Navratri in Maihar: A Practical Guide for 2026

Navratri is the most important time of the year at Maa Sharda Temple, popularly known as Maihar Devi. Thousands of devotees travel to Maihar for darshan, and the town gets far busier than usual. A little planning makes the visit much calmer — especially if you're travelling with children or elderly parents.

Sharad Navratri 2026 Dates

These dates follow widely published panchang calendars, and Dussehra on 20 October appears on the 2026 central government holiday list. Panchangs sometimes differ by a day for individual tithis such as Ashtami and Navami, so if your plans depend on a particular day, confirm it locally before you travel.

Navratri comes twice a year. Besides Sharad Navratri in September–October, Chaitra Navratri falls in March–April and is also a busy time in Maihar.

Planning Your Darshan

• Start early. Queues tend to build through the day, so an early start usually gives you the calmest darshan.
• Choose steps or ropeway. The temple stands on Trikuta Hill. You can climb the stone steps or take the ropeway — during the festival, allow extra time for either.
• Travelling with elderly family members? The ropeway avoids the long climb. Check its timings on the day, as they can change.
• Pack light. Carry water, wear comfortable footwear and keep bags small for the queue.
• Plan meals around darshan. If you're staying with us, let us know roughly when you'll be back — we need 45–60 minutes' notice to have food ready.

Getting to Maihar During Navratri

Maihar has its own railway station. In recent Navratri seasons, Indian Railways has announced temporary halts for additional express trains at Maihar to handle the extra pilgrims — for example, 14 pairs of trains during Sharad Navratri 2024 and 5 pairs during Chaitra Navratri 2026. Train lists change every season, so check the latest halts on NTES or IRCTC before you travel.

Sources: Free Press Journal, September 2024 · Patna Press, March 2026

By road, Maihar is on the national highway, and traffic around the temple area can be heavy on festival days. If you're driving, it often helps to park at your accommodation and take a local auto-rickshaw to the temple base.

For airports, routes and local transport, see our Maihar Travel Guide.

Staying at The Prem Vatika Homestay During Navratri

The Prem Vatika Homestay Maihar is a family-run homestay in Patehra, Maihar, about 3 km from Maa Sharda Temple. Here's what's useful to know for a Navratri visit:

• Independent 2BHK apartments with a hall and kitchen, for up to 4 adults and 2 kids. Larger groups can ask about booking more than one apartment.
• Free, secure parking on a gated campus of about 15,000 sq ft. Drivers can stay free inside the vehicle within the campus (common washroom available), or take a bed for ₹200 per night.
• A pure vegetarian property — non-vegetarian food is not allowed on the premises, and smoking is not allowed in rooms.
• Home-cooked sattvic vegetarian food on order — please order 45–60 minutes in advance; last order 10:00 PM. See the full menu.
• Drinking water: 15-litre chilled RO water jars at ₹50 each.
• Vrat (fasting) food is available on order during Navratri — ask us for the vrat menu and prices when you order.
• Navratri rates: both apartments are ₹599 extra per night during Navratri — Standard ₹2398 and Deluxe ₹2998 per night + applicable taxes.
• Check-in 12:00 PM, check-out 11:00 AM.

We take bookings directly by phone and WhatsApp. With so many devotees visiting during Navratri, it's worth checking availability for your dates as early as you can. See room details, or read what pilgrims usually need from a stay.

Check availability for your Navratri dates

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More planning guides: Maihar Travel Guide · Staying near Maa Sharda Temple · Where to stay in Maihar · Family stay in Maihar