Hindu Calendar October 2026: Festivals, Dates, Rituals and Significance (Navratri, Dussehra, Sharad Purnima, Karwa Chauth)
The complete Hindu calendar for October 2026: daily tithi, nakshatra and sunrise for every day from 10 to 31 October (Drik Panchang, Hyderabad), all festivals and vrats from Sarva Pitru Amavasya and Navratri to Dussehra, Sharad Purnima and Karwa Chauth, regional differences, and links to 11 country calendars.
Quick answer: the Hindu calendar October 2026 runs from the last days of Pitru Paksha to the start of Kartika. The key India dates are Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Saturday 10 October, Navratri from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October (Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami together on the 19th), Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October, Papankusha Ekadashi on Thursday 22 October, Sharad Purnima on Sunday 25 October, Valmiki Jayanti on Monday 26 October and Karwa Chauth on Thursday 29 October.
Sources: every daily row below comes from Drik Panchang's day panchang for Hyderabad, Telangana (times in IST), fetched on 9 October 2026; dates abroad come from Drik Panchang's country lists, and local sunrise tithis from HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik. Dates for 1–9 October have passed and are covered in last week's panchang. Each date links to its full daily panchang page.
October 2026 at a glance
October opens in the waning fortnight of Pitru Paksha, when families remember their ancestors, and turns at the new moon of 10 October into the bright fortnight of Ashwina: nine nights of Navratri, Saraswati and Ayudha Puja, and Vijayadashami. The full moon of Sharad Purnima on 25–26 October closes the fortnight, and the waning moon then brings Karwa Chauth, Atla Tadde and the run-up to Diwali, which falls on Sunday 8 November this year.
Month names: in the amanta calendar used in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, Bhadrapada ends with the Amavasya of 10 October and Ashwina runs from 11 October until the next new moon in November. In the purnimanta calendar of North India, Ashwina ends with the full moon of 26 October and Kartika begins on 27 October. The same day can therefore be "Ashwina Krishna Tritiya" in Hyderabad and "Kartika Krishna Tritiya" in Delhi; the table shows both. Solar calendars change month at the Tula Sankranti of 17 October, when the Tamil month of Aippasi, the Malayalam month of Thulam and the Bengali and Odia month of Kartik begin by their own rules.
Complete date-wise Hindu calendar for October 2026 (India)
Reference: Hyderabad. Month is given as amanta / purnimanta. Tithi and nakshatra end times are IST and may run past midnight into the next date.
| Date | Day | Month (amanta / purnimanta) | Tithi at sunrise | Nakshatra | Sunrise | Festivals and vrats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–9 Oct | Thu–Fri | Bhadrapada / Ashwina | See last week's panchang | — | — | Pitru Paksha continues (ends with Sarva Pitru Amavasya on 10 Oct) |
| 10 Oct | Sat | Bhadrapada / Ashwina | Krishna Amavasya (until 09:19 PM) | Hasta (until 09:42 PM) | 06:08 AM | Ashwina Amavasya; Darsha Amavasya; Sarva Pitru Amavasya |
| 11 Oct | Sun | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Pratipada (until 09:30 PM) | Chitra (until 10:32 PM) | 06:08 AM | Ghatasthapana; Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti; Navratri Begins |
| 12 Oct | Mon | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Dwitiya (until 10:13 PM) | Swati (until 11:52 PM) | 06:08 AM | Chandra Darshana |
| 13 Oct | Tue | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Tritiya (until 11:27 PM) | Vishakha (until 01:43 AM, Oct 14) | 06:09 AM | — |
| 14 Oct | Wed | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Chaturthi (until 01:13 AM, Oct 15) | Anuradha (until 04:03 AM, Oct 15) | 06:09 AM | Kapardisha Chaturthi |
| 15 Oct | Thu | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Panchami (until 03:25 AM, Oct 16) | Jyeshtha (all day and night) | 06:09 AM | Upang Lalita Vrat (Lalita Panchami) |
| 16 Oct | Fri | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Shashthi (until 05:54 AM, Oct 17) | Jyeshtha (until 06:47 AM) | 06:09 AM | Akal Bodhon (Bengal Durga Puja Shashti); Bilva Nimantran; Kalparambha; Saraswati Avahan; Skanda Sashti |
| 17 Oct | Sat | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Saptami (all day and night) | Mula (until 09:47 AM) | 06:10 AM | Ashwina Navapada Oli Begins; Navpatrika Puja; Saraswati Puja; Tula Sankranti |
| 18 Oct | Sun | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Saptami (until 08:27 AM) | Purva Ashadha (until 12:49 PM) | 06:10 AM | Saraswati Balidan |
| 19 Oct | Mon | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Ashtami (until 10:51 AM) | Uttara Ashadha (until 03:38 PM) | 06:10 AM | Durga Ashtami; Maha Navami; Masik Durgashtami; Sandhi Puja; Saraswati Visarjan |
| 20 Oct | Tue | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Navami (until 12:50 PM) | Shravana (until 06:02 PM) | 06:10 AM | Aparajita Jayanti; Ayudha Puja; Bengal Maha Navami; Daksha Savarni Manvadi; Durga Balidan; Durga Visarjan; Dussehra; South Saraswati Puja; Vijayadashami |
| 21 Oct | Wed | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Dashami (until 02:11 PM) | Dhanishtha (until 07:47 PM) | 06:11 AM | Bengal Vijayadashami; Kashi Bharat Milap; Madhvacharya Jayanti; Mysore Dasara; Vidyarambham Day |
| 22 Oct | Thu | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Ekadashi (until 02:47 PM) | Shatabhisha (until 08:49 PM) | 06:11 AM | 3rd Chaturmasa Last Day; Padmanabha Dwadashi; Papankusha Ekadashi |
| 23 Oct | Fri | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Dwadashi (until 02:35 PM) | Purva Bhadrapada (until 09:02 PM) | 06:11 AM | 4th Chaturmasa Begins; Papankusha Ekadashi Parana; Shukra Pradosh Vrat |
| 24 Oct | Sat | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Trayodashi (until 01:36 PM) | Uttara Bhadrapada (until 08:32 PM) | 06:12 AM | — |
| 25 Oct | Sun | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Chaturdashi (until 11:55 AM) | Revati (until 07:22 PM) | 06:12 AM | Ashwina Purnima Vrat; Kojagara Puja; Sharad Purnima |
| 26 Oct | Mon | Ashwina / Ashwina | Shukla Purnima (until 09:41 AM) | Ashwini (until 05:41 PM) | 06:12 AM | Ashwina Navapada Oli Ends; Ashwina Purnima; Meerabai Jayanti; Valmiki Jayanti |
| 27 Oct | Tue | Ashwina / Kartika | Krishna Pratipada (until 07:01 AM) | Bharani (until 03:39 PM) | 06:13 AM | Kartika begins (North Indian calendar); Masik Karthigai |
| 28 Oct | Wed | Ashwina / Kartika | Krishna Tritiya (until 01:06 AM, Oct 29) | Krittika (until 01:26 PM) | 06:13 AM | Atla Tadde |
| 29 Oct | Thu | Ashwina / Kartika | Krishna Chaturthi (until 10:09 PM) | Rohini (until 11:11 AM) | 06:13 AM | Karwa Chauth; Rohini Vrat; Vakratunda Sankashti |
| 30 Oct | Fri | Ashwina / Kartika | Krishna Panchami (until 07:24 PM) | Mrigashira (until 09:04 AM) | 06:14 AM | — |
| 31 Oct | Sat | Ashwina / Kartika | Krishna Shashthi (until 04:57 PM) | Ardra (until 07:12 AM) | 06:14 AM | — |
Major festivals of October 2026
Sarva Pitru Amavasya and Mahalaya (Sat 10 Oct)
The last day of Pitru Paksha is the day for tarpanam and offerings to all ancestors, especially those whose death tithi is unknown. In Bengal the dawn recitation of Mahalaya opens the Durga Puja season, and in Telangana Engili Pula Bathukamma begins nine days of the flower festival, ending with Saddula Bathukamma on Sunday 18 October. See Bathukamma 2026 dates.
Sharad Navratri (Sun 11 to Mon 19 Oct)
Ghatasthapana on Sunday 11 October begins nine nights of worship of the Navadurga. Lalita Panchami (Upang Lalita Vrat) falls on Thu 15 Oct, Saraswati Avahan on Fri 16 Oct and Saraswati Puja on Sat 17 Oct. Saptami prevails at two sunrises (17 and 18 October), so Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami fall together on Monday 19 October. See the complete 9-day Navratri guide and the Navratri 2026 colours.
Durga Puja in Bengal (Fri 16 to Wed 21 Oct)
Bengal counts the festival from Shashthi: Akal Bodhon and Bilva Nimantran on Fri 16 Oct, Navpatrika Puja on Sat 17 Oct, Mahashtami with Sandhi Puja on Mon 19 Oct, Maha Navami on Tue 20 Oct and Bijoya Dashami with Sindoor Khela on Wed 21 Oct, a day after Dussehra elsewhere. Kojagari Lakshmi Puja follows on Sharad Purnima. Full schedule: Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata.
Dussehra / Vijayadashami (Tue 20 Oct)
The victory of Rama over Ravana and of Durga over Mahishasura. Dashami runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October (Drik). It is the day for Shami puja, Ravan Dahan, Vidyarambham and Seemollanghan. Drik's Hyderabad panchang lists Ayudha Puja on Tue 20 Oct because Navami prevails at sunrise, but some calendars and families keep Ayudha Puja on Mon 19 Oct; follow your local custom. Read the Dussehra 2026 pillar guide, Ayudha Puja and Shami Puja vidhi and the Telangana Dasara guide.
Wednesday 21 October: Mysuru, Kashi and Bengal
Drik lists Wed 21 Oct as Bengal Vijayadashami, Mysore Dasara, Kashi Bharat Milap, Madhvacharya Jayanti and Vidyarambham Day, because Dashami continues into that morning. See Mysore Dasara 2026 day by day. In Himachal Pradesh, the week-long Kullu Dussehra begins on Vijayadashami.
Papankusha Ekadashi (Thu 22 Oct)
The Ekadashi of Ashwina Shukla Paksha; Chaturmasa's third month ends the same day. The fast is broken on Friday 23 October, which is also Shukra Pradosh. Check Drik for the exact parana window in your city. See Papankusha Ekadashi 2026.
Sharad Purnima, Kojagari Lakshmi Puja and Kumar Purnima (Sun 25 Oct)
Purnima begins late in the morning of Sunday 25 October and ends on the morning of 26 October, so the full-moon night is the 25th: kheer is left in the moonlight, Bengal keeps Kojagari Lakshmi Puja and Odisha Kumar Purnima. See Sharad Purnima 2026 and Kumar Purnima 2026. Some Odia panjikas may list Kumar Purnima on the 26th; follow your panjika.
Valmiki Jayanti and Meerabai Jayanti (Mon 26 Oct)
Ashwina Purnima at sunrise honours Maharishi Valmiki, the Adi Kavi of the Ramayana, and the poet-saint Meerabai. See Valmiki Jayanti 2026.
Kartika begins in North India (Tue 27 Oct)
In purnimanta calendars Kartika, the month of lamps and Kartika snan, begins on Tuesday 27 October. In the amanta calendar of the South and West the Karthika month begins after the new moon in November; see Karthika Masam 2026.
Atla Tadde (Wed 28 Oct)
A Telugu vrat on Ashwina Krishna Tritiya, when women fast, offer dosas (atlu) to Gauri and pray for a happy married life. Drik lists it on Wednesday 28 October.
Karwa Chauth and Vakratunda Sankashti (Thu 29 Oct)
Married women fast from before dawn until moonrise on Thursday 29 October, which is also Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi and Rohini Vrat. In the USA and Canada Drik places Karwa Chauth on Wednesday 28 October. See Karwa Chauth 2026 moonrise times.
Tula Sankranti, Kaveri Sankramana and Kati Bihu (17–18 Oct)
The Sun enters Tula on Saturday 17 October. In Kodagu this is Kaveri Sankramana, when the Theerthodbhava at Talakaveri is awaited (the temple announces the moment), and in Assam Kati Bihu follows on Sunday 18 October. See Tula Sankranti 2026.
Ekadashi, Purnima, Amavasya, Pradosh and other tithis in October 2026
| Observance | Date (India) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amavasya (new moon) | Sat 10 Oct | Sarva Pitru Amavasya / Mahalaya |
| Chandra Darshana | Mon 12 Oct | First sighting of the new crescent |
| Skanda Sashti (monthly) | Fri 16 Oct | Shukla Shashthi, for Murugan / Kartikeya |
| Masik Durgashtami | Mon 19 Oct | Falls on Durga Ashtami this month |
| Ekadashi | Thu 22 Oct | Papankusha Ekadashi; parana next morning |
| Pradosh Vrat | Fri 23 Oct | Shukra (Friday) Pradosh, evening Shiva puja |
| Purnima vrat | Sun 25 Oct | Sharad Purnima / Kojagara night |
| Purnima (full moon) | Mon 26 Oct | Valmiki Jayanti, Meerabai Jayanti |
| Masik Karthigai | Tue 27 Oct | Krittika nakshatra day, Tamil tradition |
| Sankashti Chaturthi | Thu 29 Oct | Same day as Karwa Chauth and Rohini Vrat |
| Sankranti | Sat 17 Oct | Sun enters Tula (Libra) |
| Masik Shivaratri | — | None between 10 and 31 October; this month's fell before the Amavasya of 10 October (see last week's panchang) |
Regional differences to know
- Telangana: Bathukamma from Engili Pula (Sat 10 Oct) to Saddula Bathukamma (Sun 18 Oct), then Dasara with the exchange of Jammi (Shami) leaves on 20 October.
- Karnataka: Mysuru Dasara reaches its Jamboo Savari procession on Wednesday 21 October.
- Kerala and Tamil Nadu: books and tools are placed for Pooja Veppu and Ayudha Puja, and children begin learning (Vidyarambham) on Vijayadashami.
- Gujarat: nine nights of garba and dandiya; see the Gujarat garba guide linked below.
- West Bengal, Odisha and Assam: Durga Puja from Shashthi (16 Oct) to Bijoya Dashami (21 Oct), then Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Sharad Purnima.
- North India: Ramlila culminates in Ravan Dahan on Dussehra; Kartika begins on 27 October and Karwa Chauth follows on 29 October.
October 2026 Hindu festival dates abroad
Tithis change at the same instant worldwide, but sunrise and moonrise do not, so some festivals fall a day earlier or later outside India. Drik Panchang's country lists give:
| Country | Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Durga Ashtami | Maha Navami | Dussehra | Karwa Chauth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India (reference) | Sat 10 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
| USA | Fri 9 Oct | Sun 18 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Wed 28 Oct |
| UK | Sat 10 Oct | Sun 18 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
| Canada | Fri 9 Oct | Sun 18 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Wed 28 Oct |
| Australia | Sat 10 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Wed 21 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
| UAE | Sat 10 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
| Singapore | Sat 10 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
| Malaysia | Sat 10 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
| Germany | Sat 10 Oct | Sun 18 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
| South Africa | Sat 10 Oct | Sun 18 Oct | Mon 19 Oct | Tue 20 Oct | Thu 29 Oct |
Day-by-day calendars with the local tithi at sunrise and local sunrise times:
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in the USA
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in the UK
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in Canada
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in Australia
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in Brazil
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in the UAE
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in Singapore
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in Malaysia
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in Germany
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in South Africa
- October 2026 Hindu festivals in Europe
Brazil has no Drik country list, so its page uses India dates with local sunrise tithis; the Europe page uses the Germany list with Amsterdam sunrise times.
Looking ahead to early November
Ahoi Ashtami is Sunday 1 November, Rama Ekadashi Thursday 5 November (calculated), Dhanteras Friday 6 November and Diwali with Lakshmi Puja Sunday 8 November. Govardhan Puja and the Gujarati New Year fall on Tuesday 10 November, the same day the amanta Karthika month begins. See Diwali 2026, Ahoi Ashtami 2026 and the November 2026 Hindu festival calendar.
Also read: 9 October 2026 panchang (Chaturdashi Shraddha).
Frequently asked questions
What are the main Hindu festivals in October 2026?
Sarva Pitru Amavasya (Sat 10 Oct), Navratri (Sun 11 to Mon 19 Oct), Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami (Mon 19 Oct), Dussehra (Tue 20 Oct), Papankusha Ekadashi (Thu 22 Oct), Sharad Purnima (Sun 25 Oct), Valmiki Jayanti (Mon 26 Oct), Atla Tadde (Wed 28 Oct) and Karwa Chauth (Thu 29 Oct). These are India dates from Drik Panchang.
Why are Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami on the same day in 2026?
Saptami prevails at sunrise on both 17 and 18 October in India, so Ashtami is the sunrise tithi only on Monday 19 October. Navami begins later that morning, so Drik lists Durga Ashtami, Sandhi Puja and Maha Navami together on 19 October.
Is Ayudha Puja on 19 or 20 October 2026?
Drik Panchang's Hyderabad panchang lists Ayudha Puja on Tuesday 20 October, alongside Vijayadashami, because Navami prevails at sunrise that day. Some calendars and families keep it on Monday 19 October. Follow your temple or family custom.
When does Kartika month start in 2026?
In North Indian purnimanta calendars Kartika begins on Tuesday 27 October 2026. In the amanta calendar of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, the Karthika month begins on Tuesday 10 November 2026, after the Diwali new moon.
When is Karwa Chauth 2026?
Thursday 29 October 2026 in India. Drik Panchang gives Wednesday 28 October for the USA and Canada. The fast ends at local moonrise.
Is there a Masik Shivaratri between 10 and 31 October 2026?
No. October's Masik Shivaratri fell before the Amavasya of 10 October, so it is in last week's panchang. The next falls in Diwali week in November.
Are these dates valid outside India?
Not always. Durga Ashtami is a day earlier (Sun 18 Oct) in the USA, UK, Canada, Germany and South Africa, and Dussehra is a day later (Wed 21 Oct) in Australia. Use our country calendars linked above for local dates.
Methodology and sources
Daily tithi, nakshatra, sunrise and festival names: Drik Panchang day panchang for Hyderabad (geoname 1269843), fetched 9 October 2026 and verified for every day from 10 to 31 October. Country dates: Drik Panchang's 2026 country lists. Local sunrise tithis on the country pages: HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik Panchang (tithi at sunrise matched on all 67 checked dates). Dates marked calculated were produced with the same calculator and should be confirmed on Drik Panchang. Regional and sampradaya calendars can differ; follow your temple or family priest.
Editor's note
Editor's note (9 October 2026): this hub has been rewritten with a complete date-by-date table, links to every daily panchang page from 10 to 31 October and new country calendars for the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, South Africa and Europe. Dates for 1–9 October are past and are covered in last week's panchang. We do not list temple timings; check each temple's official website.
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