When is Chaitra Navratri 2025? Date, Time, History, Significance, Importance and all you need to know

Every year Hindus celebrate two major Navratris – Chaitra Navratri and Sharada Navratri. Sharada Navratri is thought to be the main Navratri days that fall in the month of September-October, and before that, in Spring, we have the Chaitra Navratri. Chaitra Navratri gets its name from the month of Chaitra, the name for March-April in Hindi.

Date for Chaitra Navratri 2025

In 2025, Chaitra Navratri will begin on March 30 and end on April 7, with Ram Navami falling on April 6.
The timing on the first day for Ghatasthapana, or Kalash Sthapana, according to Drik Panchang is “Chaitra Ghatasthapana on Sunday, March 30, 2025
Ghatasthapana Muhurat – 06:13 AM to 10:22 AM
Duration – 04 Hours 08 Mins
Ghatasthapana Abhijit Muhurat – 12:01 PM to 12:50 PM
Duration – 00 Hours 50 Mins
Ghatasthapana Muhurta falls on Pratipada Tithi
Pratipada Tithi Begins – 04:27 PM on Mar 29, 2025
Pratipada Tithi Ends – 12:49 PM on Mar 30, 2025”

History of Chaitra Navratri

Navratri is a Hindu festival dedicated to Maa Durga, her nine forms, and her fierce nature which is also protective and caring. According to legends, texts, and beliefs, Goddess Durga was created by the Gods, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma to defeat the demon Mahishasura, who had gained invincible powers and was wreaking havoc on Earth. It is believed that the battle lasted for nine days, in which Maa Durga unleashed her nine forms, and on the tenth day she emerged victorious, which became a symbol of the victory of good over evil.
Chaitra Navratri also falls in the same period when the Hindu new year is about to begin, and the Spring season starts to breathe life into nature.
In many regions, it is also believed that Lord Ram worshipped Maa Durga during this period to gain her blessings before vanquishing Ravan.

Significance of Chaitra Navratri

Chaitra Navratri is an important part of Hindu beliefs and rituals, and just like in Sharada Navratri, devotees keep a 9-day fast for Maa Durga and her many avatars during this time as well.
The significance and importance of the festival lies in the nine-day battle of Maa Durga against Mahishasura, and how it reminds people that although some fights may be difficult, the truthful side always wins.
And since Chaitra Navratri falls at the same time as Spring and the Hindu New Year, people use this time to set their goals and ambitions for the year ahead, and with the fasting routine, they pray for a better and clearer mind, pure thoughts, and more.
Both Chaitra Navratri and Sharada Navratri are also a celebration of the divine feminine, the Shakti, the one who not just nurtures all beings but also ends those who try to overpower the positives.
And so for believers of Maa Durga all around the world, Chaitra Navratri is a period to start with meditations, chanting, charity, and more. They pray to Maa Durga to remove obstacles from their life, keep fasts, do kirtans, and much more, to keep their mind and heart pure and calm.

Celebrations around India

Both Chaitra and Sharada Navratri are celebrated across India, and there are little variations with the change of regions. While the worship of Maa Durga and her traits remains similar, the little changes are of –
In North India people adorn their home temples and the temples with flowers that are beloved to Maa Durga, and bhajan kirtan is done to maintain a spiritual atmosphere all around.
In Maharashtra, Chaitra Navratri coincides with Gudi Padwa, marking the New Year, and people hoist a ‘Gudi’ outside their homes as a symbol of good health and prosperity.
Then in the Southern states, people celebrate it in the form of Ugadi, with the first day of Navratri.
And in Bengal and Odisha, the Devi puja remains common.

Chaitra Navratri rituals

Just like any other festival and observance, Chaitra Navratri also comes with its set of rituals and practices that are common across the country.
The start of any Navratri, Chaitra or Sharada, comes with the Ghatasthapana, or the Kalash Sthapana, where over a pot a coconut and some leaves are kept. The Kalash is usually an earthen pot or of copper and is filled with water, mango leaves, and a coconut on top. It is then placed in the home temple near the idol or image of Maa Durga.
The nine-day fasting
Many devotees observe a nine-day fast, consuming only fruits, milk, and specific foods like sabudana, kuttu aata, and singhare ka aata. Some also keep a Nirjala vrat where they do not consume any water or food for thenine9 days, breaking the fast either after their evening prayers or straight on the 10th day.
Worshipping Maa Durga
As each day of Navratri is dedicated to a certain avatar of Maa Durga, people keep an image of NavDurga in their home temples.
The first day is for Maa Shailaputri, the second day for Maa Brahmacharini, the third day for Maa Chandraghanta, the fourth day for Maa Kushmanda, the fifth day for Maa Skandamata, the sixth day for Maa Katyayani, the seventh day for Maa Kaalratri, the eighth day for Maa Mahagauri, and the last day for Maa Siddhidatri.
Another common ritual across North India is Kanya puja, where little girls, or Kanjaks, are called to homes and fed with prasad after small worship. Some people perform the Kanya puja on Ashtami, the eighth day, and others do it on Navmi, the ninth and last day.
They are offered Puri, chhole, halwa, coconut, and more as prasad, and also given some fruits to eat, and money.