Navratri 2026 in the UK, City by City: Ghatasthapana Times, Garba, Dandiya and Durga Puja

Quick answer: Navratri 2026 in the UK runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October. Ghatasthapana is on Sunday 11 October — 7:17 AM – 10:56 AM in London, 7:22 AM – 11:01 AM in Leicester and 7:25 AM – 11:04 AM in Birmingham. Durga Ashtami is Sunday 18 October, Maha Navami Monday 19 October and Dussehra Tuesday 20 October. Bengali Durga Puja starts with Maha Shashthi on Saturday 17 October. Leicester's garba season runs 10–24 October, and the main Garba weekends nationwide are 10–11 and 16–18 October.

This is a city guide for anyone searching "Navratri 2026 near me", "Garba 2026 London" or "Durga Puja 2026 Birmingham": your local Ghatasthapana time, what Navratri usually looks like in your city, and the events that have actually been confirmed. For step-by-step puja vidhi, mantras and aarti, use our Navratri 2026 UK day-wise puja guide.

Navratri 2026 dates in the UK

These dates follow Drik Panchang for the UK and apply in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland alike. Bengali puja days follow the Kolkata calendar (Shashthi 17, Saptami 18, Ashtami 19, Navami 19–20, Dashami 21 October); UK committees often keep the rituals on those days and move cultural evenings to the weekend.

The Garba weekends: 10–11 and 16–18 October

• Opening weekend, Sat 10 – Sun 11 October: Leicester's season opens on the Saturday, and many groups elsewhere start on Ghatasthapana Sunday.
• Second weekend, Fri 16 – Sun 18 October: the busiest stretch in most cities, overlapping with Maha Shashthi and Durga Ashtami. Book early if your local night is ticketed.
• Weekday nights: in Leicester, north-west London and parts of the Midlands, many mandirs and community halls hold Garba every evening of the nine nights.

Leicester's confirmed season carries on to Saturday 24 October, so there is a third weekend of Garba there after Dussehra.

Navratri 2026, city by city

Each entry gives the Ghatasthapana window (the first third of the daytime from local sunrise on Sunday 11 October) and the Abhijit Muhurat around local midday, the accepted alternative if you miss the morning window. Windows are calculated from local sunrise and sunset (within about a minute of Drik Panchang). Scene notes are general; we name organisers only where an event is confirmed.

London: Wembley, Harrow, north-west London and beyond

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:17 AM – 10:56 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:24 PM – 1:08 PM.

London has the UK's biggest and most varied Navratri. The Gujarati heartlands of Wembley, Harrow, Kingsbury and the wider north-west hold Garba and Dandiya every night of the festival, from mandir halls to large ticketed events with live bands. East and south London, Croydon and Hounslow have their own circles too.

Bengali Durga Pujas run across the capital on the weekend of 17–18 October; Tamil families, including the large Sri Lankan Tamil community, keep Navarathri with Golu and temple programmes; and many families visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden during the nine nights — check the mandir's own announcements for 2026 timings.

Confirmed: the TAUK Chenetha Bathukamma and Dasara celebration at Lampton School, Hounslow, on Saturday 17 October, from 1pm, free. See our Bathukamma 2026 UK guide for details.

Leicester

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:22 AM – 11:01 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:28 PM – 1:12 PM.

Leicester is the UK's Garba capital. The city's garba season is confirmed for Saturday 10 – Saturday 24 October, so Garba here starts the evening before Ghatasthapana and continues for two weekends after the nine nights.

Belgrave and the Golden Mile are the heart of the festival, with mandirs and community halls across the city holding nightly Garba and Dandiya. Bengali and South Indian families mark Durga Puja and Golu alongside. Venues and nightly line-ups are announced by the individual groups — check with your mandir or community association, and expect busy roads and parking on the weekends.

Birmingham and the West Midlands

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:25 AM – 11:04 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:31 PM – 1:15 PM.

Birmingham, the Black Country and Coventry have large Gujarati, Punjabi and Bengali communities. Expect Garba in community centres and mandir halls through the nine nights, bigger events on the second weekend, Bengali Durga Puja on 17–18 October, and Navaratri programmes at South Indian temples in the region.

Manchester and the North West

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:27 AM – 11:06 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:33 PM – 1:17 PM.

Greater Manchester, Bolton and Preston host weekend Garba nights organised by Gujarati samaj groups, at least one Bengali Durga Puja, and temple programmes. The university population adds student-run Dandiya evenings.

Leeds and Yorkshire

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:25 AM – 11:03 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:30 PM – 1:14 PM.

Leeds, Bradford and the wider Yorkshire area have established mandirs that run Navratri evenings, with Garba nights on the weekends and Bengali and South Indian communities marking Durga Puja and Golu.

Bristol and the South West

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:26 AM – 11:06 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:34 PM – 1:18 PM.

Bristol's community is smaller but active: weekend Garba nights, a Bengali Durga Puja and temple programmes rather than nightly events. Families further south-west often travel into Bristol for the main weekend.

Cardiff and Wales

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:29 AM – 11:09 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:37 PM – 1:21 PM.

Cardiff's Hindu community marks Navratri with weekend Garba, Durga Puja and temple programmes, and families from Newport and Swansea often join in. Check with your local mandir or association for the 2026 nights.

Glasgow, Edinburgh and Scotland

Ghatasthapana (Sun 11 Oct): 7:39 AM – 11:15 AM. Abhijit alternative: 12:41 PM – 1:24 PM.

Scotland has the latest Ghatasthapana window on this list because of its later sunrise. Glasgow and Edinburgh hold weekend Garba and Dandiya, Bengali Durga Pujas and temple programmes; smaller groups in Aberdeen and Dundee often organise one main night.

Not on the list? Use the nearest city — differences across a region are only a minute or two — or follow your mandir's time.

Confirmed events, October 2026

These are the UK events we have verified so far. Everything else — most Garba nights, Durga Pujas and temple timings — is still being announced.

Clocks go back on 25 October: British Summer Time ends at 2am on Sunday 25 October, the same day as the Bhaktivedanta Manor festival. Check your timed-ticket slot against the corrected clock.

What to wear: the nine colours

Many Garba groups follow a colour for each day. In the UK, with Ashtami and Navami on separate days, the sequence runs straight through:

For Garba, chaniya choli and kediyu or kurta are traditional; for Durga Puja, saris and kurtas. October in Britain is cool and often wet, so bring a warm layer and a bag for shoes — many halls ask dancers to dance barefoot or in socks.

Practical tips for NRI families

• Garba etiquette: join the circle in its direction of travel, stay on an outer ring while you learn, and keep phones away while dancing. In Dandiya, hold the sticks low and keep to your partner's rhythm.
• Kids: many nights start with a family session; weeknight Garba can run late on a school night, so plan the journey home. Ear defenders help small children near big speakers.
• Tickets and travel: buy direct from the organiser, check the refund policy, and plan around last trains and buses — parking near popular halls fills fast.
• Fasting, only if your health allows: many keep a fruit-and-milk or grain-free fast, or fast only on Ashtami. Pregnant women, people with diabetes or other conditions, older relatives and children should check with their GP first. Drink water before a long night of dancing.
• Do not use India's timings: muhurats depend on local sunrise. Use your city's window above or your mandir's time, never a forwarded IST time converted to UK time.
• Mandir etiquette: dress modestly, remove shoes where asked, and follow each mandir's photography rules.

After Navratri: Dussehra and Diwali

Dussehra falls on Tuesday 20 October. The Vijay Muhurat is a local afternoon window: 2:29–3:10 PM in London (Drik Panchang), 2:32–3:13 PM in Leicester, 2:35–3:16 PM in Birmingham and 2:42–3:23 PM in Glasgow. India's window converted to UK time is not the right window here. Every region is covered in Dussehra 2026 UK, region by region; Telugu families can find Bathukamma (10–18 October) in Bathukamma 2026 UK, region by region.

Diwali is on Sunday 8 November 2026. Leicester's and London's plans are in our Diwali 2026 UK guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Navratri 2026 in the UK?

Sharad Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October in the UK (Drik Panchang). Durga Ashtami is on Sunday 18 October, Maha Navami on Monday 19 October and Dussehra (Vijayadashami) on Tuesday 20 October.

What is the Ghatasthapana time in London on 11 October 2026?

In London the Ghatasthapana window is 7:17 AM – 10:56 AM on Sunday 11 October, the first third of the daytime from local sunrise. The Abhijit Muhurat, 12:24 PM – 1:08 PM, is the usual midday alternative. Leicester, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow and Cardiff are listed in this guide.

When is Garba in Leicester in 2026?

Leicester's garba season is confirmed to run from Saturday 10 October to Saturday 24 October 2026. Individual venues and nights are announced by the organising groups, so check with your local mandir or community association for times and tickets.

When is Durga Puja 2026 in the UK?

On the Bengali (Kolkata) calendar Maha Shashthi is Saturday 17 October, with Saptami on the 18th, Ashtami on the 19th, Navami on the 19th–20th and Vijaya Dashami with Sindoor Khela on the 21st. Many UK puja committees hold their main days on the weekend of 17–18 October; check your local Bengali association.

Is there a Dussehra festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor in 2026?

Yes. Bhaktivedanta Manor near Watford holds its Dussehra festival on Sunday 25 October 2026. Entry is free but needs a timed ticket. UK clocks go back one hour that morning, so double-check your arrival time.

When is Diwali 2026 in the UK?

Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 in the UK.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): Dates follow Drik Panchang for the UK; Bengali Durga Puja days follow the Kolkata calendar. Ghatasthapana and Abhijit windows were calculated from local sunrise and sunset and agree with Drik Panchang to within about a minute; please confirm for your city. Leicester's garba season, the TAUK celebration and the Bhaktivedanta Manor festival are confirmed. Most Garba nights, Durga Pujas and mandir programmes are not — organisers are still publishing 2026 flyers; we will update this guide.

Related guides

• Navratri 2026 UK — day-wise puja guide
• Dussehra 2026 UK, region by region
• Bathukamma 2026 UK, region by region
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Navratri 2026 in Canada, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 Europe, country by country
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 (main guide)
• Sharad Navratri to Dussehra 2026
• October 2026 Hindu festivals calendar
• Diwali 2026 UK