Navratri 2025: When Is Durga Ashtami And Maha Navami

Navratri in 2025 will be a time of intense devotion, celebrating the nine forms of Goddess Durga, with Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami marking the most significant final days of the festival.

Durga Ashtami, also known as Maha Ashtami, will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. This eighth day is highly sacred, often beginning with Mahasnan (a ceremonial bath) and the Shodashopachar Puja, a sixteen-step ritual to honor the Goddess. A central ritual is Kumari Puja or Kanjak, where young, unmarried girls are worshipped as embodiments of the Divine Mother. Devotees observe a strict fast on this day, concluding with the auspicious Sandhi Puja—the sacred juncture where the Ashtami Tithi ends and the Navami Tithi begins. This 48-minute period, believed to be the time Goddess Chamunda appeared to defeat demons Chanda and Munda, is considered the most potent time for prayers.

Maha Navami, the ninth and final day of Navratri, falls on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. On this day, Goddess Durga is worshipped as Mahishasuramardini, the annihilator of the buffalo demon Mahishasura, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. The day’s rituals often include the Navami Homa (fire sacrifice) and the Ayudha Puja (worship of tools and weapons). Navami marks the grand conclusion of the nine nights of worship, leading up to Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on October 2, 2025, which marks the immersion of the idol (Durga Visarjan) and the formal end of the festival.