Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali 2026: Festival Trips by Cab (Dates, Temples, Mysore Dasara)
Navratri starts on 11 October 2026, Dussehra is on 20 October and Diwali Lakshmi Puja is on 8 November. These four weeks are the busiest travel season of the year in India. Families visit Devi temples, go to Mysore for the Dasara procession, hop between Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata, travel home for Diwali and plan Goa or hill station breaks during the school holidays.
Buses and trains sell out weeks ahead, and festival traffic makes self-driving tiring. A private cab with a driver lets the whole family travel together, stop when you want and come back the same night if you like. This guide covers the festival dates, the best Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali trips from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Varanasi, and practical tips for booking a cab in the festive rush.
Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali 2026 dates
| Festival | Date (2026) | Travel tip |
|---|---|---|
| Sharad Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana) | Sunday, 11 October | Temple crowds peak on weekends; go on weekdays if you can |
| Durga Puja (Kolkata) | About 16 to 21 October | Kolkata pandal hopping is best after 10 pm |
| Dussehra / Vijayadashami | Tuesday, 20 October | Mysore Jamboo Savari around this day; book your cab early |
| Dhanteras | Friday, 6 November | Heavy traffic in markets from the evening before |
| Diwali Lakshmi Puja | Sunday, 8 November | Most people travel home 2 to 3 days before |
| Bhai Dooj | 10 to 11 November | Return rush; plan your drive back early in the morning |
Navratri trips by cab from Mumbai and Pune
Navratri is the season of Devi darshan. Maharashtra has some of the most important Devi temples in India, and most of them are an easy one or two day drive from Mumbai or Pune.
1. Ekvira Devi, Karla (near Lonavala)
The Ekvira Devi temple sits on the hill above the ancient Karla caves, about 100 km from Mumbai and 60 km from Pune. During Navratri, Koli and Agri families from Mumbai visit in large numbers. Combine it with a lunch stop in Lonavala and you are back home by night. Book a Mumbai to Lonavala cab or a Pune to Lonavala cab and ask the driver to add Karla.
2. Saptashrungi Devi, Vani (near Nashik)
Saptashrungi is one of the three and a half Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra, about 60 km from Nashik on a hill road. Many families do Saptashrungi with Trimbakeshwar and Nashik’s Panchavati in a two day trip. Start with a Mumbai to Nashik cab; the driver knows the ghat section well.
3. Mahalaxmi Temple, Kolhapur
Ambabai of Kolhapur is the most visited Devi temple in Maharashtra during Navratri, with special alankar every day and a palanquin procession. Kolhapur is about 380 km from Mumbai and 230 km from Pune, so plan two days. A Mumbai to Kolhapur cab lets you add Jyotiba temple and the Panhala fort on the way back.
4. Tulja Bhavani, Tuljapur
Tulja Bhavani, the family deity of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, sees huge crowds on the Navratri days and on Dussehra. Tuljapur is about 280 km from Pune. Leave very early, keep a full day, and go with a driver who can drop you near the temple and wait.
5. Mumba Devi and Mahalaxmi in Mumbai
Staying in the city? Cover Mumba Devi, Mahalaxmi Temple and Siddhivinayak in one morning, then spend the evening at a Navratri garba in the suburbs. Our Mumbai darshan cab works well for a full temple day with the family.
Bonus: Jyotirlinga trips in the festive season
Many families use the Navratri and Diwali holidays for a Jyotirlinga yatra: Bhimashankar, Grishneshwar with the Ellora caves, and Trimbakeshwar. Add Shirdi and you have a complete temple circuit. Families staying in Pune can also do the Ashtavinayak darshan.
Dussehra in South India: Mysore Dasara and more
If there is one festival trip to do in South India, it is the Mysore Dasara. The 10-day state festival of Karnataka ends on Vijayadashami with the Jamboo Savari, when a decorated elephant carries the golden howdah of Goddess Chamundeshwari from Mysore Palace to Bannimantap. In the evenings the palace is lit with nearly one lakh bulbs.
Bangalore to Mysore for Dasara
Mysore is about 145 km from Bangalore on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, around 2.5 to 3 hours by car. Most families do it as a day or overnight trip:
- Morning: leave Bangalore by 6 am, stop at Srirangapatna and the Ranganathaswamy temple.
- Afternoon: Chamundi Hills temple, then a rest before the evening.
- Evening: Mysore Palace illumination (usually 7 pm to 10 pm) and Brindavan Gardens.
- Dussehra day: the Jamboo Savari procession in the afternoon. Roads close early, so reach Mysore the evening before.
Book a Bangalore to Mysore cab with a driver who waits while you watch the procession. Parking near the palace is almost impossible on Dasara day, which is exactly why a cab with a driver makes sense. For more trips, see outstation cabs from Bangalore.
Hyderabad: Bathukamma and Dussehra
In Telangana the Navratri days are celebrated as Bathukamma, with women carrying flower stacks to the lakes, and the big celebrations at Tank Bund and Hussain Sagar. Dussehra here is family time, and many families from Hyderabad take a temple trip to Yadagirigutta, Srisailam or Basara Saraswati during the holidays. Our outstation cabs from Hyderabad and Hyderabad darshan cabs cover these trips.
Other Dussehra celebrations in the south
Madikeri Dasara in Coorg is famous for its night procession of lit-up tableaux, and Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu holds one of the most colourful Dasara festivals in the country. Both are best reached by road with a local driver.
Durga Puja in Kolkata: pandal hopping by cab
From Maha Saptami to Dashami (about 16 to 21 October 2026), Kolkata turns into one huge open-air art gallery. The famous pandals are spread across the city, from Bagbazar and Kumartuli in the north to Ekdalia, Suruchi Sangha and Sreebhumi. Walking between them is impossible and taxis are hard to find after midnight.
The smart way is to book a cab for the night: the driver drops you near each pandal, waits, and takes you to the next one. Plan the north Kolkata pandals for one night and south Kolkata for another. See our Kolkata darshan cabs page, and if you are flying in, book a Kolkata airport taxi in advance, because the airport queues are long during the Puja days.
Diwali 2026 travel by cab
Going home for Diwali
For millions of families, Diwali means going home. Trains are booked out months ahead and flight fares jump. A one-way outstation cab is often the most comfortable way for a family of four to six, door to door, with all the gifts and sweets in the boot. Plan to leave 2 to 3 days before Lakshmi Puja (so by 5 or 6 November) to avoid the worst of the highway traffic. All routes are on our outstation cabs page.
Ayodhya Deepotsav
Ayodhya celebrates Diwali with the Deepotsav, when lakhs of diyas are lit along the ghats of the Saryu river and the Ram temple is decorated. It is one of the most beautiful Diwali sights in India. Varanasi and Lucknow are the easiest starting points: book a Varanasi to Ayodhya cab and stay one night so you see both the evening lights and the morning darshan.
Varanasi after Diwali: Dev Deepawali
About two weeks after Diwali, on Kartik Purnima, Varanasi celebrates Dev Deepawali, when all the ghats are lit with diyas. Hotels fill up early, and a Kashi darshan cab is the easiest way to move around the old city on that day.
Diwali holidays: Goa, Mahabaleshwar and Lonavala
Schools are closed for the Diwali holidays, the monsoon is over and the weather is pleasant, so the second half of the holidays is perfect for a short break. Goa’s tourist season starts now: book a Mumbai to Goa cab and use the Goa sightseeing cab once you are there. Closer to home, Mahabaleshwar and Lonavala are green and cool after the rains.
Travelling with a big family or group?
Festival trips often mean the whole family, including grandparents and cousins. An Innova Crysta or Hycross seats 6 to 7 people comfortably, and for larger groups a Tempo Traveller or a mini bus keeps everyone together. See Innova on hire and bus on hire for the options.
10 tips for festival travel by cab
- Book early. Cabs for Dussehra and the two days before Diwali get booked a week or more ahead.
- Leave early in the morning. Highways out of Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore are clear before 6 am and jammed by 9 am on festival weekends.
- Avoid the evening of Dhanteras and Lakshmi Puja in city markets; traffic barely moves.
- Keep the temple timings handy. Many Devi temples have special Navratri timings and extra darshan queues.
- Carry cash and UPI both. Small towns and temple parking still prefer cash.
- Keep the driver’s number saved so you can call him to the gate when you come out of a crowded temple or pandal.
- Dress for crowds: comfortable footwear you can leave outside temples, and a light shawl for the evening.
- Plan meal stops. Highway restaurants are full at lunchtime; eat a little early.
- Take care of elders and children in crowds; agree on a meeting point near the car.
- Confirm the fare before you travel, including toll and parking, so there are no surprises on a festival day.
Book your festival trip with HireCab
HireCab has been running cabs across India since 2016. For Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali we have sedans, Ertiga, Innova Crysta and Innova Hycross, Tempo Travellers and buses, all with experienced drivers. Call +91 9702747577 or WhatsApp +91 9702545454 with your dates and route, and we confirm the car and the fare before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is Navratri in 2026?
Sharad Navratri 2026 starts on Sunday, 11 October and ends with Maha Navami on 19 October. Dussehra (Vijayadashami) is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali Lakshmi Puja is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Dhanteras is on 6 November and Bhai Dooj falls on 10 to 11 November (check your local calendar).
When is the Mysore Dasara Jamboo Savari in 2026?
The Jamboo Savari procession takes place on Vijayadashami, around 20 to 21 October 2026. Check the official Mysore Dasara schedule for the exact timing, and reach Mysore the evening before because roads close early.
How far is Mysore from Bangalore by cab?
Mysore is about 145 km from Bangalore. On the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway it takes around 2.5 to 3 hours by car, more on Dasara day.
Which Devi temples can I visit from Mumbai during Navratri?
Popular Navratri trips from Mumbai are Ekvira Devi at Karla (about 100 km), Saptashrungi near Nashik, Mahalaxmi in Kolhapur and Tulja Bhavani in Tuljapur. In the city, visit Mumba Devi and Mahalaxmi Temple.
Is it better to book a cab or drive yourself during the festival season?
With crowded temples, closed roads and difficult parking, a cab with a driver is far less stressful. The driver drops you near the gate, waits and picks you up, and the whole family travels together.
How early should I book a cab for Diwali?
Book at least a week ahead for travel on the two or three days before Lakshmi Puja and for the Bhai Dooj return, because those are the busiest days of the year.
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