Next: 20 Oct 2026
Dussehra
The tenth day after Navratri, when the triumph of good over evil is marked with effigies, processions and new beginnings.

When is Dussehra in 2026?
Dussehra 2026 is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. Other years: 2027, Saturday, 9 October 2027; 2028, Wednesday, 27 September 2028.
About Dussehra
Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami, closes the nine nights of Navratri. Across north India it is the day of Ramlila endings, when towering effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Meghnad are set alight at dusk before large crowds. In Bengal it is the day Durga's images are carried to the river. In Karnataka it climaxes the royal procession of Mysuru, and in the south it is considered a lucky day to start a child's learning, a new craft or a business. Tools, books and vehicles are often worshipped in the days before. Friends greet one another with the exchange of leaves of the shami or apta tree as symbolic gold.
Dussehra dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Dussehra date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 |
| 2027 | Saturday, 9 October 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, 27 September 2028 |
What is eaten
- jalebi
- fafda
- sweet rice
Traditions of Dussehra
More marked on Dussehra
🇮🇳 Kolkata, India and 5 moreNavaratriनवरात्रि (Navarātri)
A nine-night Hindu festival honoring the goddess Durga and her nine forms through prayer, fasting, and dance.Festival · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇮🇳 Madurai, IndiaGoluபொம்மை கொலு
An autumn festival display of stepped dolls and figurines in South Indian homesFestival · Sweets given and shared
🇮🇳 IndiaSanjhi
Autumn devotion honoring a mother goddess and sacred floor art of Radha and KrishnaSpiritual
🇮🇳 IndiaVidyarambhamविद्यारम्भ
A Hindu rite of passage introducing young children to reading, writing and the artsRite of passage
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Vijayadashami" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Durga Puja: Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Navaratri: Mukerjee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Golu: Ksiva21, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ayudha Puja: Augustus Binu / facebook, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sanjhi: Veer jindal, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ramlila: Ankit Gupta, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mysore Dasara: Kalyan Kumar, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Sindur Khela: Diganta Talukdar, CC BY 4.0, source
