Durga Puja 2018 Date — Wednesday, October 17, 2018
When is Durga Puja in 2018? Durga Puja 2018 falls on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.
Observance: Durga Ashtami (Maha Ashtami). City calendars may vary slightly by sunrise and amanta or purnimanta tradition — confirm with your local mandir.
Durga Puja 2018 — full list of dates
| Observance | Date & day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru Amavasya) | Tue, 9 October 2018 | |
| Navratri begins — Ghatasthapana | Wed, 10 October 2018 | |
| Maha Ashtami | Wed, 17 October 2018 | Sandhi puja |
| Maha Navami | Thu, 18 October 2018 | |
| Vijaya Dashami — Durga visarjan | Fri, 19 October 2018 |
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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Thu, 28 September 2017 |
| 2018 | Wed, 17 October 2018 |
| 2019 | Sun, 6 October 2019 |
| 2020 | Sat, 24 October 2020 |
| 2021 | Wed, 13 October 2021 |
Hindu festivals around Durga Puja 2018
- Dussehra 2018 date — Fri, 19 October 2018
- Sharad Navratri 2018 date — Wed, 10 October 2018
- Sharad Purnima 2018 date — Wed, 24 October 2018
- Mahalaya Amavasya 2018 date — Tue, 9 October 2018
- Karva Chauth 2018 date — Sun, 28 October 2018
- Dhanteras 2018 date — Mon, 5 November 2018
- Naraka Chaturdashi 2018 date — Tue, 6 November 2018
- Diwali 2018 date — Wed, 7 November 2018
- Govardhan Puja 2018 date — Thu, 8 November 2018
- Bhai Dooj 2018 date — Fri, 9 November 2018
- Anant Chaturdashi 2018 date — Sun, 23 September 2018
- Chhath Puja 2018 date — Tue, 13 November 2018
