Amit
Every year, about a week before Navratri, the same messages start flying around the group chat. “Which day is which colour again?” “Is Ghatasthapana on the 11th or the 12th?” “What am I wearing for garba night?”
We get it. Nine nights is a long festival, and keeping track of it all is half the work. So here’s one place for the essentials: the dates, the daily colours, a few ways people celebrate across India, and a look at the three new Navratri tees we just dropped at MerchGarage Originals.
Navratri 2026 Dates at a Glance
Shardiya Navratri, the autumn one and the most widely celebrated of the year’s Navratris, begins this year on Sunday, 11 October 2026 with Ghatasthapana. The ninth day, Maha Navami, falls on Monday, 19 October, and Vijayadashami (Dussehra) follows on Tuesday, 20 October.
For Ghatasthapana, one commonly used panchang lists a morning window of roughly 6:19 AM to 10:12 AM for Delhi, with the Abhijit muhurat around midday as an alternative. Timings shift by city, and a few calendars place the start a day later because of how they calculate the tithi. So check your local panchang or ask your family pandit before you set the kalash. We checked several calendars while putting this together, and the 11 October start is the one most of them agree on.
The Nine Days, Goddesses and Colours
Each night is dedicated to a different form of Goddess Durga. The colour for each day is a popular modern tradition tied to the weekday rather than something fixed in scripture, so you’ll see small variations from region to region. Here’s the usual list for 2026:
| Day | Date | Goddess | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, 11 Oct | Shailaputri | Orange |
| 2 | Mon, 12 Oct | Brahmacharini | White |
| 3 | Tue, 13 Oct | Chandraghanta | Red |
| 4 | Wed, 14 Oct | Kushmanda | Royal blue |
| 5 | Thu, 15 Oct | Skandamata | Yellow |
| 6 | Fri, 16 Oct | Katyayani | Green |
| 7 | Sat, 17 Oct | Kalaratri | Grey |
| 8 | Sun, 18 Oct | Mahagauri | Orange |
| 9 | Mon, 19 Oct | Siddhidatri | White |
Because the colour follows the weekday, Sunday and Monday show up twice. Don’t panic if a calendar you find online shows a slightly different order. Many families simply wear whatever feels right, and nobody is checking.
How India Celebrates (It Looks Different Everywhere)
One of our favourite things about Navratri is that it has no single look.
Gujarat is where the garba and dandiya raas energy comes from. Circles of people move in rhythm around a lit lamp or an image of the Goddess, clapping or striking sticks in time with the music. It goes on late into the night.
Bengal celebrates Durga Puja, with elaborate pandals, evening aarti and the dhunuchi naach, a dance performed with a clay burner of smoking incense held in the hands. It takes balance and practice, and it’s wonderful to watch.
North India leans towards fasting, kanya pujan on Ashtami or Navami, and Ramlila performances that build up to Dussehra and the burning of Ravana effigies.
South India has Golu, the arrangement of dolls on stepped displays at home, with neighbours dropping by to see them.
If you’re fasting, the usual Navratri meals include kuttu or singhara flour rotis, sabudana, makhana, potatoes and fruit. If you have a health condition or you’re fasting for the first time, it’s sensible to check with a doctor first, and to drink enough water.
A Few Practical Tips for Garba Nights
We’ve watched enough people overheat in heavy outfits to have opinions. Choose breathable cotton, since a few hours of dancing is a proper workout. Wear flat, secure shoes and save the stiff new pair for photos. Carry only water, a handkerchief and your phone. And leave early, because pandal traffic is no joke.
If a full chaniya choli or kurta feels like too much for a weekday evening, a good graphic tee is a perfectly fine way to join in. That’s where our new drop comes in.
New at MerchGarage Originals: Three Navratri Tees
We designed this small set for people who want to feel festive without the outfit planning. Each one carries a Navratri-flavoured line or motif and works as an everyday tee once the festival ends.
Raas Rebel (Royal Blue). Chunky hand-lettered type in yellow and hot pink, with a pair of decorated dandiya sticks beside it. It’s loud in the best way, and blue happens to be the Day 4 colour this year, if you like matching the calendar.
Dhunuchi Naach Loading… (White). A tiny dhunuchi on the chest and a progress bar underneath, with the caption “Dhunuchi Naach Loading…”. This one is a wink to anyone who has waited all year for the Durga Puja dance floor. White is the Day 2 and Day 9 colour.
Dandiya. Garba. Repeat. (Black). Three words in pink, blue and yellow, stacked in bold script, with dandiya sticks crossing beside them. It sums up the nine nights fairly well. Black also hides sweat and dust, which you’ll appreciate by the seventh night.
Styling ideas
- Pair Raas Rebel with white or cream trousers, or with light denim and white sneakers.
- Wear Dhunuchi Naach Loading… under an open shirt or a light jacket. The small print rewards close attention.
- Style Dandiya. Garba. Repeat. with relaxed jeans and a pair of silver or oxidised earrings or a chain. The black base lets the colours do the talking.
For fabric, fit and size details, please see each product page. If you’ve bought from MerchGarage Originals before, you’ll know the sizing guide is worth a look before ordering.
About MerchGarage
MerchGarage is India’s first creator-driven premium merchandise platform and the official YouTube India Merch Shelf partner. MerchGarage Originals is our own label, designed for young people across Indian metros who want clothes that fit their personality and their calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Navratri 2026 start?
Shardiya Navratri begins on Sunday, 11 October 2026 with Ghatasthapana. Some calendars differ by a day, so confirm with your local panchang.
When is Dussehra in 2026?
Vijayadashami falls on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, the day after Maha Navami.
What colour should I wear on the first day?
Orange, going by the weekday scheme, since the festival begins on a Sunday.
What is dhunuchi naach?
It’s a Bengali devotional dance performed during Durga Puja, in which dancers balance clay burners filled with burning incense while moving to dhak drum beats.
