday 19 October

Navami is the ninth lunar day (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Ashwin. A festival day is decided by the tithi that prevails at local sunrise, so the same tithi can land on different calendar days in different countries.

In India the Navami tithi runs from 10:51 AM IST on Monday 19 October to 12:50 PM IST on Tuesday 20 October (Drik Panchang). Because Navami is still running at sunrise on Tuesday, Indian calendars differ: Drik Panchang lists Maha Navami with Durga Ashtami on Monday, while West Bengal, Mysuru Dasara and South Indian Ayudha Puja keep it on Tuesday. Our Maha Navami 2026 India guide explains that split.

In the UK the Navami tithi begins at 6:21 AM on Monday 19 October and ends at 8:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October (BST), the same in London, Leicester, Birmingham and Manchester. Sunrise in London is at about 7:29 AM on Monday and 7:31 AM on Tuesday, so, unlike North America, the UK has Navami at sunrise on both days, much like India.

Drik Panchang still lists Maha Navami on Monday 19 October for all four UK cities, and its Bengal Maha Navami page also gives Monday. Navami covers the whole of Monday from before dawn, while on Tuesday it ends about 50 minutes after sunrise. Dussehra follows on Tuesday 20 October, because Dashami is running in the afternoon, but Drik's London page places Durga Visarjan, Bengal Vijayadashami and Bijoya on Wednesday 21 October, the first UK sunrise with Dashami.

Navami tithi, Navami Homa and Visarjan times by city (UK)

Times are from Drik Panchang's Maha Navami, Navami Homa and Durga Visarjan pages for London, Leicester, Birmingham and Manchester, fetched on 18 October 2026, in British Summer Time. The whole UK shares one time zone, so the tithi times are identical; the Homa and Visarjan windows follow local sunrise and sunset. British Summer Time ends on Sunday 25 October.

The UK's calendar this week has its own shape: Maha Navami on Monday, Dussehra and the parana on Tuesday, and Durga Visarjan with Bengal Vijayadashami on Wednesday 21 October, matching the Kolkata panjika. Drik's Navami Homa window runs from about sunrise to sunset on Monday. Drik also notes that many people break the nine-day fast after Durga Visarjan, so the last column doubles as a parana window.

Maa Siddhidatri: the goddess of Navami

On the ninth day the Goddess is worshipped as Maa Siddhidatri, whose name means the giver of siddhis, the spiritual perfections. She is usually shown seated on a lotus, sometimes on a lion, with four hands holding a discus, a conch, a mace and a lotus. Her day closes the nine forms that began with Shailaputri on Ghatasthapana. Our Navratri Day 9 Maa Siddhidatri guide has her story, colour and bhog.

Name mantra of Maa Siddhidatri:

ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः॥

Om Devi Siddhidatryai Namah

Dhyana shloka (meditation verse):

सिद्धगन्धर्वयक्षाद्यैरसुरैरमरैरपि। सेव्यमाना सदा भूयात् सिद्धिदा सिद्धिदायिनी॥

Siddha-gandharva-yakshadyair asurair amarair api, sevyamana sada bhuyat siddhida siddhidayini.

Texts are copied from our verified Navratri mantra sources. Chanting is an act of devotion and does not promise any particular result.

Navami havan (Navami Homa) at home or at the temple

Drik Panchang describes Navami Homa as the Chandi homa performed on Navami during Durga Puja, and for many families it is the closing ritual of the nine days. Temples usually hold it in the morning, and families can often register to take part.

A short home havan, if your home allows it:

1. Check your lease, hostel or building rules first. Use a small metal havan kund on a heat-proof tray, in a ventilated room, away from curtains. Keep water or a fire blanket at hand and never disable a smoke alarm.
2. After a sankalp and a prayer to Lord Ganesha, light the fire with camphor and dry wood, then offer ghee and samagri in small spoonfuls while chanting a Durga mantra such as the Navarna mantra below, as many times as your priest advises.
3. Close with a final offering (purnahuti), aarti and prasad, and let the fire burn out completely before you leave the room.

Navarna mantra of Devi (Durga Saptashati tradition):

ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे॥

Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vichche

If open flames are not allowed, light a ghee lamp or an LED diya and chant the same mantra, or join a temple havan in person or online. The devotion matters more than the size of the fire.

Kanya Pujan on Navami in the UK

Families who keep Kanya Pujan on Navami rather than Ashtami, common in many North Indian homes that keep the full nine-day fast, can hold it on Monday 19 October. Because Navami lasts the whole of Monday, an evening Kanya Pujan after school is fine.

• Invite girls of about two to ten, often with one boy as Langur or Bhairav; two or three girls are enough if you cannot find nine.
• Confirm the time with parents and ask about allergies before cooking.
• Serve the traditional halwa, puri and kala chana (see our Kanya Pujan prasad recipe) and give a small gift such as stationery or bangles.

The full vidhi is in our Kanya Pujan 2026 guide.

When to break the Navratri fast in the UK

Drik Panchang lists the Ashwina Navratri parana on Tuesday 20 October for every city in this guide. In the UK, Navami ends at 8:20 AM BST that Tuesday morning. Drik's Durga Visarjan muhurat for London falls on Wednesday 21 October, 7:35 AM to 9:39 AM, so families who end the fast only after the Visarjan would wait until Wednesday morning. Some families end the fast on Navami itself, after the havan and Kanya Pujan on Monday evening. Follow your family custom; our Navratri parana 2026 guide has the times for India and abroad and what to eat first.

Health note: pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with diabetes, low blood pressure or other conditions, older relatives and children should talk to your GP before fasting. Break a long fast gently with water, fruit or a light sattvic meal rather than a heavy feast. See our Navratri fasting rules.

Bengal Maha Navami in the UK

In Bengali Durga Puja, Navami is the last full day of worship before the farewell. Pujas usually hold the Navami puja and havan in the morning, a Navami bhog for everyone and, in the evening, aarti with dhunuchi naach to the beat of the dhak. In Kolkata the West Bengal holiday list has Maha Nabami on Tuesday 20 October and Bijoya Dashami on Wednesday 21 October; see our Kolkata Durga Puja 2026 calendar.

Drik Panchang's Bengal pages for London, Leicester, Birmingham and Manchester give Bengal Maha Navami on Monday 19 October and Bengal Durga Visarjan and Bengal Vijayadashami on Wednesday 21 October, the same Dashami date as the Kolkata panjika. UK puja committees often keep Navami rituals on the panjika day and hold bhog and cultural evenings at the weekend. Check your committee's schedule.

Community and temple programmes

Bengali puja committees in London, Birmingham, Manchester and other cities often hire halls only for the weekend, so a Monday Navami may be a shorter evening puja. Mandirs hold Navami havan and Kanya Puja for families who register; timings are on each mandir's own calendar, so check before you travel. Leicester's garba season, confirmed from 10 to 24 October in our UK city guide, continues after Navami. For more, see Navratri 2026 in the UK, city by city and our Navaratri and Dussehra temples guide.

Planning Monday to Wednesday

• Monday 19 October, Maha Navami: Siddhidatri puja, Navami havan and Kanya Pujan for Navami observers.
• Tuesday 20 October, Dussehra: Navratri parana, Aparajita and Shami puja (see Vijayadashami 2026 mantras) and Dussehra celebrations. Close your home kalash as your family does; our Durga Visarjan guide explains how.
• Wednesday 21 October: Durga Visarjan, Bengal Vijayadashami, Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela per Drik's London page and the Kolkata panjika. See our Bijoya Dashami 2026 abroad guide.

Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 October are ordinary working and school days in the UK. For the local Vijay Muhurat, see Dussehra 2026 in the UK, region by region and Dussehra 2026 in the UK and London.

Frequently asked questions

When is Maha Navami 2026 in the UK?

Maha Navami is on Monday 19 October 2026 in the UK, per Drik Panchang's city pages. Durga Ashtami was on Sunday 18 October and Dussehra (Vijayadashami) is on Tuesday 20 October.

What are the Navami tithi times in the UK?

Per Drik Panchang, Navami runs from 6:21 AM BST on Monday 19 October to 8:20 AM BST on Tuesday 20 October in London, Leicester, Birmingham and Manchester. Maha Navami is kept on Monday 19 October.

Which goddess is worshipped on Maha Navami?

Maa Siddhidatri, the ninth form of the Navadurga, the giver of siddhis or spiritual accomplishments. Her name mantra is Om Devi Siddhidatryai Namah.

Can I do a Navami havan at home?

Yes, if your home allows it. Use a small metal havan kund on a heat-proof tray in a ventilated room, keep water nearby and never disable a smoke alarm. Drik Panchang's Navami Homa window for London is 7:31 AM to 5:59 PM on Monday 19 October. If open flames are not allowed, light a lamp and chant instead, or join a temple havan.

When do I break the Navratri fast in the UK?

Drik Panchang lists the Navratri parana on Tuesday 20 October for UK cities; Navami ends at 8:20 AM BST that morning. Families who break the fast after Durga Visarjan would wait for Drik's London Visarjan muhurat on Wednesday 21 October, 7:35 AM to 9:39 AM. Follow your family custom.

Can Kanya Pujan be done on Navami evening after school?

Yes. Navami prevails through the whole of Monday 19 October, so families who keep Kanya Pujan on Navami can hold it in the morning before school or in the evening. Confirm the time with the girls' parents.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in the UK?

Drik Panchang's London page lists Bengal Vijayadashami and Bengal Durga Visarjan on Wednesday 21 October, the same as the Kolkata panjika. Many committees hold Sindoor Khela that day or on the following weekend.

Related guides

• Maha Navami 2026 in India
• Durga Ashtami 2026 in the UK
• Navratri Day 9: Maa Siddhidatri
• Navratri parana 2026: when to break the fast
• Bijoya Dashami 2026 abroad
• Kanya Pujan 2026
• Navratri 2026 in the UK, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in the UK, region by region
• Dussehra 2026 in the UK and London
• Navaratri 2026 dates and nine Devi forms
• Panchangam for Monday 19 October 2026 (India)

Editor's note (18 October 2026)

Dates and times for the UK are from Drik Panchang's Maha Navami, Bengal Maha Navami, Navami Homa, Durga Visarjan and Vijayadashami pages for each listed city, checked on 18 October 2026, and agree with our own panchang data for the tithi at local sunrise. India times are from Drik Panchang. No temple or committee is named for a Navami programme because we could not confirm a 2026 schedule; always check with your temple or puja committee.