Durga Puja 2003 Date — Friday, October 3, 2003
When is Durga Puja in 2003? Durga Puja 2003 falls on Friday, October 3, 2003.
Observance: Durga Ashtami (Maha Ashtami). City calendars may vary slightly by sunrise and amanta or purnimanta tradition — confirm with your local mandir.
Durga Puja 2003 — full list of dates
| Observance | Date & day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru Amavasya) | Fri, 26 September 2003 | |
| Navratri begins — Ghatasthapana | Fri, 26 September 2003 | |
| Maha Ashtami | Fri, 3 October 2003 | Sandhi puja |
| Maha Navami | Sat, 4 October 2003 | |
| Vijaya Dashami — Durga visarjan | Sun, 5 October 2003 |
Why we celebrate
Day 8 — Mahagauri; Kumari puja and sandhi puja in Bengal.
How it is celebrated
Daily Devi puja, golu/kolu display in South India, garba/dandiya in Gujarat, Durga puja in Bengal. Fasting or sattvic diet through nine days.
Puja timing
Morning and evening puja; Ghatasthapana on Day 1 during Shubh muhurta. Sandhya arati each night.
Foods & offerings
Fasting foods: sabudana, kuttu, fruits, milk. South India: sundal prasadam daily. Bengal: bhog to Ma Durga.
Rituals
- Ghatasthapana (Day 1): establish kalash, invoke Durga, sow barley/jowar.
- Daily: lamp, Devi stotram, offer flowers and naivedyam.
- Color-coded dress optional per day; visit temples for alankaram darshan.
- Kanya puja (invite young girls as Devi) on Ashtami or Navami in many homes.
- Ayudha puja / Saraswati puja on Mahanavami in several regions.
- Vijayadashami: visarjan, sindoor khela, and new beginnings.
Durga Puja dates by year
| Year | Date & day |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Sun, 13 October 2002 |
| 2003 | Fri, 3 October 2003 |
| 2004 | Thu, 21 October 2004 |
| 2005 | Tue, 11 October 2005 |
| 2006 | Sat, 30 September 2006 |
Hindu festivals around Durga Puja 2003
- Dussehra 2003 date — Sun, 5 October 2003
- Sharad Navratri 2003 date — Fri, 26 September 2003
- Sharad Purnima 2003 date — Fri, 10 October 2003
- Mahalaya Amavasya 2003 date — Fri, 26 September 2003
- Karva Chauth 2003 date — Tue, 14 October 2003
- Dhanteras 2003 date — Thu, 23 October 2003
- Naraka Chaturdashi 2003 date — Fri, 24 October 2003
- Diwali 2003 date — Sat, 25 October 2003
- Govardhan Puja 2003 date — Sun, 26 October 2003
- Bhai Dooj 2003 date — Mon, 27 October 2003
- Anant Chaturdashi 2003 date — Tue, 9 September 2003
- Onam 2003 date — Mon, 8 September 2003
