Dussehra 2026 brings Navratri to a close, and for many households it's the day puja rooms across India smell of sandalwood dhoop and camphor smoke as families gather for the final aarti of the nine days. If you're planning your Vijayadashami puja — whether that's Shami puja, Ayudha puja, or simply Ravana Dahan with the neighbourhood — here's the confirmed 2026 date, a simple vidhi to follow, and the samagri list to have ready.
When Is Dussehra 2026? Date and Vijaya Muhurat
Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami, falls on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, marking the tenth and final day after Navratri. It corresponds to the Dashami tithi of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Ashwin.
The most auspicious window for starting new ventures, signing important documents, or performing Aparajita and Shami puja is the Vijaya Muhurat. It typically falls in the early-to-mid afternoon (the Aparahna Kaal), roughly between 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM local time. The exact minute-to-minute timing shifts slightly by city, so it's worth checking a panchang for your specific location before you begin. Ravana Dahan — the burning of effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghnad — is traditionally held after sunset on the same evening.
What Vijayadashami Marks
The name "Dussehra" is generally understood to come from the Sanskrit dasha-hara, loosely "removal of the ten" — a reference either to Ravana's ten heads or to ten types of sin the festival is meant to help leave behind, depending on which explanation your family favours.
Dussehra closes out the nine nights of Navratri and is widely understood as a celebration of victory — of good over evil. In much of North India, this is tied to Lord Rama's triumph over Ravana, dramatised through Ramlila performances and effigy burnings in the days leading up to the festival. In Bengal and parts of eastern India, the day is observed as Durga Visarjan, when the goddess's idol is immersed after the Navratri celebrations. In Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, the day leans more toward Ayudha Puja and Shami Puja — reverence for the tools, vehicles, and instruments of one's trade, and the exchange of Shami or Apta leaves as a gesture of goodwill.
Because the traditions vary so much by region and family, there's no single "correct" way to mark the day — most households simply follow whichever version was passed down to them.
Dussehra Puja Vidhi: Shami Puja, Ayudha Puja and Aparajita Puja
A simple, widely followed approach for the day looks something like this:
- Clean and organise the puja space in the morning, and bathe before beginning any rituals.
- Set up a small altar with an idol or picture of the deity your family worships — Durga, Rama, or Saraswati, depending on tradition.
- Light a diya with cow ghee and offer dhoop or incense as the space is prepared — this is usually the moment families light dhoop sticks or cones to settle the room before the puja begins.
- Offer flowers, akshat (raw rice), turmeric, and kumkum to the deity, followed by a short aarti with camphor.
- For Shami Puja, offer prayers to the Shami tree (or Apta leaves where the tree isn't available) and exchange leaves with family members as a token of good wishes for the year ahead.
- For Ayudha Puja, clean and decorate the tools, instruments, or vehicles used in your trade or work, and offer a short prayer of gratitude before resuming their use the next day.
- Close the puja with a final aarti and distribution of prasad.
None of these steps are mandatory in a fixed order — most families follow whichever combination their own tradition has passed down.
Dussehra Puja Samagri Checklist
Here's a general list of what most households keep ready before the puja begins. Not every item applies to every tradition, so pick what fits yours:
- Idol or photo of the deity (Durga, Rama, or Saraswati)
- Red or yellow cloth for the altar
- Shami or Apta leaves
- Marigold flowers and a garland
- Turmeric, kumkum, and akshat (raw rice)
- Betel leaves, betel nuts, and a coconut
- Seasonal fruits and sweets for prasad
- Diya and cotton or cow ghee wicks
- Dhoop sticks or dhoop cones
- Camphor (kapoor) for the aarti
- Incense sticks (agarbatti)
- A matchbox and a small plate for aarti
If you'd rather not track each item down separately, our Puja Samagri collection bundles the dhoop, camphor, and incense essentials most households reach for on festival days like this one.
Choosing the Right Dhoop and Camphor for Vijayadashami
For festival pujas, sandalwood-based dhoop and incense are a traditional favourite — the aroma is associated with purity and is used across pujas throughout the year, not just Dussehra. Our Chandan Vruksh Sandalwood Incense Sticks are a straightforward option if you want one fragrance that works through the whole day, from the morning aarti to the evening Ravana Dahan gathering.
For the aarti itself, most households prefer pure, additive-free camphor over synthetic tablets. Our Bhimseni Camphor is a natural option many families already keep on hand for daily puja and reach for again on festival days. Since the aarti often runs longer with guests and family gathered indoors, some households also prefer charcoal-free dhoop and incense on this occasion specifically because it tends to produce less visible smoke over an extended session — useful when the puja room is small or the doors are kept closed for the ritual.
However you choose to mark the day — a quiet Shami puja at home, tools laid out for Ayudha puja, or a family gathering for Ravana Dahan — Vijayadashami is ultimately about closing out Navratri with gratitude and a clean, welcoming space. Wishing you and your family a peaceful Dussehra 2026.