Astrologger2026 Masik Durgashtami Dates
Masik Durgashtami is the Shukla-paksha Ashtami (8th tithi) of every lunar month, dedicated to Goddess Durga. The Ashtami of Ashwina Navratri is the great Maha Ashtami (Durga Ashtami). Dates below are computed for New Delhi.
| Date | Tithi Begins | Tithi Ends | Name | Day | Paksha / Month (purnimanta) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jan 2026 | 25 Jan, 11:10 PM | 26 Jan, 9:18 PM | Masik Durgashtami (Magha) | Mon | Shukla · Magha |
| 24 Feb 2026 | 24 Feb, 7:02 AM | 25 Feb, 4:52 AM | Masik Durgashtami (Phalguna) | Tue | Shukla · Phalguna |
| 26 Mar 2026 | 25 Mar, 1:50 PM | 26 Mar, 11:49 AM | Masik Durgashtami (Chaitra) | Thu | Shukla · Chaitra |
| 24 Apr 2026 | 23 Apr, 8:49 PM | 24 Apr, 7:22 PM | Masik Durgashtami (Vaishakha) | Fri | Shukla · Vaishakha |
| 23 May 2026 | 23 May, 5:05 AM | 24 May, 4:27 AM | Adhika Jyeshtha DurgashtamiAdhika | Sat | Shukla · Jyeshtha |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 21 Jun, 3:21 PM | 22 Jun, 3:40 PM | Masik Durgashtami (Jyeshtha) | Mon | Shukla · Jyeshtha |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 21 Jul, 4:03 AM | 22 Jul, 5:17 AM | Masik Durgashtami (Ashadha) | Tue | Shukla · Ashadha |
| 20 Aug 2026 | 19 Aug, 7:20 PM | 20 Aug, 9:19 PM | Masik Durgashtami (Shravana) | Thu | Shukla · Shravana |
| 19 Sept 2026 | 18 Sep, 1:01 PM | 19 Sep, 3:27 PM | Masik Durgashtami (Bhadrapada) | Sat | Shukla · Bhadrapada |
| 19 Oct 2026 | 18 Oct, 8:28 AM | 19 Oct, 10:52 AM | Masik Durgashtami (Ashwina) | Mon | Shukla · Ashwina |
| 17 Nov 2026UPCOMING | 17 Nov, 4:20 AM | 18 Nov, 6:05 AM | Masik Durgashtami (Kartika) | Tue | Shukla · Kartika |
| 17 Dec 2026 | 16 Dec, 10:46 PM | 17 Dec, 11:26 PM | Masik Durgashtami (Margashirsha) | Thu | Shukla · Margashirsha |
All dates & times computed for New Delhi (IST) with the Swiss Ephemeris + Lahiri ayanamsa — not copied.
What is Masik Durgashtami?
Masik Durgashtami honours the Goddess on the eighth tithi of the waxing fortnight each month. The Ashtami is the tithi of Shakti at her fullest before Purnima, and devotees keep it with fasting, Durga path and lamps, praying for protection and strength.
Monthly vrat and the annual Maha Ashtami
The monthly observance builds toward the great Durga Ashtami of Sharad Navratri, when Mahishasura-mardini is worshipped with sandhi puja at the junction of Ashtami and Navami. Keeping the monthly Ashtami is regarded as sustaining that devotion year-round.
How to observe the vrat
The day begins with a bath in the early morning and a sankalp to keep the fast. The altar is prepared with an image of Durga, and a red cloth is offered. Worship follows the ordinary sequence — lamp and incense, then flowers, kumkum and sindoor — with the recitation of the Durga Chalisa, the Durga Ashtottara, or simple mantras according to what the household keeps. Offerings commonly include kheer, halwa, fruit, coconut and panchamrit. In many homes girls are fed and given gifts as kanya puja, following the Navratri custom in miniature.
What is eaten and what is set aside
Those keeping the fast take fruit, milk, sabudana and kuttu flour, and set aside grains such as wheat, rice and lentils for the day. Onion, garlic, alcohol and non-vegetarian food are avoided. Tradition also asks for restraint of a different kind — avoiding anger and harsh speech — and treats that as part of the vrat rather than an afterthought. As with any fast, it is adapted to one's health and capacity.
Significance
Ashtami is held to be the tithi on which the Goddess's power is most accessible, and the monthly Durgashtami is kept for protection, courage and the wellbeing of the family. It is traditionally associated with the removal of obstacles and with steadiness under difficulty. The monthly observance builds toward Maha Ashtami of Sharad Navratri, the greatest Ashtami of the year, when the Sandhi Puja is performed at the junction of Ashtami and Navami.
Masik Durgashtami puja samagri
Gather these before the puja:
- An image or idol of Goddess Durga
- A red cloth or chunri
- Red flowers, especially hibiscus
- Kumkum, sindoor and haldi
- A ghee lamp and incense
- Panchamrit
- Kheer or halwa as naivedya
- Coconut, betel leaves and fruit
- Bangles or items for kanya puja
Frequently asked questions
How many Masik Durgashtami are in 2026?+
There are 12 Masik Durgashtami in 2026 for the Delhi region — one each lunar month on the Shukla Ashtami.
How is it related to Navratri's Durga Ashtami?+
The Shukla Ashtami of Ashwina, falling inside Sharad Navratri, is the annual Maha Ashtami; the monthly Durgashtamis carry the same devotion through the year.
How is the vrat kept?+
Devotees fast for the day, worship Durga with flowers and lamps, and recite the Durga Saptashati or Durga Chalisa. Some offer kanya pujan on the annual Ashtami.
What is the significance?+
The Ashtami tithi is held sacred to the Shakti principle; the vrat is kept for protection, strength and the removal of fear — matters of faith and tradition.
Ask our AI astrologer — free — about the vrat, favourable timing and remedies, grounded in your own birth chart.