🌸 Chaitra Navratri (Gudi Padwa / New Samvat) 2027

From Chaitra Shukla Pratipada to Ram Navami — the Hindu new year, Ghatasthapana, nine goddesses, Kanya Pujan; on the same day Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Cheti Chand and Navreh.

Chaitra Navratri (Vasanti Navratri) is the nine-day festival of the Goddess from the Pratipada to the Navami of the Shukla Paksha of Chaitra — fifteen days after Holi. On the first day the Hindu new year (Vikram Samvat) begins — Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra, Ugadi in Andhra-Karnataka, the Sindhi Cheti Chand, the Kashmiri Navreh; the last day is Ram Navami.

The vidhi is like Sharad Navratri — Ghatasthapana, jawara, akhand jyoti, worship of the nine goddesses, Kanya Pujan and havan on Ashtami-Navami; along with the new year's panchang reading, neem-jaggery prasad, the gudi/toran. Below are this year's nine-day table, the Ghatasthapana muhurat, vidhi, samagri, katha, fasting food and regional customs.

Significance — why this vrat

On this very Pratipada Brahma began creation (Brahma Purana) — hence the Hindu new year; King Vikramaditya started the Vikram Samvat from here; and Shri Rama was born on the Navami of this Navratri.

Vasanti Navratri comes at the junction of seasons (winter to summer) — nine days of restraint and neem-jaggery-mishri (Ugadi pachadi/the neem of Gudi Padwa) prepare the body for the new season; another reason the fast is fruit-based and sattvik.

The nine goddesses are the same — Shailputri to Siddhidatri; Gangaur in Rajasthan-Malwa on the Tritiya, Durgashtami/Ashokashtami on the Ashtami, Ram Navami on the Navami (Rama's birth celebration at noon).

Puja vidhi (step by step)

The nine-day household vidhi — Ghatasthapana (with the new year), daily puja, Kanya Pujan, havan and Rama's birth on Ashtami/Navami; the Gudi/Ugadi customs below.

1. On Pratipada after sunrise (or in Abhijit — time above) Ghatasthapana: sow barley in an earthen tray, a water kalash (betel nut, coin, akshat, durva), mango leaves, a chunari-wrapped coconut; the Durga picture, red cloth; akhand jyoti (or a lamp morning and evening); sankalp.
2. The new year custom (the same morning): a toran of mango and ashoka leaves at the door, rangoli, a flag/gudi (Maharashtra); prasad of neem shoots, jaggery, mishri and black pepper (bitter, sweet, pungent — the new year with every taste); listening to the panchang/year forecast (the family together); bowing to the elders.
3. Every morning and evening: lamp and incense, the bhog of that day's Goddess, Durga Saptashati/Chalisa, aarti; water to the jawara; the fast — fruit/sattvik (nine days, or the first and last, or Ashtami).
4. Tritiya: Gangaur (Rajasthan-Malwa — a separate page); Chaturthi-Panchami: Vinayaka Chaturthi, Lakshmi Panchami (some traditions); Shashthi: Skanda Shashthi — Katyayani.
5. Ashtami (Durgashtami/Ashokashtami): Kanya Pujan — 9 girls + 1 boy, feet washed, halwa-poori-chana, dakshina and gifts; 8 ashoka leaves with water (Ashokashtami — the end of sorrow); many homes break the fast on Ashtami.
6. Navami (Ram Navami): havan — 'Om Dum Durgayai Namah Swaha' + the name of Rama; Rama's birth at noon — a cradle for the Ram Darbar, panjiri-panchamrit, 'Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram'; Kanya Pujan (for those whose custom is Navami); cut the jawara and share in the family, sprinkle the kalash water; paran.
7. On Dashami immerse the kalash, jawara and idol (water/plant) — the end of Navratri.
8. Homes keeping Ugadi/Gudi Padwa: oil bath (abhyanga), new clothes, the gudi (a silk cloth, neem, flowers, jaggery and a copper lota on a bamboo) at the door, shrikhand-puran poli/Ugadi pachadi-bobbatlu, the panchang reading.

Puja samagri checklist

The Sharad Navratri samagri + the new year's neem-jaggery and toran/gudi.

• Kalash, earthen tray + soil + barley, mango leaves, coconut, chunari, mauli, betel nut, coin, durva
• Maa Durga picture/idol, red cloth, wooden seat, lamp and ghee for the akhand jyoti
• Roli, akshat, turmeric, kumkum, sandalwood, flowers (red hibiscus-marigold), garland
• New year: neem shoots, jaggery, mishri, black pepper, carom seeds (prasad); mango-ashoka leaves (toran); rangoli; items for the flag/gudi (bamboo, silk cloth, copper lota, garland)
• The new panchang/year forecast
• Bhog: the nine days' bhog (ghee, sugar, milk, malpua, banana, honey, jaggery, coconut, chana-halwa), the panjiri-panchamrit of Ram Navami
• Kanya Pujan: halwa-poori-chana, dakshina, gifts; 8 ashoka leaves
• Havan: kund, mango wood, havan samagri, ghee, coconut; a cradle for the Ram Darbar
• Durga Saptashati/Chalisa, Ramcharitmanas (Bal Kand — Rama's birth)

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Vrat katha (the story)

Brahma Purana: on this Chaitra Shukla Pratipada Brahma began the creation and with the sunrise the reckoning of time (the samvatsara) began — hence this day is the Hindu new year; later King Vikramaditya of Ujjain started the Vikram Samvat from this day in memory of his victory over the Shakas (57 BCE).

The Gudi Padwa story — on this day (by one view) Shri Rama returned to Ayodhya after the victory over Ravana and the victory flag (gudi) was hoisted in the city; in Maharashtra the victory of the Shalivahana (Satavahana) king over the Shakas and the start of the Shalivahana Shaka also fall on this day — the gudi of victory. In the Sindhi tradition Cheti Chand — the day Jhulelal appeared.

The Navratri story of the Goddess is the same (the slaying of Mahishasura, Durga Saptashati); and that of the Navami — from the putra-kameshti yajna of Dasharatha in Ayodhya, Shri Rama was born to Kausalya on Chaitra Shukla Navami, in Punarvasu nakshatra, at noon (Abhijit) — 'Bhaye pragat kripala deendayala Kausalya hitkari'.

Nine days of fasting food, the neem-jaggery prasad, the panjiri of Ram Navami

The fasting food is like Sharad Navratri (kuttu-singhara-sabudana-fruit-rock salt); the neem-jaggery-mishri prasad on the first day; the coriander panjiri and panchamrit of Rama's birth on Navami; the Gudi Padwa-Ugadi kitchen in Maharashtra and the south.

• New year prasad: neem shoots + jaggery + mishri + black pepper + carom (north); Ugadi pachadi — neem flowers, jaggery, tamarind, raw mango, salt, chilli (six tastes); Gudi Padwa — neem-jaggery balls, shrikhand-poori, puran poli
• The nine days' bhog: 1 ghee · 2 sugar · 3 milk/kheer · 4 malpua · 5 banana · 6 honey · 7 jaggery · 8 coconut · 9 halwa-poori-chana
• Fasting food: sabudana khichdi, kuttu/singhara poori, potato, curd, fruit, makhana kheer, sama rice
• Ram Navami: coriander panjiri (dry coriander powder, ghee, sugar, makhana-dry fruits), panchamrit, saffron rice, boondi; in Tamil Nadu neer-mor (buttermilk) and panakam (jaggery water) — a cooling bhog for Rama in the summer
• Kanya prasad: semolina halwa, black chana, poori

Regional customs

One Pratipada — Navratri and the samvat in the north, the gudi in Maharashtra, Ugadi in the south, Cheti Chand in Sindh, Navreh in Kashmir.

Do's and don'ts

Frequently asked questions

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Also read: Ram Navami (Navami — the birth celebration) · Gangaur (Tritiya) · Sharad Navratri · Holi (about a fortnight earlier)

⚠️ This description follows traditional vidhi and folk belief; your own family custom comes first. Verify the middle days with your local panchang.

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