30 September – 8 October 2027

Navratri in Varanasi: nine goddesses, nine temples

Name: Navratri — Varanasi
Start: 2027-09-30
End: 2027-10-08
Location: Varanasi

Nine nights India dances until dawn

In Varanasi Navratri is a walk through the old city: each of the nine days belongs to one form of the goddess Durga, and each form has its own temple in Kashi. Navratri in Varanasi: 30 September – 8 October 2027 (expected). The last days carry the most: Ashtami at the Annapurna temple, the Durga Puja pandals at their fullest, then Dussehra across the river at Ramnagar, where one of India's oldest Ramlilas plays for a month.

← Navratri

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In Varanasi each of the nine days has its own goddess and temple, and Navratri becomes a walk through the lanes from shrine to shrine, with pandals at the end and the Ramlila across the river.

Where to watch

Nav Durga temples: nine temples of the nine forms of Durga, one visited on each day of Navratri, in the lanes of the old city not far from the ghats; the first, Shailputri, is in the north near Marhia Ghat.

Durga Kund temple (Durga Mandir): the red-ochre temple and its tank near Assi, crowded through Navratri.

Annapurna temple: beside Kashi Vishwanath; in Kashi, Annapurna is worshipped as Mahagauri, the eighth form, on Ashtami.

Durga Puja pandals: across the city from Shashthi to Dashami.

Ramnagar: across the river, the month-long Ramnagar Ramlila.

Free viewing

Darshan at the Nav Durga temples is free; go in the morning, when the lanes are cooler
The Durga Kund tank and its steps in the evening
The Durga Puja pandals from Shashthi to Dashami

The Nav Durga walk

The nine forms of Durga worshipped in Navratri are, in order: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. In the Hindu tradition they are read as the nine stages of the goddess's battle with the demon Mahishasura, with the tenth day, Vijayadashami, as the victory.

Kashi gives each form a temple, and devotees visit one on each day. The first, Shailaputri, stands in the north of the city near Marhia Ghat; the others are in the lanes of the old city not far from the ghats, where a car is no use. On Ashtami, the eighth day, the crowd goes to the Annapurna temple: in Kashi, Annapurna is worshipped as Mahagauri, the eighth form. The temple stands about 15 metres north-west of Kashi Vishwanath, in the Vishwanath lanes.

Apart from the nine, the city's best-known goddess temple is the Durga temple at Durga Kund, near Assi, crowded through all nine days. It was built in the 18th century by Rani Bhabani of Natore, a Bengali queen, in the North Indian Nagara style, and is painted red with ochre to match the colour of the goddess's image. The tank beside it gives the area its name. A colony of monkeys lives on the temple, so keep food and valuables in your bag.

Durga Puja pandals and the Ramnagar Ramlila

Yes, Durga Puja is celebrated in Varanasi. From Shashthi, the sixth day, to Dashami, the tenth, pandals (temporary shrines with images of Durga) stand across the city, fullest on Ashtami and Navami nights. Walking round them is free.

The other half of the season is the Ramlila, the staging of the Ramayana in song, recital and dialogue, based on Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. UNESCO inscribed Ramlila on its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 and names Ramnagar and Benares among its most representative stagings. Most Ramlilas last ten to twelve days; Ramnagar's runs for about a month, from Anant Chaturdashi to Sharad Purnima, the full moon after Dussehra: 25 September – 25 October 2026. More on the Ramnagar Ramlila page.

Ramnagar is across the Ganga, around Ramnagar Fort, the seat of the Maharaja of Banaras. There is no stage, no amplification and no electric light: the audience follows the episodes on foot between open-air sites across the town, so bring a torch and plan the river crossing back at night before you go. Dussehra falls on 9 October 2027; more on the Dussehra page.

Practical notes

Navratri usually falls between mid-September and mid-October. The monsoon is going out: Varanasi averages about 224 mm of rain in September and about 33 mm in October, with days around 32–33°C.

Go early — Darshan at the Nav Durga temples is free; go in the morning, when the lanes are cooler.
Kashi Vishwanath rules — Phones, cameras and other electronics are not allowed inside; there is a separate storage room, and security checks at the gates. Visiting Annapurna on Ashtami means passing through the same lanes.
Dress — Cover shoulders and knees and leave shoes at the stand. Details for the city's temples: temple dress code in Varanasi.
Fasting food — Many people fast through the nine days; Navratri fasting food skips grains, onion and garlic.
Where to stay — The old city above the ghats for the temple walk, Assi for Durga Kund. More in where to stay in Varanasi.

Crowds

The Nav Durga lanes, Durga Kund and the Vishwanath area are at their busiest on Ashtami and Navami. The UK Foreign Office notes that stampedes have happened at large religious gatherings in India and advises following the instructions of local authorities and taking care of belongings in crowds. If you need help, the national emergency number is 112. See also is India safe and emergency numbers.

FAQ

When is Navratri in Varanasi?

Navratri in Varanasi: 30 September – 8 October 2027 (expected). It runs from the first to the ninth lunar day of the bright half of Ashvin, usually between mid-September and mid-October, and Dussehra follows on 9 October 2027.

Is Varanasi crowded during Navratri?

Yes, especially at the Durga Kund temple and in the old-city lanes on Ashtami and Navami. October also opens Varanasi's busy season, so book rooms about a month ahead and trains when sales open, 60 days out.

Is Durga Puja celebrated in Varanasi?

Yes. Pandals stand across the city from Shashthi to Dashami and are free to visit; they are fullest on Ashtami and Navami nights.

Which temple is visited on which day?

Each of the nine forms of Durga has its own temple in Kashi, from Shailaputri near Marhia Ghat on the first day to Mahagauri, worshipped at the Annapurna temple, on the eighth.

Where is the Ramnagar Ramlila?

In Ramnagar, across the Ganga, at open-air sites around Ramnagar Fort. There is no stage: the audience walks with the performers from scene to scene.

Sources (5)

Facts checked: 22 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.

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