Durga Puja 2026 date and calendar for Kolkata
Durga Puja 2026 runs from Shashti, Friday, 16 October to Bijoya Dashami, Tuesday, 20 October. Mahalaya is on Saturday, 10 October.
6 days left until Durga Puja 2026 begins on Shashti.
- Mahalaya10 Oct 2026
- Shashti16 Oct 2026
- Saptami17–18 Oct 2026
- Ashtami19 Oct 2026
- Navami19 Oct 2026
- Dashami20 Oct 2026
Day-by-day calendar, Mahalaya to Bijoya
Dates from the Bengali panjika. Crowd levels are for the evening at the big pandals.
| Day | Date | What happens | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya মহালয়া | Saturday, 10 October 2026 | Tarpan at the ghats at dawn, and the idol's eyes go on: chokkhu daan. | Quiet |
| Pratipada প্রথমা | Sunday, 11 October 2026 | Devipaksha is under way, but nothing is unveiled yet. | Quiet |
| Dwitiya দ্বিতীয়া | Monday, 12 October 2026 | Idols start leaving the potters lanes for the pandals. | Quiet |
| Tritiya তৃতীয়া | Tuesday, 13 October 2026 | Shops stay open late and the queues start at Gariahat and Hatibagan. | Building |
| Chaturthi চতুর্থী | Wednesday, 14 October 2026 | Some of the bigger pujas quietly open a day early to spread the crowd. | Building |
| Panchami পঞ্চমী | Thursday, 15 October 2026 | Bamboo comes down, lights go up, and the early crowds start walking. | Busy |
| Shashti ষষ্ঠী | Friday, 16 October 2026 | The idol is unveiled, the gates open, and Kolkata stops sleeping for five days. | Busy |
| Saptami সপ্তমী | Saturday, 17 October 2026 – Sunday, 18 October 2026 | Kola bou is carried back to the pandal in a wet saree before the sun is properly up. | Peak |
| Ashtami অষ্টমী | Monday, 19 October 2026 | The biggest day. Pushpanjali in the morning, sandhi puja at dusk, queues everywhere. | Peak |
| Navami নবমী | Monday, 19 October 2026 | Everyone walks until morning, because tomorrow she leaves and everyone knows it. | Peak |
| Dashami দশমী | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 | Boron, vermillion on every face, and then the immersion procession to the river. | Busy |
| Bijoya বিজয়া | Wednesday, 21 October 2026 | Kolakuli, sweets, and Bijoya greetings that carry on for a fortnight. | Quiet |
Durga Puja 2026 dates: questions
When is Durga Puja 2026?
Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata runs for 5 days, from Shashti on Friday, 16 October to Bijoya Dashami on Tuesday, 20 October. Mahalaya, which opens Devipaksha, falls on Saturday, 10 October.
How many days are left for Durga Puja 2026?
As of 10 Oct 2026, 6 days are left until Shashti on Friday, 16 October, when the idols are unveiled. Many big pandals open to visitors a day or two earlier, on Chaturthi or Panchami.
When are Saptami, Ashtami and Navami in 2026?
Maha Saptami is on Saturday, 17 and Sunday, 18 October (the tithi runs two days this year), Maha Ashtami on Monday, 19 October and Maha Navami on Monday, 19 October. Ashtami is the biggest day, with Pushpanjali in the morning and Sandhi Puja where Ashtami turns into Navami. These three nights are the most crowded.
How many days is Durga Puja 2026?
The puja itself runs 5 days this year, Shashti to Dashami. Kolkata counts it longer: Devipaksha starts on Mahalaya (Saturday, 10 October), and pandal hopping usually starts by Chaturthi or Panchami.
When is Bijoya Dashami and sindoor khela in 2026?
Bijoya Dashami is on Tuesday, 20 October. Married women play sindoor khela after the Debi Boron that morning, and the immersion processions to the Ganga follow through the afternoon and evening.
Durga Puja 2026 kab hai?
Durga Puja 2026 Kolkata mein 16 Oct 2026 (Shashti) se 20 Oct 2026 (Dashami) tak hai. Saptami 17–18 Oct 2026, Ashtami 19 Oct 2026 aur Navami 19 Oct 2026 ko hai.
Why does the date of Durga Puja change every year?
The puja follows tithis, the days of the lunar calendar, rather than fixed solar dates. Bengali panjikas work them out for each year, so Shashti can fall anywhere from late September to late October.