Pune: This year, the Sharadiya Navratri will begin on Thursday, October 3, with the traditional Ghatasthapana marking the start of the 10-day festival.

The festival typically lasts nine days, but due to the extension of the Ashwin Shukla Tritiya tithi, Navratri will last for 10 days. The auspicious time (Muhurta) for Ghatasthapana will begin at 5 AM (Brahma Muhurta) and extend until 1:45 PM in the afternoon.

Mahalakshmi Puja, also known as "Ghagari Phunkane," is traditionally performed at midnight on the Ashtami tithi. This year, Mahalakshmi Puja will be held on October 10, while Durga Ashtami will be observed on October 11.

The grand festival of Vijayadashami, or Dussehra, will follow on October 12. Dussehra is considered one of the most auspicious days of the year and is part of the "Sade Teen Muhurt" (three and a half most auspicious times). Many people choose this day to begin new ventures. This year, the Vijay Muhurta in Maharashtra falls between 2:22 PM and 3:09 PM.

The festival schedule for Navratri includes Lalita Panchami on Monday, October 7, and Mahalakshmi Puja on Thursday, October 10. Both Mahashtami and Navami fasts will be observed on Friday, October 11. The Navratri celebrations will conclude on Saturday, October 12, with Navaratrotsav and Dussehra.

Alternative Dates for Ghatasthapana
If devotees are unable to perform Ghatasthapana on October 3 due to circumstances like Ashaucha (mourning) or other personal reasons, they may perform the ritual on October 5, 8, 10, or 11, and conclude the Navratri celebrations on October 12.

Fasting Guidelines
For those who are unable to observe a full Navratri fast due to age or health concerns, it is recommended to fast on the first and last day of the festival. If this is not possible, at least the Ashtami fast should be observed.

This detailed schedule was provided by Mohan Date, the compiler of Date Panchang.