Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 in the USA: Dates, Muhurat, Telugu Association Events and Where to Celebrate

Quick answer: Bathukamma 2026 begins with Engili Pula Bathukamma on Saturday, October 10 and ends with Saddula Bathukamma on Sunday, October 18, the same dates as in Telangana. Dussehra (Vijayadashami) falls on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 across the United States. The Vijay Muhurat is 2:29–3:13 PM in New York, 3:04–3:49 PM in Dallas and 2:43–3:27 PM in the Bay Area. Most Telugu associations hold their Bathukamma and Dasara celebrations on the weekends of October 10–11 and October 17–18, so watch for announcements from groups such as TTA, TPAD, DATA, GATeS and TAGC.

From flower-stacked Bathukammas circling a New Jersey convention hall to Dasara concerts in the suburbs of Dallas, Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 in the USA bring Telangana's most colorful season to American cities. More than 600,000 people in the United States speak Telugu at home, according to the 2024 American Community Survey, and Telugu associations now host some of the largest festival gatherings in the Indian American calendar.

This guide covers everything you need for Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 in the USA: the nine days of Bathukamma on the US calendar, the Navratri and Dussehra dates, Vijay Muhurat timings for 23 cities, the associations and temples that host celebrations in each state, and how to make and play Bathukamma far from Telangana. For Dussehra events in all 50 states, see our Dussehra 2026 USA state-by-state guide.

Editor's note: Details were checked against calendars, association announcements and news reports on September 17, 2026. Most Telugu associations announce their Bathukamma dates a few weeks ahead, and we will update this page as they do.

Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 in the USA at a glance

• Engili Pula Bathukamma: Saturday, October 10, 2026 (Mahalaya Amavasya).
• Saddula Bathukamma: Sunday, October 18, 2026 (Durgashtami), the grand finale.
• Navratri: Sunday, October 11 to Monday, October 19, with Maha Navami on October 19.
• Dussehra (Vijayadashami): Tuesday, October 20, 2026, in every US state.
• Same dates as Telangana: Telangana's official calendar also lists Saddula Bathukamma on October 18 and Vijaya Dasami on October 20.
• Celebration weekends: October 10–11 and October 17–18 are the natural weekends for community Bathukamma events.
• Vijay Muhurat: An afternoon window, 2:29 to 3:13 PM in New York, for Jammi (Shami) puja and new beginnings.
• Holiday status: Dussehra is not a federal or state holiday in the United States.
• Diwali comes next: Sunday, November 8, 2026.

Bathukamma 2026 dates: the nine days in the USA

Bathukamma begins on Mahalaya Amavasya and ends on Durgashtami. Incredible India's official 2026 listing shows the festival from October 11 to 18, while Telangana calendars start it on Mahalaya Amavasya, October 10.

• Saddula Bathukamma falls on Durgashtami, which Drik Panchang's calendar for New York places on Sunday, October 18, so the finale lands on a weekend in the United States this year.
• Offerings vary from family to family, so follow your own household's customs.

Navratri and Dussehra 2026 dates in the USA

The Dashami tithi runs from 3:20 AM Eastern Time on October 20 to 4:41 AM Eastern Time on October 21, so Vijayadashami falls on October 20 in every US time zone, including Hawaii.

Dussehra 2026 Vijay Muhurat in US cities

The Vijay Muhurat is the 11th of the 15 muhurtas of daylight, and Aparahna is the wider afternoon window used for Jammi puja, Aparajita Puja and new beginnings. Both depend on local sunrise and sunset.

Don't use India's timings. India's Vijay Muhurat is 1:59–2:45 PM IST, which reads 4:29–5:15 AM in New York. In the United States, the Vijay Muhurat falls in the afternoon.

New York and Jersey City timings are from Drik Panchang. For your own suburb, use a panchang set to your town or check today's panchangam.

Where to celebrate Bathukamma and Dasara 2026 in the USA

Most associations had not announced their 2026 dates by mid-September. The organizers below hold major celebrations every year, and their 2025 events show what to expect.

With Bathukamma running from October 10 to 18 this year, expect most 2026 events on the weekends of October 10–11 and October 17–18.

Confirmed Dussehra 2026 events near Telugu communities

† Listed by third-party event sites. Confirm with the organizer before you go.

Bathukamma and Dasara 2026 by state

Telugu communities are concentrated in Central New Jersey, Northern Virginia, New York, Texas, the Bay Area, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Washington and North Carolina, with growing groups across the country.

Jump to a state: New Jersey · New York · Pennsylvania · Massachusetts · Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. · North Carolina · Georgia · Florida · Texas · Illinois · Michigan · Ohio and Indiana · Minnesota · Washington and Oregon · California · Arizona · Other states

New Jersey

• Bathukamma: TTA's New Jersey chapter drew more than 5,000 women to its 2024 Bathukamma at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, and held its 2025 celebration on September 21.
• Dussehra: New Jersey's largest Dussehra festival, with Ram Leela and Ravan Dahan, is on Saturday, October 10 at Lake Papaianni Park in Edison.
• Temple: Sri Venkateswara Temple in Bridgewater holds Navratri and Vijayadashami programs.
• Shopping: Oak Tree Road in Edison and Iselin is the place for sarees, puja items and flowers.
• Muhurat: The Vijay Muhurat is 2:32 to 3:15 PM in Edison and 2:30 to 3:14 PM in Jersey City.

New York

TTA's New York chapter held its 2025 Bathukamma on September 28, and the Hindu Temple Society of North America's Ganesh Temple in Flushing marks Navratri and Vijayadashami. The Vijay Muhurat in New York City is 2:29 to 3:13 PM.

Pennsylvania

TTA has held celebrations in Philadelphia, most recently on October 4, 2025, and in Allentown. In Pittsburgh, Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills holds Navratri programs. The Vijay Muhurat in Philadelphia is 2:35 to 3:19 PM.

Massachusetts

TTA's Boston chapter held its 2025 Bathukamma on September 28, and Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland holds Navratri pujas. The Vijay Muhurat in Boston is 2:17 to 3:01 PM.

Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Northern Virginia has one of the largest Telugu communities in the country, and TTA has held Washington, D.C.–area celebrations. Sri Venkateswara Lotus Temple in Fairfax and Durga Temple in Fairfax Station hold Navratri and Dussehra programs. The Vijay Muhurat in Washington is 2:43 to 3:27 PM.

North Carolina

The Charlotte Telugu Association held its 2025 Bathukamma at Sun Valley High School in Monroe, TTA has a Charlotte chapter, and Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina in Cary serves the Triangle. The Vijay Muhurat is 2:59 to 3:44 PM in Charlotte and 2:50 to 3:35 PM in Raleigh.

Georgia

• GATeS: The Greater Atlanta Telangana Society marked 20 years of Bathukamma in Atlanta with its 2025 celebration in Suwanee.
• TTA Atlanta: Held its 2024 Bathukamma and Dasara at DeSana Middle School in Alpharetta and its 2025 event on October 4.
• Temple: The Hindu Temple of Atlanta in Riverdale holds Navratri programs.
• Muhurat: The Vijay Muhurat in Atlanta is 3:14 to 3:59 PM.

Florida

TTA's Tampa chapter held its 2025 Bathukamma on September 21, and the Hindu Temple of Florida in Tampa holds Navratri pujas. The Vijay Muhurat in Tampa is 3:08 to 3:54 PM.

Texas

• TPAD, Dallas: The Telangana People's Association of Dallas hosts one of the largest Bathukamma and Dasara Sambaralu outside Telangana. It held the 2023 event at Frisco's Dr Pepper Arena and the 2024 and 2025 events in Allen, the latter with a concert by S. S. Thaman.
• DATA, Dallas: The Dallas Area Telangana Association's celebrations have featured a 21-foot Bathukamma, hundreds of flower stacks and a Ravan Dahan to close the Dasara program.
• TTA: Chapters have celebrated in Dallas, Houston and Austin.
• Dussehra: ISKCON of Houston celebrates Dussehra on Tuesday, October 20, and Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple in Frisco holds Navratri programs.
• Muhurat: The Vijay Muhurat is 3:04 to 3:49 PM in Dallas, 2:59 to 3:45 PM in Houston and 3:09 to 3:54 PM in Austin.

Illinois

The Telugu Association of Greater Chicago held its 2025 Bathukamma at Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, with folk songs, dances and Telangana food. Shree Radhey Shyam Temple in the Chicago area is listed with a Ravan Dahan on October 20. The Vijay Muhurat in Chicago is 2:24 to 3:07 PM.

Michigan

Metro Detroit's Telugu community celebrates Bathukamma and Dasara through local associations, and Bharatiya Temple in Troy and Sri Venkateswara Temple in Novi hold Navratri programs. The Vijay Muhurat in Detroit is 3:05 to 3:49 PM.

Ohio and Indiana

TTA's Indianapolis chapter held its 2025 Bathukamma on September 21, and Columbus-area families celebrate at temples such as Bharatiya Hindu Temple in Powell. The Vijay Muhurat is 3:19 to 4:03 PM in Indianapolis and 3:06 to 3:50 PM in Columbus.

Minnesota

Twin Cities Telugu families celebrate through local associations and the Hindu Temple of Minnesota in Maple Grove. The Vijay Muhurat in Minneapolis is 2:45 to 3:28 PM.

Washington and Oregon

TTA held its 2025 celebrations in Seattle on September 27 and in Portland on September 21, and Seattle's Eastside suburbs have a large Telugu community. The Vijay Muhurat is 2:40 to 3:22 PM in Seattle and 2:42 to 3:25 PM in Portland.

California

• Bay Area: TTA has held Bay Area celebrations, and Shiva-Vishnu Temple in Livermore holds Navratri programs. The Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka is listed for October 17 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.
• Southern California: TTA's Los Angeles chapter held its 2025 Bathukamma on September 28.
• Muhurat: The Vijay Muhurat is 2:43 to 3:27 PM in San Jose and 2:29 to 3:14 PM in Los Angeles.

Arizona

TTA's Arizona chapter held its 2025 Bathukamma on September 27, and the Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona in Maricopa holds Navratri programs. The Vijay Muhurat in Phoenix is 2:05 to 2:50 PM on Mountain Standard Time.

Other states

TTA held its 2025 Alabama celebration on October 11, and local groups such as the Telugu Association of Greater Kansas City bring Telugu festivals to smaller communities. Check your local association's social media for 2026 dates.

How to celebrate Bathukamma in the USA

• Choose your flowers. Bathukamma is traditionally stacked with seasonal flowers such as tangedu and gunugu, many with medicinal value. In the US, families often use celosia, marigolds, chrysanthemums and other fall flowers from nurseries and farmers' markets.
• Build the stack. Arrange the flowers in concentric layers on a plate, shaped like a temple gopuram, and place Gauramma, a small idol of Goddess Gauri made from turmeric, on top.
• Play Bathukamma. Women in traditional sarees place their Bathukammas in the center, then circle them, clapping and singing folk songs such as "Bathukamma Bathukamma Uyyalo."
• Plan the immersion. At the end, Bathukammas are immersed in water. US celebrations often use an on-site pond or a water tank, so follow the organizer's instructions and local rules.
• Share the saddulu. On Saddula Bathukamma, families prepare five kinds of rice and share them with friends.
• Arrive early for big events. Large celebrations can draw thousands of people, so buy passes in advance and allow time for parking and entry.

Dasara traditions of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

• Jammi aaku exchange: On Vijayadashami, families worship the Jammi (Shami) tree and exchange its leaves as a symbol of gold.
• Alai Balai: In Telangana, people embrace friends and neighbors after exchanging Jammi leaves.
• Palapitta sighting: Spotting the Indian roller bird on Dasara is considered auspicious in Telangana.
• Ayudha Puja: On Maha Navami, vehicles, tools and computers are cleaned and worshipped.
• Bommala Koluvu: Many Andhra families arrange tiered doll displays through Navratri.
• Aksharabhyasam: Young children begin their learning on Vijayadashami.
• Kanaka Durga worship: Families honor the goddess of Vijayawada's Indrakeeladri, whose Dasara celebrations are among the largest in Andhra Pradesh.

Your Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 planner

Frequently asked questions

When is Bathukamma 2026 in the USA?

Bathukamma 2026 begins with Engili Pula Bathukamma on Saturday, October 10 and ends with Saddula Bathukamma on Sunday, October 18. Most US associations celebrate on the weekends of October 10–11 and October 17–18.

When is Saddula Bathukamma 2026?

Saddula Bathukamma falls on Sunday, October 18, 2026, on Durgashtami, in both Telangana and the United States.

When is Dussehra 2026 in the USA?

Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 falls on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 in every US state, the same date as in Telangana.

What is the Vijay Muhurat for Dussehra 2026 in New Jersey and Dallas?

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Vijay Muhurat is 2:30 to 3:14 PM in Jersey City, 2:32 to 3:15 PM in Edison and 3:04 to 3:49 PM in Dallas.

Where can I celebrate Bathukamma in the USA?

Major celebrations are hosted by the Telangana American Telugu Association (TTA) in cities nationwide, TPAD and DATA in Dallas, GATeS and TTA in Atlanta, TAGC in Chicago and the Charlotte Telugu Association. Most announce their 2026 dates a few weeks before the festival.

Are Bathukamma events in the USA free?

It depends on the organizer. Some celebrations, such as DATA's 2025 event in Dallas, offer free entry, while others with big-name concerts require passes or tickets.

What are the nine days of Bathukamma?

The nine days are Engili Pula, Atukula, Muddapappu, Nanabiyyam, Atla, Aligina, Vepakayala, Vennamuddala and Saddula Bathukamma, each with its own traditional offering.

What flowers can I use for Bathukamma in the USA?

Traditional flowers such as tangedu and gunugu are hard to find in the US, so families often use celosia, marigolds, chrysanthemums and other seasonal fall flowers.

What is the Jammi aaku exchange on Dasara?

On Vijayadashami, families worship the Jammi (Shami) tree and exchange its leaves as a symbol of gold. In Telangana, the exchange is followed by Alai Balai, when friends and neighbors embrace.

Is Dussehra a holiday in the USA?

No. Dussehra is not a federal or state holiday in the United States. In 2026 it falls on a Tuesday, so ask your employer or school in advance if you want time off.

How many Telugu speakers live in the USA?

About 605,000 people aged five and older reported speaking Telugu at home in the 2024 American Community Survey, up from about 223,000 in 2010.

Related reading on HinduTone

• Dussehra 2026 in the USA: state-by-state guide
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Navaratri 2026: dates, importance and daily poojas
• Diwali 2026 in the USA: state-by-state guide
• Hindu temple directory
• Today's panchangam

Sources and verification

• Bathukamma dates: Incredible India, Wego citing the Telangana state calendar, Wikipedia and 99Pandit on the nine days and offerings.
• Navratri and Dussehra timings: Drik Panchang's New York pages for Mahashtami and Vijayadashami, Jersey City's Vijayadashami page and ShubhDivas for India's timings. Other city timings were calculated by HinduTone with the same sunrise-to-sunset method and cross-checked against Drik Panchang's published windows.
• Associations and events: NRI2NRI on TTA 2025 and GATeS 2025; IndianEagle on TPAD, DATA, TAGC and CTA; GreatAndhra on TTA 2024; Telugu Times on DATA; TPAD; AllEvents on TTA Atlanta; and Dushahra and ISKCON of Houston on Dussehra events.
• Telugu Americans: Wikipedia, citing the 2024 American Community Survey.
• Last verified: September 17, 2026. Event details change often, so confirm with organizers before you go.