Dussehra 2026 in Bristol: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Durga Puja
Vijayadashami in Bristol falls on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Local Dashami times, the Vijay Muhurat and Aparahna for Bristol, the city's Hindu temple and community groups, how Bristol celebrates Navratri, Durga Puja and Dussehra, and a simple puja at home.
Vijayadashami in Bristol falls on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Local Dashami times, the Vijay Muhurat and Aparahna for Bristol, the city's Hindu temple and community groups, how Bristol celebrates Navratri, Durga Puja and Dussehra, and a simple puja at home.
Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Bristol is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Bristol is 2:38 PM – 3:20 PM local time (BST), calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Dashami begins at 8:20 AM on 20 October, so the whole afternoon falls within the tithi. Navratri runs from Sunday 11 October.
Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Bristol times on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, which we have checked against Drik Panchang's published figures for several cities. The Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October in India; we show it here in UK time. We do not list 2026 event schedules, because temples and community groups announce their own programmes each year.
Bristol's Hindu community is smaller than those of London or Leicester, but it is long-established and close-knit. Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and other families, along with a large student population, come together through the autumn festival season, from Navratri garba evenings to Durga Puja and Dussehra puja at the mandir.
Dussehra 2026 Bristol: dates and timings
| Observance | Bristol (UK time, BST) |
|---|---|
| Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana) | Sunday 11 October 2026 |
| Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami | Monday 19 October 2026 (India, Drik Panchang) |
| Dussehra / Vijayadashami | Tuesday 20 October 2026 |
| Dashami tithi begins | Tue 20 Oct, 8:20 AM |
| Dashami tithi ends | Wed 21 Oct, 9:41 AM |
| Vijay Muhurat | 2:38 PM – 3:20 PM |
| Aparahna (afternoon puja period) | 1:57 PM – 4:02 PM |
| Sunset | 6:07 PM |
The Vijay Muhurat of 2:38 PM – 3:20 PM is calculated by the Drik Panchang method as the 11th of the 15 daytime muhurtas for Bristol. It falls well inside the Dashami tithi, so Bristol families can perform Shami puja, Aparajita puja and Shastra puja in this window, or at any time during the Aparahna (1:57 PM – 4:02 PM). On 20 October the UK is still on summer time (UTC+1); the clocks go back at the end of the month. Please do not convert India's muhurat times into UK time, because muhurats depend on local sunrise and sunset.
Hindu temples in Bristol for Navratri & Dussehra
These temples and community organisations are based in and around Bristol. We list names and areas only; check each one's website or social pages for current details.
- The Hindu Temple Bristol (Sanatan Deevya Mandal), Redfield: Bristol's main mandir, housed in a former Methodist church on Church Road in east Bristol. It is the focus of the city's Hindu festivals, including Navratri and Dussehra.
- Bristol Durga Puja, Redfield: a community group that has organised Durga Puja in Bristol since 2017, holding it in recent years at the Hindu Temple's hall in Redfield.
- Agomoni Sarvajanin Durga Puja, Winterbourne: a Bengali community Durga Puja on the northern edge of the Bristol area.
- Tamil Association of Bristol: a cultural organisation for Tamil families in and around Bristol, a good contact for Navaratri, Golu and Ayudha Puja traditions.
- Bristol Hindu Society, University of Bristol: the student Hindu society, which holds a large Navratri garba night with students from universities across the south of England.
Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.
How Bristol celebrates Navratri and Dussehra
Garba and dandiya
For Bristol's Gujarati families, Navratri means garba. Evenings typically begin with aarti to the Goddess, followed by circles of garba and, later, dandiya raas with decorated sticks. Community halls, school halls and function rooms host most of these nights, and the student garba organised by the University of Bristol's Hindu Society has become one of the bigger Navratri gatherings in the South West. Traditional chaniya choli and kediyu are common, and many events end with prasad or a shared meal.
Durga Puja
Bristol's Bengali community celebrates Durga Puja with an idol of the Goddess with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, daily pujas and anjali, the sound of the dhak, bhog and cultural programmes. Because diaspora pujas often fit their rituals around weekends, the days of Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami may be grouped differently from India. In India, Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata); in Bristol, follow your puja committee.
Ramlila and Ravan Dahan
North Indian families remember Rama's victory over Ravana on Vijayadashami. In UK cities this usually takes the form of a Ramayana talk, a children's play or a small symbolic effigy rather than the giant open-air Ravan Dahan seen in India, because burning effigies and fireworks need permission from the local authority. Where a community does hold one, it is normally on the nearest weekend.
Golu, Ayudha Puja and Bathukamma
Tamil and Telugu families in Bristol keep their own traditions: a Golu display of dolls on odd-numbered steps in the home, with friends invited to view it and receive sundal; Saraswati and Ayudha Puja on Navami, when books, instruments, tools and laptops are honoured; and Vidyarambham on Vijayadashami, when small children write their first letters. Telangana families may also celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and songs in the days before Dasara.
Dussehra puja at home in Bristol
Most people in Bristol will be at work or school on Tuesday 20 October, so a short puja at home is how many families mark the day. The ideal time is the Vijay Muhurat (2:38 PM – 3:20 PM); if that is not possible, any time within the Aparahna (1:57 PM – 4:02 PM) is traditional, and an evening lamp after sunset at 6:07 PM is also fine.
- Prepare: clean the puja space, set up an image of Durga, Rama or your ishta devata, and keep a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, rice and sweets ready.
- Aparajita puja: draw a simple eight-petalled lotus with kumkum or rice, invoke the goddess Aparajita and offer flowers, praying for victory over obstacles.
- Shami puja: if you have Shami leaves (or a substitute plant), worship them and exchange leaves with family as 'sona', a symbol of prosperity.
- Ayudha / Shastra puja: place tools, books, musical instruments, laptops and car keys before the deity, mark them with kumkum and offer a flower.
- Vidyarambham: help a young child write 'Om' or the first letters of the alphabet in a plate of rice.
- Close: perform aarti, share prasad and greet elders. Starting something new on this day is considered auspicious.
For the full story of Dussehra and a detailed vidhi, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 complete guide.
Practical tips for Dussehra in Bristol
- It is a weekday: 20 and 21 October 2026 are a Tuesday and Wednesday. Many community events will be on the weekends before or after, so check announcements.
- Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks, bonfires and effigy burning are set by the local council and fire service. Never burn effigies at home; leave it to organised, permitted events.
- Getting there: parking near the Redfield temple and community halls can be limited on festival evenings. Buses along Church Road or car-sharing are often easier.
- Weather: late October in Bristol is usually cool and wet, so bring a warm layer for garba nights and outdoor gatherings.
- Kanya pujan: if you honour young girls on Ashtami or Navami, Monday 19 October falls on a school day, so the weekend may be more practical.
- Check before you go: temple timings and event details change, so confirm with the organisers each year.
Dussehra 2026 Bristol: frequently asked questions
When is Dussehra 2026 in Bristol?
Tuesday 20 October 2026. In Bristol the Dashami tithi begins at 8:20 AM on 20 October and runs until 9:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October (UK time), so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October.
What is the Vijay Muhurat in Bristol on Dussehra 2026?
2:38 PM – 3:20 PM local time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Bristol. The wider Aparahna period is 1:57 PM – 4:02 PM, and sunset is at 6:07 PM.
Is the UK still on summer time on 20 October 2026?
Yes. The clocks go back at the end of October, so on 20 October Bristol is on British Summer Time (UTC+1). All the times on this page are already in Bristol local time.
Where can I celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in Bristol?
The Hindu Temple Bristol in Redfield is the city's main mandir. Bristol Durga Puja and Agomoni Sarvajanin Durga Puja (Winterbourne) organise Durga Puja, and the Tamil Association of Bristol and the University of Bristol's Hindu Society also hold festival events. Check their websites or social pages for 2026 programmes.
When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela for Bristol's Durga Pujas?
In India, the Bengali-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Diaspora Durga Pujas set their own schedules, so follow your puja committee's announcements.
Can I use India's Dussehra muhurat times in Bristol?
No. Muhurat windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, so India's times cannot simply be converted into UK time. Use the Bristol times on this page or your mandir's calendar.
Related guides
You might also like
Dussehra 2026 in Victoria, BC: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri Celebrations
Dussehra 2026 in Surrey: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri Celebrations
Dussehra 2026 in Vancouver: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri Celebrations