October 2026 Hindu Festivals South Africa: Dates & Tithi

Quick answer: the main October 2026 Hindu festivals in South Africa are Navratri from Sunday 11 October, Durga Ashtami on Sunday 18 October, Maha Navami on Monday 19 October, Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October, Sharad Purnima on Sunday 25 October and Karwa Chauth on Thursday 29 October. These are South African dates from Drik Panchang's South Africa list.

Compared with India, Durga Ashtami (Sun 18 Oct here, Mon 19 Oct in India) falls on a different day; everything else on the list matches. For festivals Drik does not list separately for South Africa, we give the India date marked with an asterisk.

How this calendar was made: festival dates for South Africa come only from Drik Panchang's South Africa list; India dates come from Drik Panchang's Hyderabad day panchang. The daily Durban sunrise, and the tithi and nakshatra at that sunrise, are computed with HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik Panchang (tithi at sunrise matched on every checked date; sunrise within about a minute). Each date links to that day's full panchang page. We never convert India's clock times to local time.

October 2026 Hindu festivals in South Africa: the month at a glance

South Africa's Hindus, most descended from families who arrived in Natal from the 1860s onwards, have kept Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Gujarati traditions alive for more than 150 years. For them October 2026 brings Navratri and Durga Ashtami, Dussehra, Sharad Purnima and the build-up to Deepavali. Our table uses Durban, the heart of the community in KwaZulu-Natal; Johannesburg and Pretoria share the clock but see the sun a little later.

The month follows the moon. It opens in the dark fortnight that ends Pitru Paksha, turns at the new moon of Sat 10 Oct into Ashwina Shukla Paksha, the bright fortnight of Navratri and Dussehra, peaks at the full moon of Sharad Purnima, and then enters the waning fortnight in which North Indian calendars begin the month of Kartika and married women keep Karwa Chauth. Durban is 3 hours 30 minutes behind India all year, which is why a tithi that begins or ends near dawn can give South Africa a different date from India.

Date-by-date October 2026 Hindu calendar for South Africa

Columns show the date (linked to its daily panchang), the weekday, the tithi prevailing at Durban sunrise, Durban sunrise in local time, and the observances. Unmarked festival names are South African Drik dates; names with an asterisk (*) are India dates — abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple.

Date	Day	Tithi at Durban sunrise	Sunrise (Durban)	Festivals and observances
1–9 Oct	Thu–Fri	See last week's panchang	—	India: Pitru Paksha continues until Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Sat 10 Oct
10 Oct	Sat	Krishna Amavasya	5:22 AM	Sarva Pitru Amavasya
11 Oct	Sun	Shukla Pratipada	5:21 AM	Navratri Begins; Ghatasthapana
12 Oct	Mon	Shukla Dwitiya	5:20 AM	Chandra Darshana*
13 Oct	Tue	Shukla Tritiya	5:19 AM	—
14 Oct	Wed	Shukla Chaturthi	5:18 AM	—
15 Oct	Thu	Shukla Panchami	5:16 AM	Upang Lalita Vrat (Lalita Panchami)*
16 Oct	Fri	Shukla Shashthi	5:15 AM	Akal Bodhon (Bengal Durga Puja Shashti); Saraswati Avahan; Skanda Sashti*
17 Oct	Sat	Shukla Saptami	5:14 AM	Navpatrika Puja; Saraswati Puja; Tula Sankranti*
18 Oct	Sun	Shukla Ashtami	5:13 AM	Durga Ashtami
19 Oct	Mon	Shukla Ashtami	5:12 AM	Maha Navami; Sandhi Puja*
20 Oct	Tue	Shukla Navami	5:11 AM	Dussehra; Vijayadashami; Ayudha Puja*
21 Oct	Wed	Shukla Dashami	5:10 AM	Bengal Vijayadashami; Madhvacharya Jayanti; Mysore Dasara; Vidyarambham Day
22 Oct	Thu	Shukla Ekadashi	5:09 AM	Papankusha Ekadashi*
23 Oct	Fri	Shukla Dwadashi	5:08 AM	Papankusha Ekadashi Parana; Shukra Pradosh Vrat
24 Oct	Sat	Shukla Trayodashi	5:07 AM	—
25 Oct	Sun	Shukla Chaturdashi	5:06 AM	Sharad Purnima; Kojagara Puja
26 Oct	Mon	Shukla Purnima	5:05 AM	Ashwina Purnima; Meerabai Jayanti; Valmiki Jayanti*
27 Oct	Tue	Krishna Dwitiya	5:04 AM	Kartika begins (North Indian calendar); Masik Karthigai
28 Oct	Wed	Krishna Tritiya	5:03 AM	Atla Tadde*
29 Oct	Thu	Krishna Chaturthi	5:02 AM	Karwa Chauth; Rohini Vrat; Vakratunda Sankashti
30 Oct	Fri	Krishna Panchami	5:01 AM	—
31 Oct	Sat	Krishna Shashthi	5:01 AM	—

South Africa does not use daylight saving time. Durban stays on South African Standard Time (UTC+2) and its sunrise moves from 5:22 AM to 5:01 AM as summer approaches.

Where South Africa dates differ from India

Drik Panchang lists the main October festivals separately for South Africa. Here is how they compare with India:

Festival	India	South Africa	Difference
Sarva Pitru Amavasya	Sat 10 Oct	Sat 10 Oct	Same day
Navratri Begins	Sun 11 Oct	Sun 11 Oct	Same day
Durga Ashtami	Mon 19 Oct	Sun 18 Oct	One day earlier
Maha Navami	Mon 19 Oct	Mon 19 Oct	Same day
Dussehra	Tue 20 Oct	Tue 20 Oct	Same day
Sharad Purnima	Sun 25 Oct	Sun 25 Oct	Same day
Karwa Chauth	Thu 29 Oct	Thu 29 Oct	Same day

Sarva Pitru Amavasya (Mahalaya): Sat 10 Oct

The new moon that closes Pitru Paksha is the day for tarpanam and food offerings to all ancestors, including those whose death tithi is not known. In India it is Saturday 10 October. In Bengal the same morning is Mahalaya, which opens the Durga Puja season, and in Telangana it is the first day of Bathukamma.

Navratri 2026 in South Africa: Sun 11 Oct to Mon 19 Oct

Sharad Navratri begins with Ghatasthapana on Sunday 11 October and runs through nine nights of worship of Durga in her nine forms. Saraswati Puja is kept on the last days (Saraswati Avahan on Fri 16 Oct and Saraswati Puja on Sat 17 Oct in India*), and many South Indian families keep a kolu of dolls. Day-by-day forms, colours and puja steps are in our Navratri 2026 guide for South Africa and the Navratri 2026 colours list.

Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami: Sun 18 Oct and Mon 19 Oct

Ashtami is the day of Kanya Pujan and, in Bengal, of Sandhi Puja at the junction of Ashtami and Navami; Navami completes the nine nights. In India both fall on Monday 19 October, because in India Saptami prevailed at two sunrises (17 and 18 Oct) this year. Durban's sunrise falls in Ashtami on Sunday 18 October, a day before India's Ashtami. For the Bengali day-by-day calendar see Durga Puja 2026 dates.

Dussehra (Vijayadashami): Tuesday 20 October

Vijayadashami celebrates Rama's victory over Ravana and Durga's over Mahishasura. It is the day for Shami puja, Ravan Dahan, Vidyarambham and, in many South Indian homes, the closing of Ayudha Puja. In India Dussehra is Tuesday 20 October; Drik's Hyderabad panchang lists Ayudha Puja on the same day, though some calendars mark it on Mon 19 Oct. See the Dussehra 2026 guide and Ayudha and Shami puja vidhi.

Papankusha Ekadashi: Thu 22 Oct in India*

The Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of Ashwina is said to remove sins that weigh on the mind; the fast is broken the next morning (in India, Fri 23 Oct, which is also a Shukra Pradosh). India keeps the fast on Thursday 22 October; abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. In our table, Ekadashi is the tithi at Durban sunrise on Thu 22 Oct, the same day as India. Read more in Papankusha Ekadashi 2026.

Sharad Purnima and Kojagari Lakshmi Puja: Sunday 25 October

On the brightest full moon of autumn, families keep kheer in the moonlight and, in Bengal, Odisha and Assam, stay awake for Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. India keeps it on Sunday 25 October. See Sharad Purnima 2026.

Valmiki Jayanti: Mon 26 Oct in India*

The birthday of the Adi Kavi, author of the Ramayana, is kept on Ashwina Purnima, Monday 26 October, in India; abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. Purnima is the tithi at Durban sunrise on Mon 26 Oct in our table. See Valmiki Jayanti 2026.

Karwa Chauth: Thursday 29 October

Married women fast from before dawn until they see the moon, then break the fast with water from their husband's hands. The day is also Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi for Ganesha devotees (India: Thursday 29 October*). Moonrise is local and varies by city; see Karwa Chauth 2026 moonrise times.

Other observances this month (India dates*)

Thu 15 Oct: Upang Lalita Vrat (Lalita Panchami) — see Lalita Panchami 2026
Fri 16 Oct: Skanda Sashti (monthly) and Saraswati Avahan
Sat 17 Oct: Tula Sankranti, the Sun's entry into Libra — see Tula Sankranti 2026
Wed 21 Oct: Bengal Vijayadashami (Sindoor Khela), Mysore Dasara procession, Madhvacharya Jayanti
Tue 27 Oct: Kartika month begins in North Indian (purnimanta) calendars; Masik Karthigai
Wed 28 Oct: Atla Tadde, the Telugu women's vrat

Looking ahead: early November in South Africa

Ahoi Ashtami falls on Sunday 1 November in India*. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November and Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is Sunday 8 November in South Africa (Drik). The Telugu and Kannada month of Karthika begins on Tuesday 10 November in India; abroad it may fall a day earlier or later — check your local temple. Plan ahead with Diwali 2026 for South Africa and Karthika Masam 2026, and keep the November 2026 calendar for South Africa handy.

Notes for Hindus in South Africa

Durga Ashtami on Sunday 18 October: Drik's South Africa date is a day ahead of India's, while Maha Navami, Dussehra, Sharad Purnima and Karwa Chauth match India.
Purattasi: many Tamil South African families keep Saturday fasts and Govinda prayers in the Tamil month of Purattasi, which ends with the Sun's move into Tula (Tula Sankranti, 17 October in India). Follow your temple or family custom for the closing prayer.
Early sunrises: Durban's sunrise is before 5:30 AM all month, so a sunrise-tithi fast on Ekadashi starts very early; plan meals the evening before.
Johannesburg and Pretoria see sunrise a little later than Durban, which rarely changes a date but can matter on days when a tithi turns near dawn.
Deepavali on Sunday 8 November: community and temple celebrations usually begin in the week before; see our South Africa Diwali guide.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main October 2026 Hindu festivals in South Africa?

Drik Panchang's South Africa list: Navratri from Sunday 11 October, Durga Ashtami on Sunday 18 October, Maha Navami on Monday 19 October, Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October, Sharad Purnima on Sunday 25 October and Karwa Chauth on Thursday 29 October. Smaller observances such as Papankusha Ekadashi (22 Oct) and Valmiki Jayanti (26 Oct) are given with India dates; abroad they may fall a day earlier or later, so check your local temple.

When is Dussehra 2026 in South Africa?

Drik gives Tuesday 20 October for South Africa. Community Ravan Dahan events are often held on a nearby weekend, but Shami puja and Vidyarambham belong to Vijayadashami itself.

When is Karwa Chauth 2026 in South Africa?

Thursday 29 October (Drik). The fast ends at local moonrise, which differs from city to city, so use a local moonrise time rather than India's.

Does South Africa change its clocks in October 2026?

No. South Africa stays on UTC+2 all year, 3 hours 30 minutes behind India. Only the sunrise time moves, from 5:22 AM to 5:01 AM in Durban.

Why can festival dates in South Africa differ from India?

A tithi begins and ends at the same instant everywhere, but each place sees sunrise, sunset and moonrise at its own time. Durban is 3 hours 30 minutes behind India all year. When a tithi changes close to dawn or dusk, the deciding moment can fall on a different calendar day in South Africa. Use the tithi-at-sunrise column in our table to see where that happens.

Which October 2026 festivals fall on a weekend in South Africa?

Navratri Begins (Sun 11 Oct), Durga Ashtami (Sun 18 Oct) and Sharad Purnima (Sun 25 Oct) fall on a Saturday or Sunday. Expect larger crowds at temples on those days, and remember that weekday festivals can still be kept with a short home puja morning or evening.

Editor's note

Editor's note (9 October 2026): this calendar was rebuilt at its original address. Festival dates for South Africa come only from Drik Panchang's South Africa list; the India column comes from Drik Panchang's Hyderabad day panchang. The Durban sunrise and the tithi at sunrise are computed with HinduTone's calculator, validated against Drik Panchang; they are a guide, not a temple ruling. Dates from 1 to 9 October have passed and are covered in last week's panchang. Regional traditions and sampradayas can choose a different day, so follow your temple or family priest where they differ. We do not list temple timings or event details; check each temple's official website.