A friend from Kolkata once told me the real test of a Durga Puja calendar is whether it gets Saptami and Ashtami right, because those two days are where most printed calendars quietly disagree with each other. 2027 is a year that shows why: the Ashtami tithi stretches across two sunrises, so the calendar date alone does not tell you when Sandhi Puja falls.
The main 2027 dates
Durga Puja 2027 runs from Shashthi on Tuesday, October 5 through Vijaya Dashami on Sunday, October 10. Maha Saptami is on October 6 and Maha Ashtami on October 7.
The Ashtami tithi does not end until 6:28 AM on October 8 (Indian Standard Time), so Sandhi Puja, performed at the junction of Ashtami and Navami, falls on the morning of October 8. Maha Navami is observed on October 9, and Vijaya Dashami, marking Durga’s immersion, on October 10.
Why Ashtami spans two days this year
Each tithi (lunar day) has a precise start and end time that rarely aligns neatly with sunrise. In 2027 the Saptami tithi ends at 4:13 AM on October 7, before sunrise, so Ashtami is the tithi at sunrise on October 7.
Ashtami then runs until 6:28 AM on October 8, about an hour after sunrise in Kolkata, so it is still the tithi at sunrise that day too. Navami ends at 9:02 AM on October 9, and Dashami ends at 11:41 AM on October 10.
Traditional practice observes each tithi’s specific rituals (Saptami’s Kola Bou bathing ritual, Sandhi Puja at the exact junction of Ashtami and Navami), which is why the exact clock time of Sandhi Puja matters more than the date alone in a year like this. All times are Indian Standard Time.
Saraswati Puja and Durga Puja season
A separate autumn Saraswati Puja is also observed as part of the same festival season. This is not the more widely known spring Saraswati Puja on Basant Panchami; the distinction between the two is covered in Saraswati Puja 2027.
This site does not sell pujas or rituals. Every date here is checked against the Panchang; where two sources genuinely diverge (as with the exact Sandhi Puja minute, which depends on your city), that is stated rather than papered over.
What are the main Durga Puja 2027 dates?
Shashthi on October 5, Saptami on October 6, Ashtami on October 7, Sandhi Puja on the morning of October 8, Navami on October 9, and Vijaya Dashami on October 10.
Why is Sandhi Puja on October 8 when Ashtami is on October 7?
Because the Ashtami tithi runs until 6:28 AM on October 8 (Indian Standard Time). Sandhi Puja is performed at the junction of Ashtami and Navami, so it falls that morning.
Is the exact Sandhi Puja time the same everywhere?
No. Sandhi Puja happens at the precise junction of Ashtami and Navami tithis, which is one moment everywhere but a different clock time in each time zone.
Is the autumn Saraswati Puja part of Durga Puja?
Yes, in Bengal and neighbouring states it is observed as part of the same Navratri and Durga Puja season, distinct from the spring Saraswati Puja on Basant Panchami.
Comments
No comments yet. Yours would be the first.
Leave a comment
Held for review before it appears. Your email is never published.