Festival · 2026
Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 — Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, closes Navratri on the tenth day of the bright half of Ashvin and celebrates the victory of good over wrong.
In 2026
Tuesday, 20 October 2026
- Tithi
- Shukla Dashami (Shukla): 20 Oct, 12:50 PM – 21 Oct, 2:12 PM
- Lunar month
- Ashvin
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:24 AM / 5:46 PM
| Puja muhurat | 1:13 PM – 3:30 PM |
|---|---|
| Aparahna | 1:13 PM – 3:30 PM |
| Vijay muhurat | 1:59 PM – 2:44 PM |
Rule: Ashvin Shukla Dashami prevailing at aparahna (the fourth fifth of the day); if on both days, the first.
In 2027
Saturday, 9 October 2027
- Tithi
- Shukla Dashami (Shukla): 9 Oct, 9:02 AM – 10 Oct, 11:41 AM
- Lunar month
- Ashvin
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:18 AM / 5:58 PM
| Puja muhurat | 1:18 PM – 3:38 PM |
|---|---|
| Aparahna | 1:18 PM – 3:38 PM |
| Vijay muhurat | 2:05 PM – 2:51 PM |
Rule: Ashvin Shukla Dashami prevailing at aparahna (the fourth fifth of the day); if on both days, the first.
Times follow New Delhi’s sunrise and sunset. In other cities the muhurat shifts by some minutes, and occasionally the day by one. Full festival calendar
What is Dussehra (Vijayadashami)?
Dussehra falls on Dashami, the tenth day of the waxing moon of Ashvin, right after the nine nights of Navratri. Its other name, Vijayadashami, means the tenth day of victory. Across much of north India it marks Rama’s victory over Ravana, and giant effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad are burned at dusk in open grounds. In the east and parts of the south it marks Durga’s victory over Mahishasura.
The Ramayana tradition holds that Rama, after worshipping the Goddess, defeated Ravana on this day and freed Sita. The Mahabharata adds another story: the Pandavas, at the end of their year in disguise, took down the weapons they had hidden in a shami tree. From these stories come the customs of worshipping weapons and tools, and of exchanging shami or apta leaves as a token of gold.
Dussehra is considered one of the most auspicious days of the year for beginnings, and many people start learning, open a business or buy a vehicle on this day. The Ramlila plays that run through Navratri end with Ravana dahan. For most families its meaning is simple: pride and cruelty fall in the end, and each year brings a fresh chance to set aside one’s own.
How it is observed
- Ramlila performances end on Dussehra evening with the burning of the Ravana effigy.
- Shami puja is done in the afternoon, and in Maharashtra and Karnataka apta or shami leaves are exchanged as sona, gold.
- In ayudha puja, weapons, tools, books, vehicles and instruments are cleaned and worshipped.
- In Bengal and the east, Durga idols are immersed, and married women play sindoor khela before the farewell.
- New ventures — a child’s first lessons, a business, a purchase — are begun, often in the Vijay muhurat.
- Families visit elders to seek their blessings and share sweets with neighbours.
How the date is fixed
Dussehra is Ashvin Shukla Dashami. Our engine keeps it on the day Dashami prevails at aparahna, the fourth of five equal parts of the daytime; if Dashami covers aparahna on two days, the first is taken. The Vijay muhurat is the eleventh of the fifteen muhurtas into which the daytime is divided, a short window traditionally chosen for beginnings and for shami puja.
Where practice differs
Kullu in Himachal Pradesh begins its week-long Dussehra on this day with a gathering of village deities, Mysuru holds its royal Dasara procession, and Bastar in Chhattisgarh keeps a long Dussehra centred on the goddess Danteshwari. In Bengal it is Bijoya Dashami, a day of farewell to Durga and of greeting elders. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu it is also the day of Vidyarambham, when young children write their first letters.
Dates and times are computed by our own engine (sunrise, tithi and kalas for New Delhi, Lahiri ayanamsa). In another city, or in an almanac of another tradition, the day can differ by one — follow your family’s tradition.
Questions people ask
What is the Vijay muhurat on Dussehra?
It is the eleventh of the fifteen muhurtas of the daytime, traditionally chosen for new beginnings and for shami puja. The window for this year is shown above.
Why is Ravana burned on Dussehra?
It recalls Rama’s victory over Ravana as told in the Ramayana tradition, and the Ramlila that runs through Navratri ends with this scene.
Why are shami leaves exchanged on Dussehra?
The Mahabharata tells that the Pandavas kept their weapons in a shami tree during their year in disguise. Shami or apta leaves are exchanged as sona, a symbolic gift of gold, especially in Maharashtra and Karnataka.