Diwali 2026 in Noida: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate
TL;DR 🪔
- Noida's festive calendar runs from Krishna Janmashtami in early September through Dussehra in late October, building toward Diwali
- Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 14, marking the start of the main festive stretch
- Navratri 2026 begins October 11, followed by Durga Ashtami on October 19 and Dussehra on October 20
- Barahi Tample, Devi Mata Mandir, and Hanuman Mandir are among the established puja destinations across the city
- Arya Samaj Mandir in Sector 33 and Shiv Mandir Meethapur Gujjar village offer neighbourhood worship for those who prefer them
The Festival Calendar: September and October 2026
The road to Diwali is never just one day. The festive season in Noida — as in most of North India — is a two-month stretch that begins with Krishna Janmashtami and gathers momentum through a chain of observances, fasts, and celebrations before reaching Diwali's night of lights and Lakshmi Puja.
This year, Krishna Janmashtami falls on September 4, 2026. It is one of the biggest collective celebrations on the calendar, with bhajans, midnight puja, and jhankis that can run through the early hours of the morning. Ganesh Chaturthi follows on September 14, beginning a ten-day period that has grown in size and visibility across Noida's residential sectors over the past decade. For many families, Ganesh Chaturthi functions as the emotional start of the festive season even more than Janmashtami, because it is the first festival at which decorations go up in public spaces and community pandals come to life.
Between the major festivals, the calendar is dense with regular observances: Ekadashi on September 7 and again on September 22, Pradosh Vrat on September 9 and September 24, Amavasya on September 11, and Purnima on September 26. Sankashti Chaturthi on September 1 opens the month with a Ganesh fast. These dates matter to families who follow a weekly and fortnightly puja and fasting schedule — they are the skeleton on which the festive months are built.
October 2026 is even more packed. Navratri 2026 begins on October 11, nine nights of Durga worship that bring out dandiya and garba communities across sectors and mark Noida's most visually and socially charged festive period. Durga Ashtami on October 19 is the critical day within Navratri — the occasion of kanya puja, the most intense expressions of devotion, and in many households the day when the festival reaches its emotional peak. Dussehra / Vijayadashami follows immediately on October 20, the day Ravana's effigy burns across the city and the calendar pivots toward the final run to Diwali.
October also carries Amavasya on October 10, Ekadashi on October 6 and 22, Pradosh Vrat on October 8 and 24, Sankashti Chaturthi on October 29, and Purnima on October 26. The month is essentially a continuous sequence of observances with very few neutral days in between.
Where to Offer Puja in Noida 🛕
Noida has a range of temples distributed across its planned sectors and the older village areas that predated the city's formal development. Each serves its own community and tradition, and the festive season brings different temples to prominence at different points in the calendar.
Barahi Tample on Surajpur Barahi Road in Surajpur is one of the local landmarks in that part of Noida's extended geography. The Barahi form of the goddess — one of the Ashta Matrikas — has a devoted following in this area, and the temple draws visitors particularly during Navratri when the Shakti traditions are in fullest expression.
Devi Mata Mandir on Dadri Road in Surajpur is another Navratri destination, with the goddess at the centre of the nine-night observances. Both Surajpur temples serve communities in and around the village areas at Noida's edges, where festive traditions often feel more continuous with older rhythms than in the planned sectors.
Hanuman Mandir at IITL NIMBUS The Hyde Park in Sector 78 serves one of Noida's newer high-rise residential communities. Pradosh Vrat and the Ekadashi observances are particularly associated with Hanuman temples, and this mandir provides a regular puja destination for residents of the Sector 78 belt — a part of the city that has grown rapidly and now has a substantial population looking for nearby worship spaces.
Arya Samaj Mandir in B96 Sector 33 follows a different tradition from the idol-worship temples on this list. Arya Samaj pujas are havan-centred, conducted without the elaborate deity installation of Shaiva or Shakta mandirs. Families who prefer this mode of observance — particularly for important life-cycle events and sacraments during the festive season — will find it here.
Shiv Mandir Meethapur Gujjar village in Meethapur village is part of the older village fabric that underlies Noida's planned development. Mandirs that predate the city often serve their original communities with a continuity that newer sector temples are still building. The Meethapur area also has a mata mandir that provides an additional Navratri worship option within the same neighbourhood. Both spots tend to see their largest turnout during Navratri and Diwali, when extended families gather and the communal dimension of the festivals is most visible.
Planning Your Celebrations
Diwali puja is most commonly performed at home — the Lakshmi-Ganesh puja in the evening is the anchor of the celebration for most families — but the sequence of pre-Diwali festivals requires decisions about where to be and when.
For Navratri, the garba and dandiya events in residential societies have become a significant part of how Noida celebrates. These events are generally organised by resident welfare associations and often require registering for passes in advance. Waiting too long means missing out; the most popular society events fill up well before Navratri begins. Checking with your RWA in late September is the practical approach.
For Dussehra, Ravana dahan events happen simultaneously across different parts of the city. Knowing which site is closest, or worth the extra distance for its scale, requires a bit of advance planning. Larger open grounds in Noida — the areas near Sector 18 and similar maidan spaces — have historically hosted the larger events, but local RWA communication is the most reliable source.
The final days before Diwali are when Noida's lighting reaches its fullest expression. The wide roads and multi-storey residential towers create a different visual character than older, denser cities, but societies that invest in decorations produce displays that are genuinely worth seeing on an evening walk.
Insider Tip: For puja at temples like Barahi Tample or Devi Mata Mandir during Navratri, the Durga Ashtami evening (October 19) will see the longest queues of the entire season. Visiting on the early mornings of Saptami or Ashtami, or on one of the less-crowded middle nights of Navratri, gives you a more composed experience. For garba and dandiya events in your society, checking with your RWA in the last week of September for passes is the reliable approach — waiting until October is often too late.
FAQ
When does Navratri 2026 start in Noida? Navratri 2026 begins on October 11 and runs through Durga Ashtami on October 19 and Dussehra on October 20.
Which Noida temples are known for Navratri worship? Barahi Tample in Surajpur and Devi Mata Mandir on Dadri Road in Surajpur are among the established destinations for Navratri puja in the area.
Is there a temple in Sector 78 for residents of that area? Yes, Hanuman Mandir at IITL NIMBUS The Hyde Park in Sector 78 serves the residential community in that sector.
When is Dussehra 2026 in Noida? Dussehra / Vijayadashami falls on October 20, 2026, the day after Durga Ashtami.
When is Krishna Janmashtami in 2026? Krishna Janmashtami 2026 falls on September 4.
Bottom Line
Noida's festive calendar from September through October 2026 is one of the most event-dense stretches on the annual calendar. Beginning with Krishna Janmashtami on September 4 and Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14, it builds through a continuous sequence of Ekadashi, Pradosh Vrat, and Amavasya observances before reaching Navratri, Durga Ashtami, and Dussehra in October. Temples across the city — from Barahi Tample in Surajpur to Hanuman Mandir in Sector 78, Arya Samaj Mandir in Sector 33, and Shiv Mandir Meethapur Gujjar village in Meethapur — give residents a spread of options for community worship. Plan your Navratri temple visits for the earlier nights; the ashtami queues are long for a reason.