Durga Puja 2016 Date — Sunday, October 9, 2016
When is Durga Puja in 2016? Durga Puja 2016 falls on Sunday, October 9, 2016.
Observance: Durga Ashtami (Maha Ashtami). City calendars may vary slightly by sunrise and amanta or purnimanta tradition — confirm with your local mandir.
Durga Puja 2016 — full list of dates
| Observance | Date & day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru Amavasya) | Fri, 30 September 2016 | |
| Navratri begins — Ghatasthapana | Sat, 1 October 2016 | |
| Maha Ashtami | Sun, 9 October 2016 | Sandhi puja |
| Maha Navami | Mon, 10 October 2016 | |
| Vijaya Dashami — Durga visarjan | Tue, 11 October 2016 |
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 |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Wed, 21 October 2015 |
| 2016 | Sun, 9 October 2016 |
| 2017 | Thu, 28 September 2017 |
| 2018 | Wed, 17 October 2018 |
| 2019 | Sun, 6 October 2019 |
Hindu festivals around Durga Puja 2016
- Dussehra 2016 date — Tue, 11 October 2016
- Sharad Purnima 2016 date — Sun, 16 October 2016
- Sharad Navratri 2016 date — Sat, 1 October 2016
- Mahalaya Amavasya 2016 date — Fri, 30 September 2016
- Karva Chauth 2016 date — Wed, 19 October 2016
- Dhanteras 2016 date — Fri, 28 October 2016
- Naraka Chaturdashi 2016 date — Sat, 29 October 2016
- Diwali 2016 date — Sun, 30 October 2016
- Govardhan Puja 2016 date — Mon, 31 October 2016
- Bhai Dooj 2016 date — Tue, 1 November 2016
- Anant Chaturdashi 2016 date — Thu, 15 September 2016
- Onam 2016 date — Wed, 14 September 2016
