Shardiya Navratri 2026: Auspicious Timings For Kanya Pujan And Ujjain's Century-Old Nagar Puja

Timing And Muhurat

In 2026, the Ashtami tithi begins on October 18 at 8:27 AM and remains active until 10:29 AM on October 19. Based on Udaya tithi, both Mahashtami and Mahanavamiव्रत along with Kanya Pujan will be observed on Monday, October 19. Astrologer Dr. Arunesh Kumar Sharma states that Kanya Pujan should be performed during the best daytime muhurats when Ashtami and Navami fall on the same date. For Mahashtami on October 19, the three best morning and afternoon muhurats include Brahma Muhurat from 4:52 AM to 5:40 AM, Amrit Kaal from 7:28 AM to 9:16 AM, and Abhijit Muhurat from 11:49 AM to 12:34 PM. These windows suit worship, havan, and Kanya Pujan according to personal convenience.

Kanya Pujan Guidelines

Tradition involves inviting young girls aged two to ten years into the home a day before the worship. On the day of the ritual, hosts wake up early, bathe, and clean the worship area with Ganga water. Guests are welcomed warmly, their feet washed in a tray, wiped with clean cloth, and seated on a mat alongside a boy representing Batuk Bhairav. Hosts apply roli or kumkum on the forehead of each girl, offer flowers, and pray for family prosperity while remembering Goddess Durga. Meals consisting of puri, halwa, chana, and other sattvic dishes are served, followed by sweets, fruits, dakshina, gifts, or chunari based on personal capability. The ritual concludes by touching the feet of the young guests for blessings and chanting praises of Goddess Durga.

Ujjain Nagar Puja

Simultaneously in Ujjain during Shardiya Navratri Mahashtami, a centuries-old Nagar Puja tradition is underway. Collector Roshan Kumar Singh offered prayers and liquor to Mahamaya and Mahalaya Mata at the Choubisa Khamba Mata temple at 8 AM. Following this, an official government worship team set out on a 26-kilometer walking journey to protect the city from disasters and pray for public well-being. The team pours liquor drops from a clay pot while visiting roughly 40 temples dedicated to goddesses, Bhairav, and Hanuman. Liquor is offered at goddess and Bhairav shrines while flags are dedicated at Hanuman temples. The administration arranges around 45 items of puja material two days in advance, including balbakal, puris, and bhajias prepared by revenue staff like Patwari Bhagwan Singh Yadav. The Excise Department supplies 30 free bottles of liquor requested via the SDM office, with total ritual expenses amounting to roughly 18,000 rupees.

Context

Shardiya Navratri is a major Hindu festival spanning nine nights and ten days dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga in her various forms. While Kanya Pujan honors young girls as manifestations of the divine feminine energy during Ashtami or Navami, regional civic rituals like Ujjain's Nagar Puja reflect ancient administrative traditions blending local governance with deep-rooted religious customs.