Navratri and Dasara
Nine nights of the goddess, with the Chaturshrungi fair, garba and dandiya, ending in Dasara: apta leaves as gold, Ravan dahan and new beginnings.
Quick facts
- Month:
- Ashwin, September or October
- Navratri 2026:
- 11 to 19 October 2026
- Dasara 2026:
- Tuesday 20 October 2026
- Known for:
- Chaturshrungi fair, garba, apta leaves, Ravan dahan
Navratri, the nine nights of the goddess, comes in the Marathi month of Ashwin, in September or October. It ends on the tenth day with Dasara, also called Vijayadashami, the day of victory of good over evil.
Ghatasthapana
On the first day, families set up the ghat: a pot of water on a bed of soil sown with grain, with a lamp that is kept burning for all nine days. Each day a fresh garland of flowers is tied above it, and by Dasara the grain has sprouted into green shoots.
Goddess temples of Pune
- Chaturshrungi temple, on the hill off Senapati Bapat Road. A big fair is held at the foot of the hill all through Navratri, with long queues for darshan.
- Tambdi Jogeshwari, Budhwar Peth, one of the gramdevatas of Pune.
- Bhavani Mata temple, Bhavani Peth.
- Mahalakshmi temple, near Saras Baug.
Garba and dandiya nights
In the evenings, garba and dandiya are played in housing societies, community halls, clubs and big grounds across the city, many with live singers and passes. See the Events in Pune page for this year's Navratri events.
Dasara
On Dasara, people exchange the heart-shaped leaves of the apta tree as "gold" and wish each other well, saying "sona ghya, sona sarkhe raha". Tools, books, vehicles and machines are worshipped in the ayudha puja, and doorways are decorated with marigold torans. In some parts of the city, effigies of Ravan are burnt in the evening.
Dasara is one of the sade teen muhurta, the three and a half most auspicious days of the year, so it is a popular day to buy a new home, gold or a vehicle, and to begin something new.
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More in Festivals of Pune
-
Shiv Jayanti
The birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, celebrated on 19 February with processions and programmes.
- Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti The birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on 14 April, marked in Pune with tributes at his statues, processions, music and lectures through the day and night.
-
Diwali
The festival of lights: lamps, kandils, rangoli, faral and shopping crowds on Laxmi Road.
-
Palkhi (Ashadhi Wari)
Every year the palkhis of Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram pass through Pune with lakhs of Varkaris walking to Pandharpur.
-
Gudi Padwa
The Marathi New Year: a gudi at every door, neem and jaggery, shrikhand puri, and shobha yatras with dhol tasha across Pune.
- Holi and Rang Panchami The festival of colours: a Holi bonfire and puran poli on the full moon night, then colours on Dhulivandan and again on Rang Panchami.
Questions and answers
When is Dasara in 2026?
Dasara (Vijayadashami) is on Tuesday 20 October 2026, after Navratri from 11 to 19 October 2026.
Why are apta leaves given on Dasara?
Apta leaves are exchanged as "gold" on Dasara, as a wish for wealth and good luck for the year ahead.
Where is the Navratri fair in Pune?
The biggest fair is at the foot of the Chaturshrungi temple hill, off Senapati Bapat Road.
Sources: Written by PuneDiary. 2026 dates checked against Drik Panchang and news reports on 15 October 2026.