Durga Ashtami fast on October 19, panchang says, as Ashtami tithi prevails at sunrise

Durga Ashtami holds special religious significance during Navratri. On this day, Goddess Durga's eighth form, Mata Mahagauri, is worshipped. This year the Ashtami tithi falls on both October 18 and 19, leaving devotees confused about the date of the fast and puja. The questions are when to fast, what the auspicious time for worshipping Mahagauri is and which auspicious yogas form that day.

According to the panchang, the Durga Ashtami fast is advised on Monday, October 19, 2026. The decision is explained by the start of the Ashtami tithi, the Udaya tithi (the tithi at sunrise) and its overlap with the Navami tithi.

Durga Ashtami is observed on the Ashtami tithi of the Ashwin Shukla Paksha. This time, the Ashtami tithi begins at 8:27 am on Sunday, October 18. Sunrise that day is at 6:24 am, so Saptami tithi will prevail at sunrise.

On Monday, October 19, by contrast, the Ashtami tithi will last until 10:51 am, after which the Navami tithi begins. As Ashtami prevails at sunrise on October 19, the Durga Ashtami fast and puja that day are considered correct under the rule of the Udaya tithi.

The start time of a tithi alone is not considered for the fast. The tithi at sunrise and its overlap with other tithis are also counted. According to religious belief, in some traditions the Ashtami fast is avoided on a day when Ashtami overlaps with Saptami. If Ashtami overlaps with Navami, the fast and puja that day are considered more appropriate. For this reason, the panchang details given advise the fast on October 19. There may be some differences among regional panchangs or religious traditions.

The main muhurats for the puja are given as follows: Brahma Muhurat from 4:43 am to 5:34 am, Amrit-Sarvottam Muhurat from 6:24 am to 7:50 am, Shubh-Uttam Muhurat from 9:15 am to 10:40 am and Abhijit Muhurat from 11:43 am to 12:29 pm. Devotees can worship Mata Mahagauri during these muhurats. While fixing the time of the puja, it would be advisable to check the timings in the local panchang as well.

The panchang details say three auspicious yogas form on Durga Ashtami: Dhriti Yoga, Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga and Ravi Yoga. Dhriti Yoga is stated to run from morning to night. Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga begins at 3:38 pm on October 19. Ravi Yoga also begins at 3:38 pm and lasts until 6:25 am on October 20. It is religiously believed that worship of the goddess, chanting and rituals performed during auspicious yogas are fruitful. Check the local panchang for the exact timing of the yogas.

On the eighth day of Navratri, the Mahagauri form of Mata Durga is worshipped. Mahagauri is regarded as a symbol of peace, purity and good fortune. On this day many devotees fast and offer flowers, naivedya and other puja items to the goddess. In some places, Kanya Pujan, recitation of the Durga Saptashati and havan are also performed.

According to mythology, Goddess Durga destroyed the demons to save the world from the tyranny of Mahishasura. On the Ashtami tithi, the goddess's power is remembered in a special way. There is therefore a tradition of worshipping with devotion on this day and praying for happiness, prosperity and the well-being of the family.

In sum, according to the panchang details given, the Durga Ashtami 2026 fast is to be observed on Monday, October 19. The worship of Mata Mahagauri, the auspicious muhurats and the yogas that form are given special religious importance on this day.