Dussehra 2026 on October 20: Ravan Dahan time, and why Bengal, Kerala mark it a day later

Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, falls on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, in most of India, but Bengal, Kerala and Mysuru will hold their main Vijayadashami rituals a day later, on Wednesday, October 21. The split comes from the lunar calendar: the Dashami tithi begins at about 12:50 pm on October 20 and ends at about 2:11 pm on October 21, according to the Drik Panchang timings for New Delhi, so different regional traditions settle on different days. Across northern and western India, Ravan Dahan, the burning of Ravana's effigy, will take place after sunset on October 20.

Every year, families ask the same question as Navratri ends: which day is Dussehra? The answer depends on which rule a calendar follows. Hindu festivals are fixed by the tithi, the lunar day, not by the date on a wall calendar, and a tithi can begin or end at any hour. This year the Dashami tithi begins after midday on October 20 and runs into the afternoon of October 21. Most north Indian panchangs fix Vijayadashami on the day when Dashami falls in the Aparahna, the early afternoon period, which this year is October 20. Some traditions instead go by the tithi that prevails at sunrise, which points to October 21.

That is why the country will see two days of celebration. In Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states, Ramlilas end and effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad go up in flames on Tuesday evening, marking the victory of Rama over Ravana. In Bengal, where Durga Puja is the centre of the season, the Bengali calendar sets Vijaya Dashami on October 21. That is the day of the goddess's farewell and the immersion of idols. Kerala, whose government holiday list also places Vijayadashami on October 21, follows the tithi present at sunrise.

In Mysuru, the Dasara festival that began on October 11 also runs to October 21. October 20 is Mahanavami, when the palace holds Ayudha Puja, the worship of tools, weapons and vehicles. The Jamboo Savari, the elephant procession with the golden howdah, will set out on October 21. The elephant Prashantha is to carry the howdah this year. Reports from the city say barricades went up along the procession route, including Chamaraja Circle and K.R. Circle, by October 18. The Mysore Palace is closed to general visitors on October 20 and 21, and only holders of valid Dasara passes and tickets are being let in.

Short-term: October 20 is a holiday for stock exchanges, banks in most states and many offices, so plan transactions around it. Large crowds are expected at Ramlila grounds in the evening, and city police usually announce traffic diversions on the day. In Mysuru and Kolkata, the bigger crowds will come on October 21.

Long-term: Vijayadashami is also seen as an auspicious day to begin new things. In Kerala, on October 21, many families will start a young child's education with Vidyarambham, in which the child is guided to trace the first letters of the alphabet in a tray of rice, at temples such as Panachikkad in Kottayam and Thunchan Parambu in Tirur. Dussehra also opens the run-up to Diwali.

Who is affected: Families planning puja, Ravan Dahan and Vidyarambham; Ramlila committees and pandal organisers; travellers heading to Mysuru, Kolkata and other festival cities; investors and bank customers facing a market and bank holiday; and police and civic bodies managing crowds.

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