Festival · Rama and Durga
Dussehra
Also called Vijaya Dashami: the victory of good over evil, remembered as Rama’s win over Ravana and Durga’s over Mahishasura.
- Dussehra 2027
- Saturday 9 October 2027
- New Delhi
For New Delhi, Saturday 9 October 2027
Shukla Dashami tithi
- Begins
- 9:02 am
- Ends
- 11:41 am, 10 Oct
- Sunrise
- 6:18 am
- Sunset
- 5:59 pm
- Moonrise
- 2:33 pm
- Moonset
- 1:22 am, 10 Oct
Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.
Full panchang for this day →Puja times
For New Delhi, Saturday 9 October 2027
Vijay Muhurat
2:05 pm to 2:52 pm
- Aparahna puja
- 1:18 pm to 3:38 pm
- Dashami begins
- 9:02 am
- Dashami ends
- 11:41 am, 10 Oct
- Shravana begins
- 10:19 am
- Shravana ends
- 1:26 pm, 10 Oct
Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.
How it is kept
Customs vary by region and family
- Watch Ravana effigies burn in the evening
- Immerse Durga images, in Bengal and the east
- Start learning or new work, an old custom
What it remembers
Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is the tenth day of the bright fortnight of Ashvina, the day after the nine nights of Navratri. It marks Rama’s victory over Ravana and Durga’s over Mahishasura: in the north, giant effigies of Ravana burn at dusk; in Bengal, Durga is carried to the river; across India it is a day to begin learning, worship tools, and set out on new ventures, in the Vijay Muhurat of the afternoon.
The puja of victory
The Aparajita and Shami puja are kept in Aparahna; Vijay Muhurat is the time for new beginnings. Families keep the day in many ways; follow your own tradition where it differs.
- In the morning, close the Navratri: immerse the kalash water, give the barley shoots to the family to wear or keep, and do the last aarti.
- Do Ayudha Puja if your family keeps it on this day: clean and worship tools, books, vehicles and instruments with turmeric, kumkum and flowers.
- In Aparahna, worship Aparajita, the undefeated Goddess, with an eight-petalled lotus drawn on the floor, and go to the edge of the village or town (the simollanghan, crossing the boundary).
- Worship the shami tree, and exchange shami or apta leaves with friends and elders as gold, saying “sone ghya, sonya sarkhe raha”.
- Begin something in the Vijay Muhurat: a new lesson, a new venture, a first purchase. Children begin their studies (Vidyarambham) in the south.
- At dusk, watch the Ravana Dahan, the burning of the effigies at the Ram Lila ground.
- Visit elders and touch their feet; share sweets with neighbours.
What you need
- Shami or apta leaves
- Turmeric, kumkum, flowers and rice for the puja
- Tools, books and instruments for Ayudha Puja
- Sweets to share
- For Bengal: sindoor for sindoor khela
Across India
North India
Ram Lila ends and Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad burn at dusk; Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan and Varanasi’s Ramnagar Ram Lila are among the oldest.
Bengal and Assam
Bijoya Dashami: sindoor khela, the immersion of Durga, and visiting elders with sweets (bijoya).
Karnataka
Mysuru Dasara: the Jamboo Savari, Chamundeshwari in a golden howdah on an elephant, through the city.
Maharashtra
Simollanghan and the exchange of apta leaves as gold; the RSS also marks its founding day.
Himachal Pradesh
Kullu Dussehra begins on this day and runs a week, with the gods of the valley carried in to greet Raghunath.
Chhattisgarh
Bastar Dussehra, seventy-five days long, for the goddess Danteshwari rather than Rama.
When it falls
Shukla Dashami of Ashvina. Kept on the day this tithi holds through the afternoon (aparahna).
These are the usual rules. A few days can differ by a day in your tradition, so check with your temple.
Dussehra in the coming years
New Delhi, India time
- 2027Saturday 9 October 2027
- 2028Wednesday 27 September 2028
Questions
When is Dussehra in 2027?
Saturday 9 October 2027, in New Delhi. In a few places it can fall a day apart, so the date above is worked out for your city.
When does Dussehra fall?
Shukla Dashami of Ashvina. Kept on the day this tithi holds through the afternoon (aparahna).
How is Dussehra kept?
Families watch Ravana effigies burn in the evening, immerse Durga images, in Bengal and the east and start learning or new work, an old custom. Customs vary by region and family.
Who is honoured on Dussehra?
Rama and Durga. Also called Vijaya Dashami: the victory of good over evil, remembered as Rama’s win over Ravana and Durga’s over Mahishasura.
What is the Vijay Muhurat?
The eleventh of the fifteen muhurtas of the day, in the afternoon, held to bring victory to anything begun in it. The page shows it worked out for your city, with Aparahna, the afternoon puja time.
Is Dussehra the same as Vijayadashami?
Yes. Dussehra, from dasha-hara, the defeat of the ten-headed Ravana, is the northern name; Vijayadashami, the victorious tenth, is used everywhere. In Bengal it is Bijoya Dashami, the end of Durga Puja.
Why is Bengal’s Vijayadashami sometimes a day later?
Bengal keeps Vijayadashami on the day Dashami holds in the morning, for the immersion; the rest of India keeps it on the day Dashami covers the afternoon (Aparahna). In 2027 Dashami begins in the morning of 9 October, so most of India keeps the 9th and Bengal the 10th.