Melbourne’s north is preparing for six days of prayer, culture, music and community celebrations as Sharit Charitable Foundation returns with its second Durga Puja, following the success of its inaugural event last year.
The Durgotsav 2026 celebrations will run from 16 to 21 October at Epping Soccer Stadium, Harvest Home Road, Epping, bringing together traditional Hindu rituals, cultural performances, children’s activities, Garba and community meals.
Sharit Charitable Foundation says its 2025 celebration created a milestone for Melbourne’s Hindu community by holding Durga Puja on the original auspicious dates in accordance with the traditional Hindu calendar.
The organisation is continuing that approach in 2026, with ceremonies scheduled across the six days from Sasthi through to Dashami.
Durga Puja is one of the most important Hindu festivals, particularly for Bengali communities, and honours Goddess Durga as a representation of strength, courage and divine feminine power.
The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and is marked by elaborate worship, community gatherings, cultural performances, music, food and the immersion of the Goddess at the conclusion of festivities.
For many Indian-Australian families, the Melbourne celebration also provides an opportunity to recreate traditions they grew up with while introducing younger generations to their cultural heritage.
The festival begins on Friday, 16 October, with preparations, worship and Bodhon and Adibash ceremonies.
Saturday’s program includes the installation of the traditional Nabapatrika, Saptami Puja and Anjali, followed by an evening cultural program featuring a grand opening with Marathi Mandal Dhol, ceremonial lamp lighting, devotional music, Bhangra, dance drama and musical performances.
Sunday will feature Saptami rituals from early morning, along with a Sit and Draw activity at 11 am. The evening program includes children’s drama, musical performances and dance.
The Astami celebrations on Monday will begin before dawn, with Astami Puja, Anjali, Sandhi Puja and traditional offerings forming part of the religious program.
The cultural celebrations will continue in the evening with piano performances, fancy dress, karaoke and a Dhunuchi Dance competition, one of the most recognisable traditions associated with Durga Puja.
Tuesday, 20 October, will mark Navami, with worship beginning in the morning before Anjali and the traditional Kumari Puja, in which the divine feminine is symbolically worshipped through a young girl.
The festival will take on an additional celebratory atmosphere that evening with a Kids Got Talent program from 6 pm followed by Garba celebrations from 7 pm.
Sharit Charitable Foundation is inviting children from across the community to participate in the talent show, with entries open across age groups.
The Garba night is also being promoted as a free community event, encouraging families and friends to attend in traditional dress and join an evening of live music, dance and celebration.
The final day, Wednesday, 21 October, will include the immersion rituals, Thakur Boron and Sindoor Khela, followed by a procession and Prasad distribution.
Sindoor Khela, traditionally observed on the final day of Durga Puja, sees married women offer vermilion to Goddess Durga before applying it to one another as part of the farewell celebrations.
Last year’s Melbourne event also featured Dhunuchi Naach, Sindoor Khela and a Visarjan procession through the streets of Epping, with organisers saying the celebration recreated some of the sights, sounds and emotions associated with Durga Puja in India.
For Sharit Charitable Foundation, however, organisers say the festival is intended to be more than a religious gathering.
The organisation describes its mission as “promoting cultural harmony while empowering and nourishing those in need”, and has framed Durgotsav around four themes — faith, culture, community and togetherness.
The inaugural celebration attracted people from different Indian cultural backgrounds and gave families an opportunity to participate in prayer, performances, Bhog distribution and community activities.
Organisers say the 2026 festival will build on that experience while opening the celebration to Melbourne’s broader multicultural community.
Australia’s growing Indian diaspora has seen festivals including Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Durga Puja and Ganesh Chaturthi become increasingly visible across Melbourne.
For first-generation migrants, such celebrations can provide a connection with traditions and memories from India, while for Australian-born children they offer a chance to experience rituals and cultural practices that might otherwise only be encountered during overseas visits.
The return of Durgotsav to Epping also reflects the growing Hindu and Indian-Australian population across Melbourne’s northern suburbs, where community organisations have increasingly established major cultural events.
Sharit Charitable Foundation says everyone is welcome to attend.
With traditional Puja ceremonies beginning in the early hours on some days and cultural programs continuing into the evening, organisers are hoping the six-day celebration will once again transform Epping into a small piece of the vibrant Durga Puja atmosphere experienced across India.
Durgotsav 2026 will run from 16–21 October at Epping Soccer Stadium, Harvest Home Road, Epping. Entry to the community celebrations is free. For enquiries and Kids Got Talent entries, contact 0467 633 155.
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