Mahalaya today: tithi timings, rituals and Durga Puja 2026 dates
Mahalaya falls on Saturday, 10 October, ending Pitru Paksha and starting Devi Paksha. Here are the tithi timings, rituals and the Durga Puja 2026 dates.
Mahalaya is being observed today, Saturday, 10 October. The new moon day of the month of Ashwin marks the end of Pitru Paksha, the fortnight dedicated to ancestors, and the start of Devi Paksha, the countdown to Durga Puja.
According to Pratidin Time, the Amavasya tithi began at 9.35 pm on 9 October and ends at 9.19 pm on 10 October. In parts of India the day is also known as Sarva Pitru Amavasya, The Sunday Guardian reported.
Why Mahalaya matters
In Hindu belief, Mahalaya is the day Goddess Durga begins her journey from Mount Kailash to her parental home on Earth, The Sunday Guardian reported. It is also a day to honour ancestors, especially for families who could not perform rituals during Pitru Paksha.
Rituals of the day
- Tarpan: offering water, often with black sesame seeds, to ancestors, at riverbanks and ghats or at home
- Pinda daan: offering rice for the peace of departed souls
- Charity: donating food, clothes or money, and feeding people and animals, in memory of ancestors
- Chokkhu daan: the painting of the eyes of Durga idols, which marks their completion in Kolkata’s Kumartuli
The dawn broadcast
For many Bengali households, Mahalaya begins before sunrise with Mahishasura Mardini, a radio programme of Sanskrit chants and Bengali devotional songs narrated by Birendra Krishna Bhadra, The Sunday Guardian reported. Pratidin Time described the pre-dawn recitation as closely tied to the start of the Durga Puja season.
Durga Puja 2026 dates
According to The Sunday Guardian, Navratri begins on 11 October and the main days of Durga Puja fall as follows:
- Maha Shashthi: Friday, 16 October
- Maha Saptami: Saturday, 17 October
- Maha Ashtami: Monday, 19 October
- Maha Navami: Tuesday, 20 October
- Vijaya Dashami: Wednesday, 21 October
The publication noted that puja timings and observances can vary with regional calendars and local traditions, so devotees should check with their local puja committee or priest.
Sources: Pratidin Time, The Sunday Guardian.
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