Thursday 28th September 2017
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 19:08 PM on 27-September-2017
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 21:36 PM on 28-September-2017
Wednesday 17th October 2018
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 10:16 AM on 16-October-2018
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 12:49 PM on 17-October-2018
Sunday 6th October 2019
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 9:50 AM on 5-October-2019
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 10:54 AM on 6-October-2019
Saturday 24th October 2020
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 6:56 AM on 23-October-2020
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 6:58 AM on 24-October-2020
Wednesday 13th October 2021
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 9:47 PM on 12-October-2021
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 8:07 PM on 13-October-2021
Monday 3rd October 2022:
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 6:46 PM on 2-October-2022
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 4:37 PM on 3-October-2022
Sunday 22nd October 2023
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 9:52 PM on 21-October-2023
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 7:58 PM on 22-October-2023
Friday 11th October 2024
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 12:31 PM on 10-October-2024
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 12:06 PM on 11-October-2024
Tuesday 30th September 2025
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 4:31 PM on 29-September-2025
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 6:05 PM on 30-September-2025
Monday 19th October 2026
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 8:27 AM on 18-October-2026
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 10:51 AM on 19-October-2026
Thursday 7th October 2027
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 4:12 AM on 7-October-2027
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 6:26 AM on 8-October-2027
Tuesday 26th September 2028
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 6:32 AM on 25-September-2028
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 6:57 AM on 26-September-2028
Sunday 14th October 2029
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 4:58 AM on 14-October-2029
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 4:27 AM on 15-October-2029
Friday 4th October 2030
Mahashtami Puja Timings:
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 10:23 PM on 3-October-2030
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 8:30 PM on 4-October-2030
About Maha Durgashtami:
Mahashtami or Maha Durgashtami is the second day of Durga Puja and one of the most significant days of Durga Puja festival. Durga Puja rituals on Maha Ashtami begins with Mahasnan and Shodashopachar Puja, which are very much similar to those of Maha Saptami Puja, with an exception that the Prana Pratishtha is done only once on Maha Saptami.
On the day of Maha Ashtami, nine small pots, in which nine Shakti forms of Goddess Durga are invoked, are installed and all these nine forms are worshipped.
Kumari Puja is performed on Maha Ashtami, which involves worshipping of young unmarried girls, treating them as Goddess Durga. In many places, Kumari Puja is performed on all nine days of Durga Navratri. However, it is preferred to perform Kumari Puja on a single day on Maha Ashtami.
The renowned Sandhi Puja is also performed on Maha Ashtami. Sandhi Time or the holy juncture during Durga Puja constitutes the time-frame of the last 24 minutes of Ashtami Tithi and the first 24 minutes of Navami Tithi. Sandhi time is regarded as the most auspicious time during whole Durga Puja festival. Sandhi Puja is the peak point as well as the most significant ritual of Durga Puja. It is expected to perform animal sacrifice or Balidan at this sacred point of time. Devotees, who refrain from animal sacrifice, perform symbolic Balidan using vegetables like banana, cucumber or pumpkin. As per Hindu scriptures, Brahmins are prohibited from doing animal and hence they do only symbolic Bali. Even at the famous Belur Math in West Bengal only symbolic Bali is performed with banana. It is a custom to light 108 earthen lamps during Sandhi Kaal.
