Durva Ashtami 2026 Date

About Durva Ashtami

Falling on Shukla Ashtami of Bhadrapada — the same day as Radha Ashtami and the opening of the 16-day Mahalakshmi Vrat — Durva Ashtami honours the humble durva grass that, by Ganesha's own decree, outranks gold and flowers as his preferred offering. Women keep the fast for the long life of their children.

The Bhavishya Purana, in a katha Krishna narrates to Yudhishthira, traces the rite to the demon Analasura, who scorched the heavens with fire from his eyes. Ganesha swallowed him whole and burned from within. The moon climbing onto his brow, Vishnu's lotus and Shiva's cobra all failed to cool him — until sages laid 21 blades of durva on his head and the fever vanished. Ganesha then promised his blessings to anyone who worshipped him with durva. That is why offerings are tied in bundles of 21, and only the tender three-bladed shoots — said to embody Shiva, Shakti and Ganesha together — are used. Curiously, the day's formal Shodashopachara worship in the Vrat Parichaya is directed at Shiva and Parvati, with seven fruits including wood apple, citron and pomegranate placed alongside the durva.