✍️ By Rahul Goyal · Chandigarh Life
Quick answer: The festival dates left in 2026 for Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula: Navratri begins on Sunday, 11 October; Durga Ashtami is Monday, 19 October; Dussehra is Tuesday, 20 October; Karwa Chauth is Thursday, 29 October; Dhanteras is Friday, 6 November; Diwali is Sunday, 8 November; Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, 11 November; the Chhath evening arghya is Sunday, 15 November; and Gurpurab is Tuesday, 24 November. Each date is checked against the Chandigarh Administration’s holiday notification for 2026, and puja timings are calculated for Chandigarh, not Delhi.
Festival dates move every year with the lunar calendar, and 2026 has two quirks worth knowing before you plan leave, travel or a family get-together. One lunar day repeats in the middle of Navratri, which shifts Ashtami and Navami. And Govardhan Puja lands on different days depending on whether you follow the government holiday list or the panchang. This page sets out every date with its weekday, says which are holidays in Chandigarh, and links to our detailed guide for each festival.
Chandigarh Festival Dates 2026 at a Glance
| Festival | Date in 2026 | Holiday in Chandigarh? | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Monday, 14 September | Restricted holiday | Ganesh Chaturthi guide |
| Ganesh Visarjan (Anant Chaturdashi) | Friday, 25 September | Not a listed holiday | Maharashtra Bhawan |
| Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana) | Sunday, 11 October | Not a listed holiday | Navratri guide |
| Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti | Sunday, 11 October | Restricted holiday | Agrasen Jayanti guide |
| Durga Ashtami | Monday, 19 October | Not a listed holiday | Durga Puja guide |
| Maha Navami | Tuesday, 20 October | Not a listed holiday | Kalibari Mandir |
| Dussehra (Vijayadashami) | Tuesday, 20 October | Public holiday | Dussehra guide · Panchkula · Ramlila |
| Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti | Monday, 26 October | Public holiday | — |
| Karwa Chauth | Thursday, 29 October | Restricted holiday | Karwa Chauth guide |
| Dhanteras | Friday, 6 November | Not a listed holiday | Dhanteras guide |
| Diwali | Sunday, 8 November | Public holiday | Diwali guide · events |
| Govardhan Puja | Tuesday, 10 November by panchang; Monday, 9 November in the government list | Restricted holiday (9 November) | Govardhan Puja guide |
| Bhai Dooj | Wednesday, 11 November | Restricted holiday | Bhai Dooj guide |
| Chhath Puja | 13–16 November; evening arghya on Sunday, 15 November | Restricted holiday (15 November) | Chhath Puja guide |
| Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) | Tuesday, 24 November | Public holiday | Gurpurab guide |
| Christmas | Friday, 25 December | Public holiday | Christmas guide |
“Public holiday” and “restricted holiday” follow the Chandigarh Administration’s notification: offices close on public holidays, while each employee picks two restricted holidays from the list.
Navratri 2026, Day by Day
Sharad Navratri runs from Sunday, 11 October to Tuesday, 20 October. For Ghatasthapana on the first morning, the muhurat in Chandigarh is 6:22 AM to 10:14 AM; if you miss it, the Abhijit muhurat runs from 11:46 AM to 12:32 PM.
| Date | Tithi | Goddess worshipped |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 11 October | Pratipada | Shailputri — Ghatasthapana |
| Monday, 12 October | Dwitiya | Brahmacharini |
| Tuesday, 13 October | Tritiya | Chandraghanta |
| Wednesday, 14 October | Chaturthi | Kushmanda |
| Thursday, 15 October | Panchami | Skandamata |
| Friday, 16 October | Shashthi | Katyayani |
| Saturday, 17 October | Saptami | Kalaratri |
| Sunday, 18 October | Saptami continues | — |
| Monday, 19 October | Ashtami | Mahagauri — Durga Ashtami, Kanya Pujan |
| Tuesday, 20 October | Navami | Siddhidatri — Maha Navami and Dussehra on the same day |
The Saptami tithi stretches across both 17 and 18 October. That pushes Ashtami to Monday the 19th and Navami to Tuesday the 20th, the same day as Dussehra. Count eight days forward from the 11th and you land on Sunday the 18th for Ashtami — which is the mistake to avoid when booking Kanya Pujan or a Durga Puja visit.
Where to go: our Navratri in Chandigarh guide covers temples and pandals, with separate pages for the Mansa Devi Navratri mela in Panchkula, Chandi Mata Mandir, Kalibari Mandir’s Durga Puja, dandiya and garba nights and the Ramlila venues across the tricity.
Diwali Week 2026: Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj
| Date | Occasion | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 6 November | Dhanteras | The gold, silver and utensil-buying day; markets are busiest this evening |
| Saturday, 7 November | Kali Chaudas | The eve of Diwali |
| Sunday, 8 November | Narak Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja and Diwali | Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Chandigarh: 5:52 PM to 7:46 PM |
| Monday, 9 November | Govardhan Puja in the government holiday list | Pratipada begins at 12:31 PM |
| Tuesday, 10 November | Govardhan Puja and Annakut by panchang | Morning muhurat in Chandigarh: 6:45 AM to 8:53 AM |
| Wednesday, 11 November | Bhai Dooj | Closes the five days |
Why two dates for Govardhan Puja? The Pratipada tithi begins at 12:31 PM on 9 November and ends at 2:00 PM on 10 November. The panchang places the puja on the morning the tithi is present at sunrise, which is the 10th. The Chandigarh Administration and the central government list it on the 9th. Neither is a misprint; ask your temple which one it follows. Details are in our Govardhan Puja guide.
Diwali falls on a Sunday this year, so the shopping rush builds across the weekend of 6–8 November. Our Diwali events calendar lists the fairs and exhibitions in the run-up.
Five Dates That Are Easy to Get Wrong in 2026
- Dussehra is Tuesday, 20 October — not the 19th.
- Durga Ashtami is Monday, 19 October — not the 18th, because Saptami repeats.
- Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, 11 November — not the 10th. There is a gap day after Diwali this year.
- Govardhan Puja is the 9th in the government list and the 10th by panchang. Both are in use.
- Ganesh Visarjan was on Friday, 25 September — eleven days after Ganesh Chaturthi, one more than usual.
Where These Dates Come From
- Chandigarh Administration, Home Department — Notification No. 6/1/1-IH(I)-2025/17488, dated 30 December 2025: the public and restricted holidays for 2026 in the Union Territory.
- Department of Personnel and Training — holidays for central government offices, 2026: confirms Diwali on Sunday, 8 November, Maha Ashtami on 19 October and Maha Navami on 20 October.
- Drik Panchang, calculated for Chandigarh: tithi timings and muhurats. Timings differ by city, so figures quoted for Delhi will be a few minutes off here.
If a notification changes a date, we update this page and the festival guide it links to.
FAQs
When does Navratri 2026 start in Chandigarh?
Sharad Navratri 2026 starts on Sunday, 11 October. The Ghatasthapana muhurat in Chandigarh is 6:22 AM to 10:14 AM, with the Abhijit muhurat from 11:46 AM to 12:32 PM. It ends with Maha Navami and Dussehra on Tuesday, 20 October.
When is Dussehra 2026?
Dussehra 2026 is on Tuesday, 20 October. It is a public holiday in Chandigarh, and this year it falls on the same day as Maha Navami.
When is Durga Ashtami 2026?
Durga Ashtami 2026 is on Monday, 19 October, not the 18th. The Saptami tithi runs across both 17 and 18 October, which moves Ashtami a day later than a simple count from the first day of Navratri suggests.
When is Diwali 2026 and what is the Lakshmi Puja time in Chandigarh?
Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat calculated for Chandigarh is 5:52 PM to 7:46 PM.
Is Govardhan Puja on 9 or 10 November 2026?
Both dates are in use. The panchang places Govardhan Puja on Tuesday, 10 November, because the Pratipada tithi runs from 12:31 PM on 9 November to 2:00 PM on 10 November. The Chandigarh Administration and the central government holiday lists mark it on Monday, 9 November. Check which day your temple follows.
When is Karwa Chauth 2026 and when does the moon rise in Chandigarh?
Karwa Chauth 2026 is on Thursday, 29 October. In Chandigarh the puja muhurat is 5:38 PM to 6:55 PM and moonrise is at 8:12 PM.
Which festival days are public holidays in Chandigarh for the rest of 2026?
Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October, Dussehra on 20 October, Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti on 26 October, Diwali on 8 November, Guru Nanak Jayanti on 24 November and Christmas on 25 December are public holidays under the Chandigarh Administration notification for 2026. Karwa Chauth, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj and Chhath Puja are restricted holidays, which employees may choose from.
