Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 is on Tuesday, 20 October. It is the tenth day of Sharad Navratri and celebrates the victory of good over evil.
Every year, around this time, the air in Indian cities changes. Markets glow, sweet shops get busier, and somewhere in your neighbourhood a giant Ravana is being stuffed with straw. For me, Dussehra will always mean Azad Maidan in Mumbai, watching Ravan Dahan as a kid with a plate of panipuri in my hand.
Here is everything you need for Dussehra 2026: the date, the Aparahna Puja time, the two legends, a step-by-step puja guide, how different states celebrate, and a few practical tips for the festive season ahead.
When is Dussehra 2026?
Dussehra falls on the tenth day (Dashami) of the Ashwin Shukla Paksha. In 2026 that is Tuesday, 20 October. Navratri begins on 11 October, so nine nights of Goddess Durga's worship lead straight into Vijayadashami.
The Vijay Muhurat is in the afternoon (Aparahna Kaal), roughly around 2 PM. The exact window shifts by city, so please check your local panchang or your family priest for your location. Ravan Dahan usually takes place after sunset.
When is the Aparahna Puja for Dussehra?
Aparahna is the afternoon part of the Hindu day, after midday (Madhyahna) and before sunset. Dussehra puja is traditionally performed in this window, which is why you will see it called Aparahna Puja or Aparahna Kaal.
In 2026, Dashami tithi is present in the afternoon on 20 October, so that is the day for the puja. Sources differ slightly on the exact minutes, and the window shifts from city to city, but it generally begins early in the afternoon, with the Vijay Muhurat falling inside it. For your exact time in Mumbai, check a trusted local panchang or ask your family priest.
How to Celebrate Dussehra? The Two Legends Behind the Day
To celebrate Dussehra well, it helps to know why we celebrate it. Two stories sit behind the day, and both end the same way.
Lord Rama's Victory
After Ravana abducted Sita, Rama, with Lakshmana and Hanuman's army, fought and won in Lanka. This is the story behind Ram Leela and the burning of effigies across North India.
Goddess Durga's Triumph
After nine nights of battle, Durga slays the buffalo demon on the tenth day. This is the story behind Durga Puja in Bengal and Navratri in Gujarat.
Different stories, one message: dharma wins, however powerful the darkness looks. Here is a simple way to mark the day at home.
How to Prepare and Purify Your Space
The puja begins before the puja itself, with a clean home and a calm mind.
- Clean the house, especially the puja corner and the entrance. Many families sprinkle a little Gangajal around the home to purify it.
- Draw a rangoli at the doorway and hang a toran of mango leaves and marigolds.
- Bathe and wear clean, preferably traditional, clothes before you start.
- Spread a fresh cloth on a clean chowki or platform and place the pictures or idols of the deities on it. Many families face east or north-east while worshipping.
- Keep your phone on silent so the next half hour belongs only to the puja.
Deity Worship Essentials
Customs differ by region and family, so treat this as a simple, widely followed outline and follow your own family tradition first.
What you will need: pictures or idols of Lord Rama with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, and of Goddess Durga (or Aparajita Devi); a kalash with water; a diya with ghee or oil; incense; roli or kumkum, haldi and akshat (unbroken rice); fresh flowers and a garland; fruits and sweets for naivedya; and a few shami or apta leaves if you plan to do Shami Puja.
- Light the diya and begin by remembering Lord Ganesha.
- Invoke Goddess Durga or Aparajita Devi and Lord Rama. Offer tilak, akshat and flowers.
- Offer incense, then the naivedya of fruits and sweets.
- Chant mantras or sing bhajans.
- Perform the aarti.
- Share the prasad and take the blessings of elders.
Special Ritual: Ayudha Puja
Ayudha means "tool" or "instrument". On Navami or Vijayadashami, depending on the region, people thank the tools that give them their livelihood. The tradition is especially strong in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala, and check your panchang or community custom for which day you follow.
- Clean the tools, vehicles, books or machines first.
- Apply a little sandalwood paste or kumkum, and offer flowers.
- Light incense, offer a sweet, and say a short prayer of thanks.
- Many families let the tools rest for the day.
It is not only for mechanics and shopkeepers. If you work online or run an online store, your laptop, phone, packing table and ledger deserve a tilak too.
Shastra Puja: Worship of Weapons
Shastra Puja comes from the warrior tradition. Kings and soldiers cleaned and worshipped their weapons on Vijayadashami before setting out on campaigns. Rajput and Maratha families and former royal houses keep this custom alive, and police and armed forces units in several parts of India also hold Shastra Puja on this day.
The idea is not violence. The weapon is worshipped as a symbol of protection, duty and discipline. At home, most families use symbolic items such as a ceremonial sword or everyday tools. Please keep to what the law allows.
Shami Puja: Ritual of the Shami Tree
According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas hid their weapons in a shami tree during their final year of exile. On Vijayadashami they took them back and went on to victory. That is why the shami tree is worshipped on this day. In Rajasthan it is known as khejri.
- If there is a shami tree nearby, offer water, haldi-kumkum, akshat and flowers, light a diya and walk around it (pradakshina).
- Take a few leaves home and place them in your puja corner. Some families also keep a leaf in the wallet or cash box as a symbol of prosperity.
- In Maharashtra, the leaves of the apta tree are exchanged as "sona", and are given to elders with a namaskar.
- Take only a few leaves and never harm the tree. If there is no tree near you, a picture or leaves from a local nursery will do.
How Can Mantras and Devotional Songs Enhance Your Puja?
Mantras and bhajans give the puja its rhythm and focus. Singing together also turns a ritual into a family moment, and many devotees find it calms the mind and keeps attention from wandering.
- For Lord Rama: "Jai Shri Ram", the Ram Raksha Stotra, or a reading from the Ramcharitmanas.
- For Hanuman: the Hanuman Chalisa.
- For Goddess Durga: "Om Dum Durgayei Namaha", the Durga Chalisa, or verses of the Durga Saptashati.
If you do not know Sanskrit, simple bhajans sung with feeling are completely fine. Devotion matters more than perfect pronunciation.
Why Is Performing the Aarti Important?
Aarti is the closing act of the puja. A lit diya is waved in a clockwise circle before the deity while everyone sings together. The flame stands for the light of knowledge that removes darkness, which fits the theme of Dussehra perfectly.
It also brings the whole family to one place. Bells ring, hands clap, and afterwards people gently pass their hands over the flame and touch their eyes or forehead to receive the blessings. Popular aartis on this day include "Om Jai Jagdish Hare", "Jai Ambe Gauri" for Goddess Durga, and the Hanuman aarti.
Safety tip: keep the aarti thali away from curtains and supervise children near the diya.
Burning the Effigy of Ravana
Ravan Dahan usually takes place after sunset. Tall effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad, often stuffed with straw and fireworks, are lit when a Ram Leela artist shoots a flaming arrow. The ten heads of Ravana are often explained as ten vices such as ego, anger, greed, lust and jealousy, so the burning stands for letting them go.
- Watch from a safe distance and stay inside the designated area.
- Keep a close eye on children, and avoid carrying anything flammable.
- In Mumbai, many maidans, housing societies and community groups hold their own Ravan Dahan, so check local notice boards and community pages for timings.
- Some communities now choose smaller, eco-friendly effigies made of paper and natural materials.
Here is a thought you can try at home: write down one habit you want to leave behind on a piece of paper, and let it go with the effigy, or simply tear it up.
How India celebrates Dussehra: state by state
One festival, many flavours. This is what makes Dussehra so special.
- Delhi and North India: Ram Leela performances run through Navratri and end with towering effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad set alight.
- Maharashtra (including Mumbai): People exchange leaves of the apta tree as "sona" (gold) and greet elders with "Dussehra chya hardik shubhechha". It is also one of the three and a half auspicious muhurats in the Marathi tradition, which is why many families buy gold, vehicles or electronics on this day.
- Gujarat: Fafda-jalebi for breakfast is practically a law.
- West Bengal: Dashami is the emotional last day of Durga Puja, with sindoor khela and idol immersion.
- Karnataka: Mysuru Dasara is a centuries-old royal celebration with a grand procession and an illuminated palace.
- Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Homes display Golu or Bommala Koluvu, arrangements of dolls on steps.
- Kerala: Children begin learning through Vidyarambham, writing their first letters.
- Himachal Pradesh: Kullu Dussehra begins when others end theirs, and continues for a week.
- Chhattisgarh: Bastar Dussehra lasts about 75 days and does not centre on burning Ravana at all.
Why Dussehra is considered perfect for new beginnings
Vijayadashami is traditionally seen as a day when any new start meets little resistance. That is why Indian business families open new account books, launch shops and start courses around it. Kings once began their military campaigns on this day.
Many families also wait for Pitru Paksha to end before starting anything new. We did the same this year. Once Pitru Paksha was over, we launched my friend's real estate business, @home Consultancy, in Bhandup West, Mumbai. If you have been waiting to begin something, whether a business, a skill or a side project, this festive window carries a lot of cultural weight.
Smart festive shopping tips for Dussehra and Diwali
Dussehra marks the start of India's biggest buying season, with Diwali under three weeks away. A few things worth doing:
- Compare prices across at least 2-3 sellers before buying, since "sale" prices are often inflated just before discounts.
- Check the return and warranty policy before paying, especially for electronics.
- Buy gold only with BIS hallmarking and ask for a proper bill.
- Set a separate budget for festive spending so Diwali does not strain your finances.
- Prefer trusted sellers and read recent reviews, not only the top ones.
This is general information, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions about Dussehra 2026
When is Dussehra in 2026?
Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
When is the Aparahna Puja for Dussehra 2026?
It is performed in the afternoon of 20 October 2026, with the Vijay Muhurat inside that window. The exact time varies by city, so check your local panchang.
Why is aarti performed in the Dussehra puja?
Aarti offers light to the deity and closes the puja. The flame symbolises knowledge that removes darkness, and it brings the family together in prayer.
Is Dussehra the same as Vijayadashami?
Yes. Dussehra is the popular name, and Vijayadashami means "the tenth day of victory".
How many days after Navratri is Dussehra?
It falls on the tenth day, immediately after the nine nights of Navratri.
Why is Ravana's effigy burnt on Dussehra?
It symbolises the destruction of ego, anger and arrogance, represented by Ravana's ten heads.
Is Dussehra a good day to buy gold or start a business?
Traditionally, yes. It is considered one of the most auspicious days for new purchases and beginnings. Check the muhurat for your city if it matters to your family.
Final thoughts
Whether you are watching Ravan Dahan in a crowded maidan, eating jalebi in Ahmedabad, or quietly worshipping your laptop on Ayudha Puja, Dussehra reminds us that every battle has an end, and that good intentions eventually win.
Wishing you and your family a very happy Dussehra. Shubh Vijayadashami!
Disclaimer: Muhurat timings vary by location. Please confirm with your local panchang or priest. The timings, preparations, puja vidhi and traditions mentioned in this article are based on internet research and commonly followed practices. They may vary by city, region, community and family custom. Before applying any of them, please confirm with your family priest (pandit) or a trusted local panchang.
Some images in this article are illustrative,
About the author: Brijesh Pal is a Mumbai-based e-commerce professional with 15+ years of experience, writing about shopping, business and everyday Indian life at durReey.
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