Dussehra: dates, muhurat and meaning.
The next Dussehra is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. The date is computed from the classical panchang for Delhi (rule: shukla dashami tithi prevailing at sunset). Below are the Dussehra dates for 2026 and 2027, the day's shubh muhurat windows, and what the festival celebrates.
Dussehra dates
What is Dussehra?
Vijayadashami means 'the victorious tenth'. The Mahabharata's Pandavas retrieved their weapons from the Shami tree on this day; Rama's war ended on it; and the classics count it among the sade-teen muhurats — dates auspicious without further election.
Effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna burn at sunset across the North; in Bengal the day is Bijoya Dashami, the immersion and farewell of Durga. New learning (Vidyarambham in the South) and new ventures are traditionally begun today.
Muhurat on Dussehra
Like Akshaya Tritiya, Vijayadashami is a sarva-siddha muhurat — the whole day is classically clean for new undertakings. The Abhijit Muhurat above is the peak; the evening vijaya kaal (around sunset) is the traditional hour for victory rites.
| Window — 20 October 2026 | Time (IST) |
|---|---|
| Abhijit Muhurat (shubh for all works) | 11:43 AM – 12:28 PM |