Sharad Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday, 11 October to Monday, 19 October 2026, and Dussehra (Vijayadashami) falls on Tuesday, 20 October. Ghatasthapana is on the first day, 11 October. Durga Ashtami is on 18 October and Maha Navami on 19 October.
Below are the nine days with the colour traditionally worn on each, and a plain answer to the question most people are really asking — what to actually wear, day by day, without buying nine new outfits.
Navratri 2026 dates
| Day | Date | Weekday | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Ghatasthapana | 11 October 2026 | Sunday | Orange |
| 2 | 12 October 2026 | Monday | White |
| 3 | 13 October 2026 | Tuesday | Red |
| 4 | 14 October 2026 | Wednesday | Royal Blue |
| 5 | 15 October 2026 | Thursday | Yellow |
| 6 | 16 October 2026 | Friday | Green |
| 7 | 17 October 2026 | Saturday | Grey |
| 8 · Durga Ashtami | 18 October 2026 | Sunday | Purple |
| 9 · Maha Navami | 19 October 2026 | Monday | Peacock Green |
| Vijayadashami · Dussehra | 20 October 2026 | Tuesday | — |
The colour order changes every year because it follows the weekday the festival starts on, which is why last year's list will not help you this year. In 2026 Navratri opens on a Sunday, so the sequence begins with orange.
Navratri colours 2026, and what to wear on each day
Day 1, 11 October — Orange
Ghatasthapana morning. Most families are at home for the kalash, so this is a puja-at-home day rather than a dressing-up one. A light cotton or rayon kurta set in orange, marigold or rust does the job, and you can sit in it comfortably for an hour.
Day 2, 12 October — White
White is the one day worth planning for, because most wardrobes have less of it than they think. Off-white, ivory and cream all count. A cream saree with a gold border is the safest version — it reads white in photographs and does not show every mark.
Day 3, 13 October — Red
The easiest day. A red saree is the traditional pick, and red suits nearly every skin tone under evening lighting. If garba starts this week, a red chaniya-style lehenga or a red kurti set with a full skirt moves better than a drape.
Day 4, 14 October — Royal Blue
Royal blue, navy and cobalt all read as blue on the day. A blue saree works for an evening aarti; a blue kurti set is the practical answer if you are going to work first and to the pandal after.
Day 5, 15 October — Yellow
Yellow photographs beautifully in daylight and badly under tube lights, so wear it to a morning or afternoon function if you can choose. A yellow kurti set is easier to carry all day than a yellow saree.
Day 6, 16 October — Green
Friday, and usually the biggest garba night of the week. A green saree for the puja, or a green kurti set with pants or a palazzo if you plan to be on your feet. Emerald, bottle and pista all count as green.
Day 7, 17 October — Grey
The quietest colour on the list, and the one most people improvise. Grey with silver work, or a grey-and-silver combination, keeps it festive rather than office-like. If you do not own grey, a silver-toned outfit is the usual substitute.
Day 8, 18 October — Purple · Durga Ashtami
Ashtami is the day most families do kanya pujan, so dress for a house full of people. A purple saree is the classic Ashtami choice; a purple kurti set is the one to pick if you are the person cooking and serving.
Day 9, 19 October — Peacock Green · Maha Navami
Peacock green sits between green and teal, with a blue cast. Anything in that family reads correct on the day, so a green saree with blue work or a teal drape both count.
What to wear for garba and dandiya
Garba is three hours of continuous movement, and that decides the outfit more than the colour does. Two rules hold every year: pick something with volume at the hem so the skirt moves when you turn, and pick something you are not managing all night. A drape that needs re-pinning between rounds will ruin the evening. A lehenga-style set or a kurti with a full palazzo is easier than a saree unless the saree is pre-pleated.
Keep the jewellery blunt and secure. Oxidised pieces are traditional and, more usefully, they do not catch on a dandiya stick. Leave the long jhumkas for the puja days.
Chaitra Navratri 2026
There are two Navratris in a year. Chaitra Navratri 2026 ran from 19 to 27 March 2026, opening on the same day as Gudi Padwa and Ugadi and closing with Ram Navami. It is observed more quietly than the October one, with fasting at home rather than nine nights of garba. The Navratri people are shopping for now is the Sharad one in October.
How to plan nine days without buying nine outfits
Most people buy two or three new pieces and repeat the rest. A workable split:
- Two garba-night outfits for the busiest nights, usually the weekend and Ashtami. These are the ones worth spending on, because they are the ones being photographed.
- Two comfortable day sets in cotton or rayon for the puja mornings, which you will re-wear long after the festival.
- One dupatta or stole in a hard colour — grey, white or orange. Draped over an outfit you already own, it carries the colour of the day without a new purchase. This is the trick that saves the three awkward days.
Order early. The week before Navratri is when sizes run out, and a courier that would have taken three days takes six.
Where to see it before you buy
SHREE SHIVAM has been in ethnic and bridal wear for over a decade, with seven stores across Central India — Raipur, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Chhindwara, Durg, Jabalpur and Nagpur. The piece you are looking at online is the same one on our shop floor. If you would rather see it move before deciding, book a free 30-minute video shopping call and we will show you the fabric up close and how the skirt falls. Shipping is free across India.
Start with the festive wear collection, or go straight to sarees, kurti sets, lehenga choli or co-ord sets.
Navratri 2026 FAQs
What is the Navratri 2026 date?
Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October 2026 and ends on Monday, 19 October 2026. Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is the next day, Tuesday 20 October 2026.
What are the nine colours of Navratri 2026?
In order from day one: orange, white, red, royal blue, yellow, green, grey, purple and peacock green. The order shifts every year with the weekday the festival begins on.
When is Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami in 2026?
Durga Ashtami falls on Sunday, 18 October 2026 and Maha Navami on Monday, 19 October 2026.
When was Chaitra Navratri 2026?
Chaitra Navratri 2026 was observed from 19 to 27 March 2026. The Navratri in October is Sharad Navratri, the larger of the two.
What should I wear for garba?
Something with volume at the hem that moves when you turn, and that you are not adjusting all night — a lehenga-style set or a kurti with a full palazzo. Keep jewellery secure and short so it does not catch on a dandiya stick.
