Festivals · Ashvina Shukla Dashami
Dussehra 2027 and 2026: date and Vijay muhurat
The date of Dussehra (Vijayadashami) for 2026 and 2027, the Dashami rule that fixes it, and the afternoon and Vijaya muhurta windows, computed for New Delhi.
In short
Dussehra 2027 is on Saturday, 9 October 2027, and Dussehra 2026 on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, by Astrojar's Panchang engine for New Delhi. Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is Shukla Dashami of Ashvina, the day after the nine nights of Sharad Navratri. Its worship (Aparajita puja, Shami puja) belongs to the afternoon.
Dussehra dates for 2026 and 2027
| Year | Date | Tithi (New Delhi, IST) | Lunar month | Aparahna, with Vijaya muhurta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 | Shukla Dashami: 12:50 pm, 20 Oct to 2:12 pm, 21 Oct | Ashvina (both calendars) | Aparahna 1:13 pm to 3:30 pm; Vijaya muhurta 1:59 pm to 2:44 pm |
| 2027 | Saturday, 9 October 2027 | Shukla Dashami: 9:02 am, 9 Oct to 11:40 am, 10 Oct | Ashvina (both calendars) | Aparahna 1:18 pm to 3:38 pm; Vijaya muhurta 2:05 pm to 2:51 pm |
Times are for New Delhi, in IST, from Astrojar's Panchang engine. Lunar months are given both ways: amanta (the month ends at the new moon, as in the south and west) and purnimanta (it ends at the full moon, as in the north).
How the date of Dussehra is fixed
The day is the one on which Dashami covers aparahna, the fourth of the day's five parts. If it covers aparahna on both days, the day it covers in full is taken here, and only when that is the earlier day, so the two usual readings agree. Vijaya muhurta, the 11th of the day's 15 muhurtas, is the time named for setting out and starting.
| Year | Day | Aparahna (afternoon) that day | Shukla Dashami covers it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 | 1:13 pm to 3:30 pm | All of it ← the festival day |
| 2026 | Wednesday, 21 October 2026 | 1:13 pm to 3:29 pm | 58 of 136 min |
| 2026 | Thursday, 22 October 2026 | 1:13 pm to 3:29 pm | No |
| 2027 | Saturday, 9 October 2027 | 1:18 pm to 3:38 pm | All of it ← the festival day |
| 2027 | Sunday, 10 October 2027 | 1:17 pm to 3:37 pm | No |
| 2027 | Monday, 11 October 2027 | 1:17 pm to 3:36 pm | No |
The same check on the neighbouring days shows why they were not taken.
Why Dussehra can differ by place and tradition
Some traditions also weigh the Shravana nakshatra when Dashami spans two afternoons. In Bengal the day ends Durga Puja with the immersion; the date is the same Dashami.
Sunrise, sunset and moonrise change with the city, so the windows here move for other places. Astrojar's daily Panchang gives them for where you are.
Questions about Dussehra
When is Dussehra in 2026?
Dussehra 2026 is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 (New Delhi). Dashami covers the afternoon (aparahna, 1:13 pm to 3:30 pm). Vijaya muhurta 1:59 pm to 2:44 pm.
When is Dussehra in 2027?
Dussehra 2027 is on Saturday, 9 October 2027 (New Delhi). Dashami covers the afternoon (aparahna, 1:18 pm to 3:38 pm). Vijaya muhurta 2:05 pm to 2:51 pm.
What is Vijay muhurat on Dussehra?
Vijaya muhurta is the 11th of the day's 15 muhurtas, in the afternoon. On Vijayadashami it is the time named for starting things and for setting out; Astrojar's Panchang engine computes it every day.
Is Dussehra the same as Vijayadashami?
Yes. Dussehra (Dasara) and Vijayadashami are names for the same day: Shukla Dashami of Ashvina, the day after the nine nights of Sharad Navratri.
Why do some calendars give a different date for Dussehra?
A panchang is worked out for one place. Where the tithi begins or ends close to the part of the day the rule looks at, a city east or west of New Delhi can land on the other side of the boundary. Calendars also differ in tradition (amanta or purnimanta, Smarta or Vaishnava) and in the ephemeris they use.
Sources
- Dates, tithi start and end times, sunrise, sunset, moonrise, Nishita muhurta, Vijaya muhurta, Abhijit muhurta and the rising sign (udaya lagna): Astrojar's Panchang engine (Lahiri ayanamsa), for New Delhi (28.61° N, 77.21° E, IST), computed on 21 October 2026. The tithi and nakshatra end times were checked against the Swiss Ephemeris and agree to within a minute.
- Which part of the day a festival's tithi must cover: Nirnaya Sindhu (Kamalakara Bhatta) and Dharma Sindhu (Kashinatha Upadhyaya), the chapters on the festivals month by month.
This is the traditional reading of the classical texts, given for learning and reflection. It is not a prediction for you, and not medical, legal or financial advice.
Dussehra times for your city
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