Durga Puja and Dussehra Outfit Guide: What to Wear from Shashthi to Sindoor Khela and Ravan Dahan

Durga Puja and Dussehra 2026: The Dates

Because 2026 includes an extra lunar month, the Pujo arrives later than last year. Mahalaya, which marks the start of Devi Paksha and the countdown to the Pujo, falls on 10 October. Sharad Navratri begins on 11 October, and the five main days of Durga Puja run through the following week, ending with Vijayadashami.

With Shashthi falling on a Friday and Dashami on a Tuesday, many working families will get a long weekend of Pujo. That makes Saptami and Ashtami the busiest pandal-hopping days, and the days to save your best looks for.

The Colours of Pujo: Red, White and Everything In Between

No colour says Durga Puja like the combination of white and red. The classic laal paar saree, white or off-white with a broad red border, is worn by married women for Ashtami anjali and for Sindoor Khela on Dashami. Red represents shakti and auspiciousness; white represents purity. Together they are instantly recognisable.

Beyond red and white, Pujo wardrobes are joyful and bold. Mustard yellow, marigold orange, bottle green, royal blue and deep maroon all feel right against the lights and flowers of the pandals. Younger women increasingly mix tradition with contemporary silhouettes: a red and white suit with a gota border, an ivory anarkali with a crimson dupatta, or a mustard sharara set with a red bandhani dupatta.

If you are building a Pujo wardrobe around suits rather than sarees, three pieces go a long way:

• An ivory or white embroidered suit, styled with a red dupatta for Ashtami and Dashami. Browse white suits.
• A statement red suit for Navami night. See our red salwar suits.
• A bright yellow or orange piece for daytime pandal hopping. Try the yellow suit edit.

For more on pairing colours, our salwar suit colour combinations guide has plenty of ideas.

Your Day-by-Day Durga Puja Outfit Plan

Each day of the Pujo has a slightly different rhythm. Here is how to dress for each one so you look festive without being uncomfortable.

Shashthi: easy and elegant

Shashthi evening is when the goddess is unveiled and the neighbourhood pandals come alive. Crowds are building but not yet at their peak, and many people make a short first round. A printed lawn or cambric three-piece with a light chiffon dupatta is perfect: festive, breathable and easy to move in. Explore our lawn collection for bright prints that still feel special.

Saptami: the first big night out

Saptami is often the day families plan a long pandal-hopping route through the city. You will walk for hours, queue at the famous pandals and eat at every stall. Choose a mid-weight embroidered suit in a strong colour: royal blue, bottle green or mustard. A straight or A-line cut is more practical than a heavy flare in crowds. Our guide to anarkali vs straight vs A-line suits will help you choose.

Ashtami: your showpiece morning

Ashtami morning pushpanjali is the most dressed-up moment of the Pujo. It is when families gather at the para pandal, offer flowers to the goddess and then spend the afternoon over bhog and adda. This is the day for your finest outfit: a white or ivory suit with red embroidery, a luxe silk, or a richly worked organza. Because anjali involves standing, bowing and sitting on the floor, pick a dupatta you can manage easily and a kameez length that does not tangle.

Navami: festive and fun

Navami is bittersweet: the last full night of the Pujo, often the loudest and latest. It is the night for dhunuchi naach, music and late dinners. A flared anarkali or a sharara set gives movement for dancing, and deeper jewel tones look beautiful under pandal lights. Browse our anarkali suits and sharara suits for Navami options.

Dashami: red and white for Bijoya

Dashami brings Sindoor Khela, the immersion procession and Bijoya greetings, when families visit elders, touch their feet and share sweets. Traditional red and white returns, and comfort matters because the day is long. More on Sindoor Khela below.

Sindoor Khela: What to Wear and What to Avoid

Sindoor Khela is one of the most joyous rituals of the Pujo. After the final aarti on Dashami, married women offer sindoor to the goddess, then smear it on each other’s foreheads, cheeks and hair, wishing one another a long and happy married life. In recent years many pandals have opened the ritual more widely, and friends of every background take part.

It is beautiful, and it is also messy. Sindoor is a strong pigment and can stain delicate fabrics permanently. A few practical tips:

• Wear red and white, or a colour where a red stain will blend in rather than stand out.
• Choose cotton, cambric or a washable blend rather than an expensive organza or pure silk.
• Avoid pale pastel dupattas; they show every mark.
• Pin your dupatta securely, as there will be hugging and jostling.
• Keep jewellery simple: a shakha-pola set, a red bindi and small earrings are enough.

Dussehra Outfit Ideas: From Family Puja to Ravan Dahan

Across North and West India, Dussehra ends nine nights of Navratri and Ramlila. The day usually starts with a family puja, often including shastra puja or Aparajita puja, and moves into visits to relatives. In the evening, crowds gather in open grounds to watch giant effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnad burn.

Dussehra style sits somewhere between everyday elegance and festive. You want to look put-together at the family gathering, but you will also be standing outdoors in a crowd for the evening. Because Dussehra falls on a Tuesday this year, a lot of people will head to Ravan Dahan straight from work, so versatile outfits are the winners.

Three Dussehra looks that work

The office-to-evening suit. A straight-cut embroidered lawn or cambric suit in maroon, mustard or deep green, with a printed chiffon dupatta tucked into your bag. Wear it plain at work, add the dupatta and earrings for the evening. Our office wear ethnic dresses guide has more ideas.

The family-puja classic. A printed chiffon three-piece in a rich colour. Chiffon drapes beautifully, photographs well, and is light enough for an October afternoon. Browse our chiffon suits.

The festive evening. If you are attending a big community Ravan Dahan or a Dussehra dinner, a gharara or a sharara set in a jewel tone is fun without being bridal. See our gharara suits and our explainer on sharara vs gharara vs palazzo.

Dussehra is also celebrated in distinct regional ways. In Mysuru, the Dasara festivities are among the grandest in the country, with a royal procession on Vijayadashami. In Himachal Pradesh, Kullu Dussehra begins on Vijayadashami and continues for a week. Wherever you are, the principle is the same: dress respectfully for the puja, comfortably for the crowds.

Fabrics for Crowds, Humidity and Late October Nights

October in Kolkata is still warm and often humid, while North Indian evenings start to cool by Dussehra. Pandals are packed, lit with thousands of bulbs and full of people. Fabric choice makes a bigger difference to how you feel than any embellishment.

If you are unsure about fabrics, our explainer on what lawn fabric is and our guide to the best fabric for salwar kameez are both useful reading.

Dupatta, Jewellery and Footwear for Pujo

The right accessories can turn a simple suit into a Pujo look, but crowds and heat mean you should choose them carefully.

Dupatta

A dupatta is both statement and practical tool at Durga Puja: it covers your head for anjali, protects you from dhunuchi smoke and adds colour to a plain suit. For pandal hopping, drape it over one shoulder and pin it; for anjali, a traditional drape over the head works best. Our guide on how to drape a dupatta shows several styles.

Jewellery

Bengali Pujo style loves gold-toned jhumkas, a bold nose pin and stacked bangles. For long nights, keep heavy pieces for Ashtami and choose lighter jewellery for pandal hopping. A red bindi and alta on the feet complete the traditional look.

Footwear

You will walk more during the Pujo than at any other time of year. Flat kolhapuris or cushioned juttis are far better than heels. Many pandals ask you to remove your shoes at the entrance, so slip-ons save time.

Why The Fashion Station Is Perfect for Your Pujo and Dussehra Shopping

Pujo shopping traditionally meant crowded markets in the weeks before Mahalaya. Today, many families prefer to shop online and spend those weekends with each other instead. Here is why The Fashion Station works so well for festive shopping.

Questions about fit, fabric or delivery to your city? Tap Chat with Us on any page or email [email protected]. For the full season, see our festive season calendar 2026 with order-by dates.

Durga Puja and Dussehra Outfits: Frequently Asked Questions