Shri Durgaashtami (Mahashtami) Fasting date clarification – 23 or 24 October 2020
At places where Shukla Ashtami will remain for more than 1 Ghati (24 minutes) after sunrise, Shri Durga Ashtami celebration and fasting should be done on 24th October 2020.
The day of Mahashtami or Shri Durga Ashtami is sunrise-Vyapini in Ashwin month, 8th day of Shukla Paksha or Waxing Moon period. This date should have at least 1 Ghati (24 minutes) of Vyapini and Navmi. 8th day or Ashtami that is touching Saptami should be discarded. But, where Ashtami is touched by Saptami on the previous day and it’s less than 24 minutes, or 1 Ghadi in next day, then it should also be accepted as ‘touched by Saptami’.
“Ath Mahastami Ghatika Matra Pyaudyiki Navmi Yuta Grahya. Saptami Swalpyuta Sarwatha Tyajya.”
Yada Tu Purvatra Saptamiyuta Partrodaye Nasti Ghatika Nyuna Va Vartate Yada Poorva Saptami Vidwapi Grahya.
On 24 October 2020, Ashwin Shukla Ashtami is present for less than 1 Ghadi (24 minutes), thus as per Holy Scriptures, Shri Durga Ashtami fasting and celebration should be done on 23rd October 2020 that is Saptami touching Ashtami.
At places where Shukla Ashtami will remain for more than 1 Ghati (24 minutes) after sunrise, Shri Durga Ashtami celebration and fasting should be done on 24th October 2020.
In other words, at places where sunrise time is on or before 6:35 am, Shri Durga Ashtami (Mahashtami) will be celebrated on 24th October.
Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, and most of the parts of Rajasthan will celebrate on 23rd October and the rest of the country will celebrate on 24th October.
Check the attached map of the country. The line A to B is showing the places where sunrise time is 6:35 am on 24th October 2020 and Ashtami tithi will be exactly for 24 minutes.
Place on right side of this line will see the sunrise before 6:35 and Ashtami will be present for more than 24 minutes, hence the places on the right side of the line (Northeastern India) will celebrate Mahashtami on 24th October 2020. Similarly, on the left side of this line, Ashtami time after sunrise will keep reducing, hence these place will celebrate Ashtami on 23rd October 2020.
Shri Durga Ashtami will be celebrated in Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, North-West Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra etc. on 23rd October 2020.
Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Mid-Eastern Maharashtra, and rest of eastern India will celebrate Mahashtami on 24th October 2020.
Below are dates for Durgashthami For Some Of Major Cities Of World
- Delhi (India) — 24th October 2020
- Mumbai (India)- 23rd October 2020
- Ahmadabad (India)- 23rd October 2020
- Hyderabad (India)- 24th October 2020
- Jaipur (India)- 24th October 2020
- Sydney (Australia )— 24th October 2020
- Adelaide (Australia ) — 24th October 2020
- Melbourne (Australia ) — 24th October 2020
- Berlin (Germany)- 23rd October 2020
- Munich (Germany)- 23rd October 2020
- Frankfurt (Germany)- 23rd October 2020
- Istanbul (Turkey)- 23rd October 2020
- Moscow (Russia)- 23rd October 2020
- London (England)- 23rd October 2020
- Madrid (Spain)- 23rd October 2020
- Rome (Italy)- 23rd October 2020
- Mexico — 23rd October 2020
- Brussels (Belgium)- 23rd October 2020
- Budapest (Hungary)- 23rd October 2020
- Dublin (Ireland)- 23rd October 2020
- Helsinki (Finland) - 23rd October 2020
- Luxembourg — 23rd October 2020
- Nuuk (Greenland)- 23rd October 2020
- Oslo (Norway) — 23rd October 2020
- Paris (France) — 23rd October 2020
- Rome (Italy) - 23rd October 2020
- Stockholm (Sweden)- 23rd October 2020
- Wellington (New Zealand)- 24th October 2020
- Bern (Switzerland) — 23rd October 2020
- Singapore — 24th October 2020
- Port Louis (Mauritius) - 23rd October 2020
- Ottawa (Canada)- 23rd October 2020
- New York (USA)- 23rd October 2020
- Los Angeles (CA-USA) — 23rd October 2020
- Chicago (USA)- 23rd October 2020
- California (USA)- 23rd October 2020
- Abu dhabi (UAE)- 23rd October 2020
- Dubai (UAE)- 23rd October 2020
Important: A family person who has a son should not observe fasting on Mahashtami. If it is mandatory to keep fast due to family tradition, leave any specific food and drink water to observe this fasting. Check sunrise time at your place to determine the date of Mahastami.
