Dussehra 2026 in Coventry: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri Celebrations

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Coventry is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Coventry is 2:34 PM – 3:15 PM local time (BST, UTC+1), calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami fall together on Monday 19 October 2026.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Coventry timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local British Summer Time (the UK is still on summer time on 20 October; clocks go back on the following Sunday). India's Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October; the Coventry equivalents are shown below. We do not list 2026 event schedules, venues or ticket details, because temples and community groups announce these themselves. Please check their official websites and social pages before you go.

Coventry has one of the longest-established Hindu communities in the Midlands. Gujarati and Punjabi families, many of whom arrived from India and East Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, built the city's first temples in Foleshill and Hillfields, and they have since been joined by Tamil families with roots in Sri Lanka and South India, and by newer arrivals working at the city's universities, hospitals and engineering firms. Navratri in Coventry brings together Gujarati garba, Bengali Durga Puja, South Indian Golu and North Indian Ramayana traditions, in temple halls, community centres and school sports halls across the city.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Coventry

In Coventry the Dashami tithi begins on Tuesday morning and lasts through the whole afternoon, so the Aparahna and Dashami overlap fully and there is no ambiguity about the date: Vijayadashami is Tuesday 20 October. The Vijay Muhurat, the eleventh of the fifteen daytime muhurtas, sits comfortably within both the Aparahna and the Dashami tithi. Ravan Dahan, where held, traditionally takes place after sunset, which is at 6:01 PM in Coventry on the day.

Hindu temples in Coventry for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are established in Coventry. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website or social pages for current details.

• Shree Krishna Temple, Hillfields: one of Coventry's best-known Hindu temples, close to the city centre, with roots going back to the 1970s. It has long been one of the city's venues for Navratri celebrations.
• Sanatan Dharm Hindu Temple, Foleshill: a community temple in the heart of Foleshill with shrines to deities including Lord Ram, Goddess Durga and Lord Shiva, and social and cultural activities for its members.
• Hindu Temple Society, Foleshill: a long-standing charity, registered in 1981, that runs a temple for religious ceremonies and rites in the Foleshill area.
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Coventry: the BAPS mandir for the city, which opened on its current site in 2006 and was extended and reopened in 2019, serving a large Gujarati congregation.
• Coventry Shri Sidhivinayagar Devasthanam (Ganesh Temple), Foleshill: a Ganesh temple following Sri Lankan and Tamil Nadu traditions of worship, with religious classes for young people.
• Sri Sri Radha Krishna Cultural Centre (ISKCON Coventry), Radford: the Hare Krishna community in Coventry, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.

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 Coventry celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

With its large Gujarati community, Coventry has a strong garba tradition. Typical evenings begin with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of circular garba and dandiya raas with live musicians or a DJ, with families dressed in chaniya choli and kediyu. Many nights are held in temple halls and community centres, and the biggest events are often on the weekends, since most Navratri nights in October fall on school and work days.

Durga Puja

Bengali families in Coventry and the wider West Midlands come together for Durga Puja. A typical puja includes the beat of the dhak, pushpanjali on Ashtami, Sandhi Puja, bhog, cultural programmes and, at the end, Bijoya Dashami with Sindoor Khela and farewell to the Goddess. In India the Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami falls on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata), but diaspora pujas follow their own committee's schedule, often fitted around weekends.

Golu, Ayudha Puja and Vidyarambham

Tamil, Telugu and Kannada families keep their own Navaratri customs. Many homes set up a Golu (Bommai Kolu) of dolls on stepped shelves and invite friends for kumkum, songs and sundal. Telangana families celebrate Bathukamma with stacked flower arrangements and circle songs, often at community gatherings. On Navami, Ayudha Puja honours tools, books, instruments and vehicles, and on Vijayadashami many children begin learning with Vidyarambham, which South Indian temples often hold for young children.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian and Punjabi Hindu families mark Dussehra with Rama's victory over Ravana. In Coventry this usually means Ramayana readings, children's Ramlila performances and, where permission is granted, a small effigy burning organised by a temple or community group. Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are far less common than in India, and anything involving fire or fireworks depends on the rules of Coventry City Council and the fire service.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Coventry families keep a short home puja and join community celebrations at the weekend. A simple vidhi:

• Prepare: clean the puja area, place an image of Durga, Rama or your family deity, and keep flowers, rice, kumkum, a diya and incense ready.
• Aparajita puja: in the Aparahna (1:52 PM – 3:57 PM), draw a small eight-petalled lotus with kumkum or rice and worship Goddess Aparajita, praying for victory over obstacles.
• Shami puja: offer worship to a Shami plant or a few Shami or Apta leaves, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:34 PM – 3:15 PM). Exchanging leaves as 'gold' with friends is a Maharashtrian and Karnataka custom.
• Ayudha / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, laptops, books, musical instruments and the car, apply kumkum and offer a flower.
• Vidyarambham: children can write their first letters or 'Om' in rice, or begin a new class or instrument.
• Close: light the diya, offer naivedya and sing an aarti. If you kept the Navratri fast, break it as per your family custom.

For the meaning of Dussehra, the stories behind it and a fuller puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Coventry

• Weekday festival: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days. Plan a quick puja in the lunch hour or arrange a short break during the Vijay Muhurat.
• Weekend events: many garba nights, Durga Pujas and Ramlila programmes are held on the weekends either side of Dussehra. Check dates directly with the organisers.
• Fire and fireworks: rules on fireworks, open flames and effigy burning are set by UK law and Coventry City Council. Check before planning anything at home or in a public space.
• Getting there: temple car parks and side streets in Foleshill and Hillfields fill quickly on festival evenings. Car-share, arrive early, or take the bus where it serves your destination.
• Weather: late October evenings in the Midlands are cool and often wet. Bring layers and an umbrella for outdoor events.
• Clock check: the UK is still on British Summer Time on 20 October, so the times on this page are BST.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Coventry?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In Coventry the Dashami tithi runs from Tue 20 Oct, 8:20 AM to Wed 21 Oct, 9:41 AM local time, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Coventry on Dussehra 2026?

2:34 PM – 3:15 PM British Summer Time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Coventry. It falls inside the Aparahna (1:52 PM – 3:57 PM), and the whole window is within the Dashami tithi.

Can I use the Vijay Muhurat published for India?

No. Muhurat windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, so India's times cannot simply be converted into UK time. Use the Coventry timings on this page or your temple's calendar.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in Coventry?

In India, the Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Puja committees in Coventry and the wider West Midlands set their own schedules, often around the weekend, so follow your puja committee's announcements.

Which temples in Coventry celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Shree Krishna Temple in Hillfields, the Sanatan Dharm Hindu Temple and the Hindu Temple Society in Foleshill, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the Coventry Shri Sidhivinayagar Devasthanam (Ganesh Temple) and ISKCON Coventry in Radford are among the places that mark the festival. Check each one's website or social pages for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in Coventry?

Some temples and community groups in the region hold Ramlila or Ravan Dahan programmes, usually on a weekend near Dussehra and subject to local council and fire safety rules. Temples and community groups usually announce these a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 UK, region by region
• Dussehra 2026 in Birmingham
• Dussehra 2026 in Leicester
• Dussehra 2026 in Wolverhampton
• Dussehra 2026 in Nottingham
• Dussehra 2026 in London
• Navratri 2026 in the UK, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide