Vijayadashami (Dussehra/Dasara) 2026: Date and Significance
ॐ Deities worshipped: Durga, Sri Rama
Vijayadashami is celebrated across India.
📅 Tuesday, 20 Oct 2026
Also called: Dussehra, Dasara
Vijayadashami is a combination of two words, Vijaya and Dashami, meaning “Victory” and “Tenth.” Vijayadashami is widely known as Dasara, Dussehra, or Dusshera.
The festival is celebrated in the month of Ashwin, on the tenth day of Shukla Paksha, and marks the end of Navratri.
2026 Vijayadashami / Dussehra Date
Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2026 falls on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
- Shukla Dashami Begins — 12:51 PM on Oct 20, 2026
- Shukla Dashami Ends — 02:13 PM on Oct 21, 2026
- Aparahna Muhurat (Auspicious) — 01:10 PM to 03:30 PM
Muhurat timings above are for Hyderabad. Tithi times are the same everywhere in India.
| City | Aparahna Muhurat |
|---|---|
| Delhi | 01:13 PM to 03:30 PM |
| Mumbai | 01:33 PM to 03:52 PM |
| Kolkata | 12:30 PM to 02:48 PM |
| Chennai | 01:04 PM to 03:25 PM |
| Bengaluru | 01:15 PM to 03:36 PM |
| Hyderabad | 01:10 PM to 03:30 PM |
| Ahmedabad | 01:33 PM to 03:51 PM |
| Pune | 01:29 PM to 03:48 PM |
Also see: Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2022 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2023 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2024 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2025 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2027 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2028 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2029 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2030 · Vijayadashami / Dussehra 2031
A Festival Celebrated Differently Across India
Dussehra is one of the major festivals in India, celebrated in different ways across different regions, for different reasons.
In the northeastern states and several other parts of India, it is celebrated as Durga Puja, marking Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura. In other parts of India, Vijayadashami is celebrated as Dussehra, marking Lord Rama’s victory over the demon Ravana.
On Dasara, effigies of Ravana are filled with wood and burnt with fireworks, symbolising the destruction of evil.
Significance
Whichever legend a region follows, the meaning at the heart of Vijayadashami stays the same — the triumph of good over evil, and of dharma over adharma. It is why the day is widely regarded as one of the most auspicious in the Hindu calendar, considered favourable for beginning something new, whether that’s a business venture, a purchase, or a course of study.