Durga Puja 2012 Date — Monday, October 22, 2012
When is Durga Puja in 2012? Durga Puja 2012 falls on Monday, October 22, 2012.
Observance: Durga Ashtami (Maha Ashtami). City calendars may vary slightly by sunrise and amanta or purnimanta tradition — confirm with your local mandir.
Durga Puja 2012 — full list of dates
| Observance | Date & day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru Amavasya) | Mon, 15 October 2012 | |
| Navratri begins — Ghatasthapana | Sun, 16 September 2012 | |
| Maha Ashtami | Mon, 22 October 2012 | Sandhi puja |
| Maha Navami | Tue, 23 October 2012 | |
| Vijaya Dashami — Durga visarjan | Wed, 24 October 2012 |
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 |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Tue, 4 October 2011 |
| 2012 | Mon, 22 October 2012 |
| 2013 | Sat, 12 October 2013 |
| 2014 | Thu, 2 October 2014 |
| 2015 | Wed, 21 October 2015 |
Hindu festivals around Durga Puja 2012
- Dussehra 2012 date — Wed, 24 October 2012
- Sharad Purnima 2012 date — Mon, 29 October 2012
- Mahalaya Amavasya 2012 date — Mon, 15 October 2012
- Karva Chauth 2012 date — Sat, 3 November 2012
- Dhanteras 2012 date — Mon, 12 November 2012
- Diwali 2012 date — Tue, 13 November 2012
- Naraka Chaturdashi 2012 date — Tue, 13 November 2012
- Govardhan Puja 2012 date — Wed, 14 November 2012
- Anant Chaturdashi 2012 date — Sat, 29 September 2012
- Bhai Dooj 2012 date — Thu, 15 November 2012
- Chhath Puja 2012 date — Mon, 19 November 2012
- Skanda Sashti 2012 date — Mon, 19 November 2012
