The Dasara Sharannavaratri festival of Sri Kanaka Durga on Indrakeeladri, Vijayawada, runs in 2026 from October 11 (Ashvayuja Shukla Pratipada) to October 20 (Vijayadashami). On each of the ten days the Mother is adorned in a different alankaram. Here is the day-by-day list, what each form means, and which stotras you can chant at home on that day.
Dasara alankarams 2026: day-by-day list
| Date | Day | Tithi | Alankaram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11 | Sunday | Pratipada | Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi |
| Oct 12 | Monday | Dwitiya | Sri Gayatri Devi |
| Oct 13 | Tuesday | Tritiya | Sri Annapurna Devi |
| Oct 14 | Wednesday | Chaturthi | Sri Mahachandi Devi |
| Oct 15 | Thursday | Panchami | Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari Devi |
| Oct 16 | Friday | Shashti, Moola nakshatra | Sri Saraswati Devi |
| Oct 17 | Saturday | Saptami | Sri Mahalakshmi Devi |
| Oct 18 | Sunday | Ashtami, Durgashtami | Sri Durga Devi |
| Oct 19 | Monday | Navami, Mahanavami | Sri Mahishasuramardini Devi |
| Oct 20 | Tuesday | Dashami, Vijayadashami | Sri Rajarajeshwari Devi |
This is the schedule announced by the temple and reported in the news. For darshan timings and special sevas, check the temple's official announcements.
Each alankaram and what to chant
Day 1 (Oct 11, Sunday): Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi
The child form of Lalitha Tripura Sundari, worshipped as the first step of Sri Vidya. The festival opens with her darshan, and many homes honour young girls as the Mother's form on this day.
Chant today:
Day 2 (Oct 12, Monday): Sri Gayatri Devi
Vedamata Gayatri, shown with five faces and ten arms. She is the deity of the Gayatri mantra, so devotees do extra Gayatri japa on this day.
Chant today:
Day 3 (Oct 13, Tuesday): Sri Annapurna Devi
The Mother who gives food, shown with a vessel of rice and a ladle; as Annapurna of Kashi she fed Shiva himself when he came seeking alms. Devotees pray that no home goes without food.
Chant today:
Day 4 (Oct 14, Wednesday): Sri Mahachandi Devi
Chandika as described in the Devi Mahatmya (Durga Saptashati), seen as the united power of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. Saptashati recitation and Chandi hymns are customary.
Chant today:
Day 5 (Oct 15, Thursday): Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari Devi
The presiding deity of the Sri Chakra, holding a sugarcane bow, flower arrows, noose and goad. Lalitha Sahasranama recitation and kumkum archana are special on this day.
Chant today:
Day 6 (Oct 16, Friday): Sri Saraswati Devi
On Moola nakshatra the Mother appears as Saraswati, goddess of learning. It is one of the busiest days on Indrakeeladri, and many families do aksharabhyasam and worship books and pens.
Chant today:
Day 7 (Oct 17, Saturday): Sri Mahalakshmi Devi
The giver of prosperity and auspiciousness, seated on a lotus with lotuses in her hands. Lakshmi Ashtottara and the Kanakadhara Stotram are commonly recited.
Chant today:
Day 8 (Oct 18, Sunday): Sri Durga Devi
On Durgashtami the Mother is seen in her own form as Kanaka Durga. The name Durga comes from her victory over the demon Durgama.
Chant today:
Day 9 (Oct 19, Monday): Sri Mahishasuramardini Devi
The fierce lion-riding form that slew Mahishasura, seen on Mahanavami, the day many regions also do Ayudha Puja.
Chant today:
Day 10 (Oct 20, Tuesday): Sri Rajarajeshwari Devi
On Vijayadashami the Mother appears in calm majesty as Rajarajeshwari, queen of all worlds. The festival closes that evening with the Hamsa Vahana Teppotsavam on the Krishna river.
Chant today:
A simple daily puja at home
If you cannot visit the temple, you can keep the day's alankaram in mind and worship at home. Light a lamp in the morning or evening, sit before the Mother's picture, and chant the ashtottara for that day's form, offering a flower or a pinch of kumkum at each name. Add one or two of the stotras listed above and offer naivedya as your family does. Puja details differ from home to home, so follow the way your elders taught you.
Navadurga and the alankarams: what is the difference?
In many regions the nine nights are devoted to the Navadurga, from Shailaputri to Siddhidatri. Temples such as Indrakeeladri instead dress the Mother in a special alankaram each day. Both are forms of the same Jaganmata. For the Navadurga stories, read Navadurga: the nine forms.