Navratri Colours 2026: The Nine Colours Day by Day
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Sharad Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday, 11 October to Monday, 19 October, with Dussehra on Tuesday, 20 October. The first day's colour is orange, and the nine day sequence follows from there.
The thing most colour lists leave out: the order is not fixed from year to year. It is set by the weekday Navratri begins on, then follows a repeating cycle. That is why a list copied from last year will be wrong this year.
Navratri 2026 colours day wise with dates
Day | Date (2026) | Colour | Goddess | What it stands for |
Day 1 | Sun, 11 October | Orange | Shailaputri | Warmth and energy |
Day 2 | Mon, 12 October | White | Brahmacharini | Purity and calm |
Day 3 | Tue, 13 October | Red | Chandraghanta | Passion and strength |
Day 4 | Wed, 14 October | Royal Blue | Kushmanda | Depth and stability |
Day 5 | Thu, 15 October | Yellow | Skandamata | Cheer and optimism |
Day 6 | Fri, 16 October | Green | Katyayani | Growth and new starts |
Day 7 | Sat, 17 October | Grey | Kalaratri | Steadiness against harm |
Day 8 | Sun, 18 October | Purple | Mahagauri | Dignity and ambition |
Day 9 | Mon, 19 October | Peacock Green | Siddhidatri | Uniqueness and fulfilment |
Durga Ashtami falls on Sunday, 18 October and Maha Navami on Monday, 19 October 2026.
Why the colour order changes every year
Each weekday has a colour attached to it in the traditional scheme: Sunday orange, Monday white, Tuesday red, Wednesday royal blue, Thursday yellow, Friday green, Saturday grey. Navratri 2026 opens on a Sunday, so it opens with orange, and the following days simply follow the week. Once the cycle runs past seven days, the last two days take purple and peacock green, with pink sometimes substituted.
This is why you will find different lists in circulation. A list that says Navratri 2026 starts with royal blue is using 2025's calendar or a different starting date. Cross check against the actual weekday of 11 October.
Ghatasthapana muhurat 2026
Ghatasthapana, the installation of the kalash, opens the festival on the first day. In 2026 the Abhijit Muhurat on 11 October runs roughly 11:50 AM to 12:37 PM for New Delhi. Timings shift by city, so check a local panchang.
The ritual itself: fill a clay pot with soil, sow barley seeds, place a kalash of water with mango leaves and a coconut on top, and keep it lit with an akhand jyoti for nine days if your family follows that. The barley sprouts by Ashtami, and how well it grows is read as a sign for the year.
The nine forms of Durga
• Shailaputri, daughter of the mountain, riding a bull with a trident and lotus.
• Brahmacharini, the ascetic, holding a rosary and water pot.
• Chandraghanta, with a crescent moon shaped like a bell on her forehead.
• Kushmanda, said to have created the universe with a smile.
• Skandamata, mother of Kartikeya, holding the child on her lap.
• Katyayani, born of the sage Katyayana's penance, the warrior form.
• Kalaratri, the fiercest form, dark skinned and destroyer of fear.
• Mahagauri, radiant and white, granting relief from suffering.
• Siddhidatri, giver of siddhis, worshipped on the ninth day.
Using the colours without overthinking it
The colour tradition is modern popular practice, not scripture. It spread through Gujarat and Maharashtra garba culture over the past few decades and then everywhere else through social media. Nobody is doing anything wrong by skipping it.
• You do not need nine new outfits. A dupatta, kurta or accessory in the day's colour is enough.
• Use the colour in the mandir cloth, rangoli or flowers instead of clothing.
• Red and yellow are always safe if you are unsure, since both are traditionally offered to the goddess.
• Grey on day seven is the one people struggle with. Pair it with silver or white rather than trying to wear it head to toe.
Frequently asked questions about Navratri colours 2026
Q. What are the 9 colours of Navratri 2026?
A. In order: orange, white, red, royal blue, yellow, green, grey, purple and peacock green, from 11 to 19 October 2026.
Q. What is the colour for Navratri Day 1 in 2026?
A. Orange, because Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, 11 October, and Sunday's colour is orange.
Q. Why do Navratri colours change every year?
A. The sequence is anchored to weekdays, not to day numbers. Since Navratri starts on a different weekday each year, the whole nine day order shifts with it.
Q. When is Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami in 2026?
A. Durga Ashtami is Sunday, 18 October and Maha Navami is Monday, 19 October 2026. Dussehra follows on Tuesday, 20 October.
Q. What is the Ghatasthapana muhurat for 2026?
A. The Abhijit Muhurat on 11 October, roughly 11:50 AM to 12:37 PM for New Delhi. Check a city panchang for local timings.
Q. Do I have to wear the Navratri colour of the day?
A. No. It is a popular custom rather than a religious requirement, and plenty of people who observe Navratri fully do not follow it at all.
Q. Are Navratri colours the same for Chaitra Navratri?
A. The same nine colours are used, but the order will differ because Chaitra Navratri starts on a different weekday. Chaitra Navratri 2027 begins on Wednesday, 7 April, so it would open with royal blue.
