Maha Navami 2026 is Tuesday 20 October: the Navami puja, the homa fire offering, khichuri bhog, symbolic offerings in place of sacrifice and dhunuchi naach.
Dhunuchi dance: clay burners of smoking coconut husk and incense, held aloft to the dhak. Photo: Bhuppigraphy, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The priest performs the day's worship to Durga and all the deities of the image, much as on the previous days, with flowers, lamps, incense, fruit, sweets and cooked offerings.
Clay diyas lit for Diwali. Photo: Alokjain19883105, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The homa or yajna is a ritual fire, kindled in a small square pit or vessel, into which the priest offers ghee, wood from sacred trees such as bel, and other materials while chanting mantras, often with a set number of offerings.
An illustrated leaf of the Devi Mahatmya. Photo: SpeakingArch, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Navami bhog is usually the largest of the festival.
Khichuri bhog served in leaf bowls at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Historically, bali (sacrifice), including animal sacrifice, was part of Durga Puja in some Bengali households and temples, most often at Sandhi Puja and on Navami.
Tiers of lamps are lit for Sandhi Puja at a Kolkata community puja. Photo: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
If you would like to receive bhog at a community puja, a few things help:
Khichuri bhog served in leaf bowls at a Durga Puja. Photo: AjayDas, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Navami evening's sandhya arati is often the most charged of the festival.
Clay diyas lit for Diwali. Photo: Alokjain19883105, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
On Bijoya Dashami the goddess is bid farewell with darpan bisarjan, sindoor khela and immersion.
Women smear sindoor on each other on Bijoya Dashami. Photo: Diganta Talukdar, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Maha Navami 2026 is Tuesday 20 October: the Navami puja, the homa fire offering, khichuri bhog, symbolic offerings in place of sacrifice and dhunuchi naach.
Maha Navami → Next story: Durga Puja pushpanjali mantra, with meaning All photo storiesMusic: Rhythm of Dhak a huge membranophone instrument from Bengal and Assam, used in Hindu religious festivals, especially Durga Puja, Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.