Ashadha Gupt Navratri 2026 begins July 15 with Kalash ceremony

The Ashadha Gupt Navratri festival starts on July 15, 2026 and runs until July 23, 2026. The first day is marked by the ritual of Ghatsthapana (Kalash Sthapana), in which devotees install a sacred pot filled with water, mango leaves, a red‑clothed coconut and other auspicious items.

According to the Hindu Panchang, the auspicious muhurat for the Kalash installation runs from about 5:33 am to 10:09 am on the first day. The ceremony is believed to attract positive energy and the blessings of Goddess Durga and the ten Mahavidyas—Kali, Tara, Tripur Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Chhinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Baglamukhi, Matangi and Kamala.

Devotees observe a nine‑day fast, following sattvic dietary rules that permit fruits, sabudana, makhana, various flours (kuttu, singhara), dairy and water, while avoiding grains, meat, onion, garlic and processed foods. Daily prayers include mantra recitation, Durga Chalisa or Durga Saptashati, and aarti. The Kalash is traditionally left undisturbed for the entire nine‑day period.