Chaitra Navratri चैत्र नवरात्रि
Falls on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (9 days) · usually March–April
Chaitra Navratri is celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (9 days), usually in March–April. Nine nights of worship for strength, purification and new beginnings, marking the start of the new samvat year. It is a favoured time for spiritual resolves and vrat.
Chaitra Navratri at a glance
| Falls on | Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (9 days) |
| Usual month | March–April |
| Category | Devi |
The story behind Chaitra Navratri
Chaitra Navratri, the spring nine-nights, honours the nine forms of Goddess Durga (Navadurga). It also opens the Hindu lunar new year in many regions and leads up to Ram Navami, the birth of Lord Rama, on its ninth day.
Significance of Chaitra Navratri
Nine nights of worship for strength, purification and new beginnings, marking the start of the new samvat year. It is a favoured time for spiritual resolves and vrat.
How Chaitra Navratri is celebrated
- Ghatasthapana (kalash sthapana) on the first day to invoke the Goddess
- Worshipping one form of Navadurga each of the nine days
- Fasting (many keep fruit/vrat food through the nine days)
- Sowing barley seeds (jvara) and reciting Durga Saptashati
- Kanya pujan on Ashtami/Navami
Regional variations
It coincides with Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Ugadi in the Deccan, Cheti Chand for Sindhis, and Navreh in Kashmir — new-year celebrations across regions.
Festive foods of Chaitra Navratri
Traditional dishes prepared for Chaitra Navratri include vrat foods — kuttu/singhara dishes, sabudana, fruit; and new-year sweets like shrikhand and puran poli.
Quick tips
- Set up the kalash on day one and keep the nine-day discipline
- Read the Durga Saptashati or Devi mantras daily
Choosing the muhurat on Chaitra Navratri
Chaitra Navratri falls on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (9 days). To choose an auspicious time on the day, open the muhurat planner for your city and check the day's choghadiya and the Rahu Kaal to avoid. For the exact date this year, see the panchang calendar, and for weddings or a housewarming near this festival, confirm the muhurat with a qualified pandit.
Hindu festival dates follow the lunar calendar and vary each year; regional traditions can differ by a day. For the exact date this year, confirm with your local panchang or pandit.
Common questions
When is Chaitra Navratri celebrated?
Chaitra Navratri falls on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (9 days) in the Hindu lunar calendar, usually in March–April. The exact Gregorian date changes each year — confirm with your local panchang or the panchang calendar.
Why is Chaitra Navratri celebrated?
Chaitra Navratri, the spring nine-nights, honours the nine forms of Goddess Durga (Navadurga). It also opens the Hindu lunar new year in many regions and leads up to Ram Navami, the birth of Lord Rama, on its ninth day.
How is Chaitra Navratri observed?
Common observances include Ghatasthapana (kalash sthapana) on the first day to invoke the Goddess; Worshipping one form of Navadurga each of the nine days; Fasting (many keep fruit/vrat food through the nine days); Sowing barley seeds (jvara) and reciting Durga Saptashati.
How is Chaitra Navratri celebrated in different regions?
It coincides with Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Ugadi in the Deccan, Cheti Chand for Sindhis, and Navreh in Kashmir — new-year celebrations across regions.
What foods are made for Chaitra Navratri?
Traditional dishes include vrat foods — kuttu/singhara dishes, sabudana, fruit; and new-year sweets like shrikhand and puran poli.