Kanya Pujan 2026: Ashtami & Navami Dates and Home Vidhi

Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday, 19 October 2026 in the New Delhi Panchang. When to do Kanya Pujan this year, and a simple home vidhi.

झटपट सार · Hindi and Hinglish summary

झटपट उत्तर: Drik Panchang (नई दिल्ली) के अनुसार 2026 में दुर्गा अष्टमी सोमवार, 19 अक्टूबर को है; अष्टमी तिथि सुबह 10:51 बजे समाप्त होकर नवमी शुरू होती है, और संधि पूजा का समय 10:27 से 11:15 बजे है। नवमी तिथि 20 अक्टूबर दोपहर 12:50 बजे तक है। अष्टमी पर कन्या पूजन करने वाले 19 अक्टूबर, और नवमी पर करने वाले अपने परिवार या पंचांग के अनुसार 19 या 20 अक्टूबर चुनें।

Jhatpat uttar: Drik Panchang (New Delhi) ke anusar 2026 mein Durga Ashtami Somvar, 19 October ko hai; Ashtami tithi subah 10:51 par khatam hokar Navami shuru hoti hai, aur Sandhi Puja 10:27 se 11:15 tak hai. Navami tithi 20 October dopahar 12:50 tak hai. Ashtami par Kanya Pujan karne wale 19 October, aur Navami par karne wale apne parivar ya Panchang ke hisab se 19 ya 20 October chunein.

Quick answer: In the New Delhi Panchang from Drik Panchang, Durga Ashtami 2026 is on Monday, 19 October. Ashtami tithi ends at 10:51 AM that morning, when Navami begins, so Maha Navami is also listed on 19 October; Navami tithi continues until 12:50 PM on Tuesday, 20 October. Families who do Kanya Pujan on Ashtami can do it on 19 October. Families who do it on Navami should follow their own tradition or local Panchang for 19 or 20 October (checked on 24 September 2026).

1. Ashtami and Navami 2026: Why Both Fall on 19 October

Hindu festival days follow the tithi (lunar day), which does not line up neatly with calendar days. In 2026, the cited New Delhi calendar shows Saptami across two sunrises (17 and 18 October), and then both Ashtami and Navami on Monday, 19 October:

Ashtami tithi: 08:27 AM on 18 October to 10:51 AM on 19 October.
Sandhi Puja (the junction of Ashtami and Navami): 10:27 AM to 11:15 AM on 19 October.
Navami tithi: 10:51 AM on 19 October to 12:50 PM on 20 October.
20 October: Navami Homa, Navratri Parana and Vijayadashami (Dussehra).

Other calendars resolve this differently. The Government of India's 2026 restricted-holiday list records Mahashtami on 19 October but Mahanavami on 20 October, the same day as Dussehra. Neither is wrong; they follow different conventions. These times are for New Delhi only, so check a Panchang for your own city.

2. What Kanya Pujan Is

Kanya Pujan — also called Kanjak or Kumari Puja — honours young girls as living forms of the Devi, usually on Ashtami or Navami at the close of Navratri. Many families invite nine girls, representing the nine forms of Navdurga, and often one young boy as Bhairav or Langur. The number, the age range and the day all vary by family and region, so follow your own tradition.

3. A Simple Home Vidhi

A commonly followed sequence:

Prepare the bhog. Many families make puri, black chana and halwa, cooked fresh and offered first to the Devi.
Welcome the girls. Seat them on a clean asana or mat, and wash their feet with clean water as a mark of respect.
Offer tilak and kalava. Apply roli and akshat, tie a sacred thread, and offer flowers.
Serve the bhog. Serve the prepared food on clean plates, and do a short aarti with a puja thali and diya.
Give a small gift. Many offer fruit, a small gift or dakshina, and seek the girls' blessings before they leave.

For the full list of items, see the Navratri pooja samagri checklist.

4. Practical Care

Invite the girls through their parents, and keep the gathering comfortable and brief. Ask about food allergies or dietary needs beforehand, keep the food and water clean, and never ask a child to fast. Devotion and respect matter more than the number of guests or the size of the meal.

5. Around Kanya Pujan

See the Navratri colours 2026 table for every day's Devi and colour, the Navratri 2026 guide for the whole observance, and read the curated Navdurga Stuti or the complete Siddha Kunjika Stotram on the day.

Verification and sources

Verification levels

Source cross-checked
Variant documented
Scope disclosed
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Sources

Prepared by: Valkala Editorial

Method: On 24 September 2026, the Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami dates, tithi timings and Sandhi Puja window were checked against Drik Panchang's New Delhi Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami and Shardiya Navratri calendar pages, and compared with the Government of India DoPT 2026 restricted-holiday list, which records Mahashtami on 19 October and Mahanavami on 20 October. The disagreement is disclosed. The Kanya Pujan sequence is a common home version checked against the cited general references; no specific ritual outcome is promised.

Expert review: Not performed

Last verified: 2026-09-24

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is Kanya Pujan in 2026?

In the New Delhi Panchang from Drik Panchang, Durga Ashtami 2026 is on Monday, 19 October, and Maha Navami is also listed that day because Navami begins at 10:51 AM. Navami tithi continues until 12:50 PM on 20 October. Families who do Kanya Pujan on Ashtami can do it on 19 October; for Navami, follow your family tradition or local Panchang for 19 or 20 October.

Why are Ashtami and Navami on the same day in 2026?

Festival days follow the tithi, not the calendar date. In the cited New Delhi calendar, Saptami spans 17 and 18 October, Ashtami ends at 10:51 AM on 19 October and Navami begins at once, so both are observed that day. Some calendars, including the Government of India restricted-holiday list, place Mahanavami on 20 October instead.

How many girls are invited for Kanya Pujan?

Many families invite nine girls, representing the nine forms of Navdurga, often with one young boy as Bhairav or Langur. The number and age range vary by family and region, and inviting fewer is common; follow your own tradition.

What food is served in Kanya Pujan?

A common bhog is puri, black chana and halwa, offered first to the Devi and then served to the girls. Ask about allergies or dietary needs beforehand, and follow your family's practice.