Dussehra 2026 in Belgium, City by City: Date, Vijay Muhurat and Hindu Temples

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Belgium is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every city. The Vijay Muhurat, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, is 3:11 PM – 3:53 PM in Brussels, 3:11 PM – 3:52 PM in Antwerp, 3:14 PM – 3:55 PM in Ghent and 3:06 PM – 3:48 PM in Liège (Belgian summer time, CEST, UTC+2). Navratri runs from Sunday 11 to Monday 19 October 2026.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The local times on this page were calculated for each city from the Drik Panchang tithi (Dashami from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October 2026), using Belgian summer time, which is still in force on 20 October. The Vijay Muhurat is the 11th of the 15 daytime muhurtas, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. We do not list 2026 event schedules, because mandirs and associations announce their own programmes; please check with them directly.

Belgium's Hindu community is small but remarkably varied. A Gujarati community, many of whose families came from the Palanpur area, has been part of Antwerp's diamond trade for decades. Indian professionals work for EU institutions, NATO, multinationals and research centres in and around Brussels and Leuven, and there are sizeable numbers of Indian students at Belgian universities. Belgium is also home to a significant Nepali Hindu community, with families in Leuven, Antwerp, Brussels and Bruges, as well as Tamil, Bengali, Telugu and Punjabi families and a long-established Belgian Hare Krishna movement. The Hindu Forum of Belgium represents many of these groups and has been working towards official recognition of Hinduism; in January 2024 the Belgian Parliament voted it a subsidy, seen as a first step.

Dussehra 2026 in Belgium: dates and Vijay Muhurat by city

The whole country is on Central European Summer Time (UTC+0200) on 20 October; the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October. The Dashami tithi begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, so only the sun-based windows differ, and across a country this compact they differ by fewer than ten minutes, with Liège in the east earliest and Ghent in the west latest.

The Aparahna (afternoon period) is the traditional window for Aparajita and Shami puja, and sunset marks the time for any evening Ravan Dahan or aarti:

Key Navratri and Dussehra dates 2026

Ashtami and Navami share Monday 19 October in India's calendar this year, so families who do Kanya pujan on either day will hold it then. In every Belgian city the Dashami tithi covers the whole Aparahna on 20 October, so there is no doubt about the date, and the Vijay Muhurat falls well inside the Dashami.

Hindu temples in Belgium for Navratri & Dussehra

These mandirs and associations have been confirmed to exist in or near each city. We list name and area only; check their own websites or social pages for opening hours and festival plans. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

Brussels-Capital Region

Brussels' Vijay Muhurat is 3:11 PM – 3:53 PM, with the Aparahna from 2:29 PM to 4:35 PM and sunset at 6:40 PM. As the seat of the EU institutions, the capital has the most diverse Indian community in Belgium, drawn from every Indian state, together with Nepali families and many international Hindus. Most community celebrations are run by associations that hire halls, so the mandir and the community calendar matter more than in cities with many temples.

• Brussels Mandir (Indian Cultural Centre) — Evere. The capital's community mandir, which marks major festivals through the year, from Mahashivratri and Ram Navami to Diwali, and has held Durga Chowki and Jagran evenings.
• Bhakti Yoga Centre (ISKCON Brussels) — Etterbeek. A Hare Krishna centre with programmes in French, English, Hindi and Russian.
• Brussels Sammelani — Brussels. A Bengali association known for its Durga Puja.
• Sarbajanin Puja Samity Belgium — Brussels. A Bengali puja committee that has organised Durga Puja in Brussels for many years, along with Kali Puja and Saraswati Puja.
• Tero Parbon — Belgium. A Bengali association that celebrates Durga Puja, Holi and other Bengali and Indian festivals.

Bengali Durga Pujas in Brussels usually follow a compressed weekend format, with pushpanjali, bhog, sandhya aarti, dhunuchi dance and cultural evenings, ending with Bijoya greetings and, for married women, Sindoor Khela.

Flanders: Antwerp and Ghent

Antwerp's Vijay Muhurat is 3:11 PM – 3:52 PM (Aparahna 2:29 PM to 4:34 PM, sunset 6:39 PM). Ghent's is a few minutes later at 3:14 PM – 3:55 PM (Aparahna 2:32 PM to 4:37 PM, sunset 6:42 PM). Antwerp has Belgium's longest-established Indian community, centred on the Gujarati families of the diamond district, and its Navratri garba nights are among the liveliest in the country.

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir — Antwerp. A traditional mandir with murtis of Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj, Radha-Krishna, Ram-Sita-Hanuman and Shiv-Parvati-Ganesh, and a focus of Gujarati community life.
• Vedic Cultural Center Govinda (ISKCON) — Antwerp. A Hare Krishna centre holding Sunday feasts and harinam kirtan.
• Antwerp Indian Association — Antwerp. A community association for Indian families in the city.

We have not been able to verify a dedicated Hindu temple in Ghent itself. Families in Ghent generally travel to Antwerp or Brussels, both under an hour away by train, or join student and community gatherings in the city, so check with the associations above and with the Hindu Forum of Belgium for anything closer to home.

Wallonia: Liège

Liège has the earliest Vijay Muhurat in the country at 3:06 PM – 3:48 PM, with the Aparahna from 2:24 PM to 4:30 PM and sunset at 6:36 PM. The Hindu community in Liège and the wider Walloon region is small and largely made up of students, researchers and professionals, many of whom travel to Brussels for the big festivals.

• ISKCON Radhadesh — Septon, Durbuy, in the Ardennes south of Liège. Set in the Château de Petite Somme, this is the largest Vaishnava temple in the Benelux and ISKCON's main centre for the region, with a temple room, guesthouse and restaurant, and festivals through the year.

As in Ghent, we have not verified a separate temple in Liège city; Radhadesh and the Brussels mandirs are the nearest established places of worship for most Walloon families.

How Belgium celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Because 11–20 October are ordinary working days, much of the community celebration in Belgium moves to the evenings and the weekends around Navratri. Gujarati groups, above all in Antwerp, hold garba and dandiya nights in community halls and sports centres, with a central Mataji image and aarti before the dancing. Bengali associations in Brussels organise Durga Puja with a clay or fibre idol, pushpanjali, bhog and cultural programmes. North Indian families keep the nine-day fast and hold Kanya pujan, and devotional Durga Chowki and Mata Jagran evenings have been held in Brussels. Tamil and other South Indian families set up Golu (Bommai Kolu) displays at home and observe Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja at the end of the nine nights, while Telugu families may celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle songs.

Nepali Hindu families, a large part of Belgium's Hindu population, celebrate the same season as Dashain, the most important festival of the Nepali year. On Vijaya Dashami elders give tika and jamara (barley shoots sown at Ghatasthapana) to younger relatives with blessings, and the visiting continues for several days.

Large open-air Ravan Dahan as seen in India is rare in Belgium. Open fires and fireworks need permission from the local commune or gemeente, so where groups mark Ravan Dahan it is usually with a small, permitted effigy, a stage play of the Ramayana or a symbolic burning. Many families watch Ramlila online or tell children the story of Rama's victory at home.

Dussehra puja at home

If you cannot reach a mandir on a Tuesday, a short puja at home in the afternoon is entirely traditional. Ideally do it during your city's Vijay Muhurat, or at least within the Aparahna:

• Aparajita puja: draw an eight-petalled lotus with kumkum or rice flour, place a lamp, and worship Devi Aparajita, the goddess of victory, with flowers, akshat and a simple prayer for success over obstacles.
• Shami puja: if you have Shami leaves (or a substitute such as apta/bauhinia leaves from an Indian grocer), offer them to the Devi and exchange them with family as "gold" — a Maharashtrian and Karnataka custom.
• Ayudha Puja / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, books, laptops, bicycles and the car, apply kumkum and offer flowers, thanking them for their service.
• Vidyarambham: Vijayadashami is the traditional day for small children to begin learning — writing "Om" or the first letters of the alphabet in rice.
• Seemollanghan and new beginnings: a short walk beyond your street, starting a course or signing a new venture are traditional symbols of victory on this day.

A simple order: bathe, light a lamp, pray to Ganesha, do the Aparajita and Shami puja, then Ayudha puja, offer naivedya (sweets, fruit), do aarti and share prasad. For full step-by-step vidhi and the stories behind the festival, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Belgium

• Working day: Tuesday 20 October is a normal working and school day. The Vijay Muhurat falls in mid-afternoon, so consider a short break, working from home, or doing the puja later within the Aparahna if you can.
• Fire and fireworks: rules on open fires, effigy burning and fireworks are set by your commune or gemeente and differ by city. Do not burn effigies in parks, gardens or on balconies without permission.
• Getting to mandirs: parking near city-centre mandirs is limited on festival days. Trams, metro and SNCB/NMBS trains are usually easier; Radhadesh is in the countryside, so plan a car or check rural bus connections in advance.
• Weather: Belgian evenings in late October are cool and often wet, and sunset is around 6:36 PM to 6:42 PM depending on the city, so bring warm layers and rain gear for any outdoor events.
• Puja items: Indian grocers in Brussels and Antwerp stock flowers, kumkum, diyas and sweets, but buy a few days early as stock runs short before Navratri weekends.
• Muhurat: use your own city's times from the table above; never convert India's times into Belgian time.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Belgium?

Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every Belgian city. The Dashami tithi begins at 9:20 AM Belgian time (CEST) on 20 October and ends at 10:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Liège?

Calculated by the Drik Panchang method for each city on Tuesday 20 October 2026: Brussels 3:11 PM – 3:53 PM, Antwerp 3:11 PM – 3:52 PM, Ghent 3:14 PM – 3:55 PM and Liège 3:06 PM – 3:48 PM, all in Belgian summer time (CEST, UTC+2).

Can I convert India's Dussehra muhurat into Belgian time?

No. The Vijay Muhurat depends on local sunrise and sunset, so it has to be calculated for your own city. Use the Belgian times on this page or your mandir's calendar, not India's times shifted by the time difference.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela for Bengali families in Belgium?

In India, Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Pujas in Belgium, such as those organised by Brussels Sammelani, Sarbajanin Puja Samity Belgium and Tero Parbon, follow their own committee's schedule, so check their announcements.

Where will garba, Durga Puja and Ravan Dahan take place in Belgium?

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. Open fires, effigy burning and fireworks need permission from the local commune or gemeente, so many groups mark Ravan Dahan symbolically or indoors.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Belgium?

No. Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October 2026 are normal working and school days in Belgium, so many families do the afternoon puja at home and join mandir or community celebrations in the evening or on the following weekend.

Related guides

• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Dussehra 2026 in Europe, country by country
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families
• Dussehra 2026 in the Netherlands, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in France, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Germany, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 UK, region by region
• Dashain 2026 in Nepal
• October 2026 Hindu festival calendar