Dussehra 2026 in Honolulu: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri in Hawaii

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Honolulu is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat in Honolulu is 2:11 PM – 2:58 PM Hawaii Standard Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, inside the Aparahna period of 1:25 PM – 3:44 PM. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Dashami tithi runs from 9:20 PM on Monday 19 October to 10:41 PM on Tuesday 20 October, local time.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Honolulu dates and times on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise, sunset and time zone (Pacific/Honolulu, UTC-1000; Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time) using the Drik Panchang method. India's times have not been converted into Honolulu time. We do not list 2026 event schedules, venues or tickets, because temples and community groups announce these themselves; please check their official websites and social pages.

Honolulu sits further west than any other major US city with a Hindu community, and that shows in the calendar: the Dashami tithi begins here on Monday evening, almost a full day before the afternoon of Vijayadashami. Hawaii's Hindu community is small but close-knit, made up of Indian families working in medicine, the university, research and tourism, students at the University of Hawaii, devotees of ISKCON and the Saiva Siddhanta tradition, and many local residents drawn to yoga and Vedanta.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Honolulu

All Honolulu times are Hawaii Standard Time (UTC-1000). For reference, in India Vijayadashami is also on Tuesday 20 October 2026, with Dashami tithi from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October. Because Dashami begins on Monday night in Honolulu, the Vijay Muhurat and the whole Aparahna on Tuesday fall comfortably within the tithi. Ravan Dahan, where it is held, traditionally takes place after sunset.

Hindu temples in Honolulu for Navratri & Dussehra

Hawaii has only a handful of Hindu temples and organisations, so many families combine temple visits with home puja and community gatherings. These are well established; Navratri and Dussehra observances vary by tradition. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

• ISKCON Honolulu – New Navadvipa Dhama (Nuuanu): the Hare Krishna temple in a quiet residential part of Nuuanu, home to Sri Sri Pancha Tattva and Sri Sri Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra, with an attached Govinda's vegetarian restaurant. Vaishnava temples traditionally mark Vijayadashami as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
• Sri Sathya Sai Oahu Center (Oahu): part of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization's Pacific region, known for its regular devotional singing and community service on the island.
• Kauai's Hindu Monastery – Kauai Aadheenam (Kapaa, Kauai): a Saiva monastery founded in 1970, home to the Kadavul Temple and the hand-carved, all-granite Iraivan Temple. It is a short flight from Honolulu and a pilgrimage destination for Hindus across Hawaii and beyond.

Smaller satsang groups, cultural associations and university student groups also meet on Oahu, often in homes or rented halls; always check the organisation's own website or social pages before you go.

How Honolulu celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

For Gujarati and other North Indian families, Navratri still means garba, even far out in the Pacific. In a small community, garba and dandiya raas evenings are usually organised by volunteers in community halls, school spaces or private venues, with recorded music, colourful chaniya cholis and an aarti to the Goddess. Navratri themes have also reached Honolulu's wider arts scene; the Honolulu Museum of Art held a Navratri-themed evening with garba and raas in 2025.

Durga Puja

Bengali families in Hawaii often celebrate Durga Puja on a smaller scale than on the mainland, sometimes as a home or community gathering with anjali, bhog and cultural items. In India, Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 according to Drik Panchang for Kolkata, but diaspora Durga Pujas follow their committee, and many move the main days to a weekend.

Ramlila and the Ramayana

North Indian families keep the story of Rama alive through Ramayana readings, katha, bhajans and children's plays, retelling the story from Rama's exile to his victory over Ravana. Because of fire risk and local regulations, effigy burning is rare in Hawaii; any such event needs an approved venue and permission from the authorities.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

Tamil and Telugu households set up Golu (Bommai Kolu or Bommala Koluvu), steps of dolls depicting gods, saints and village scenes, and invite friends over for songs and sundal. Telugu women celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks, songs and circle dances, and Hawaii's tropical flowers make beautiful bathukammas. On Navami, South Indian families perform Ayudha Puja, worshipping tools, cars, books and laptops, and on Vijayadashami children begin learning with Vidyarambham.

Dussehra puja at home in Honolulu

With few temples on Oahu, home puja is at the heart of Vijayadashami for many Honolulu families. A simple puja, timed to the Honolulu afternoon, keeps the essence of the day.

• Aparajita puja: worship Goddess Aparajita, the unconquerable one, during the Aparahna (1:25 PM – 3:44 PM). Draw an eight-petalled lotus with rice flour, place a lamp and offer flowers.
• Shami puja: offer water, rice, flowers and a lamp to a Shami tree or Shami leaves, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:11 PM – 2:58 PM). If you cannot find Shami, many families use a picture or a few leaves of a sacred plant. In Maharashtra and Karnataka traditions, Apta leaves are exchanged as "gold" with friends and family.
• Shastra and Ayudha puja: clean and worship tools, your car, surfboards, musical instruments, account books and laptops, marking them with kumkum and offering flowers.
• Vidyarambham: for young children, write the first letters (or "Om") in a plate of rice with the help of an elder, and offer prayers to Goddess Saraswati.
• Simple vidhi: bathe, light a lamp, invoke Ganesha, offer prayers to the Devi and to Lord Rama, recite the Rama Raksha Stotra or a few verses of the Ramayana, do aarti and share sweets.

If you are at work during the Vijay Muhurat, a short prayer then and a fuller family puja in the evening are both fine. For the full meaning of the festival and a detailed puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 complete guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Honolulu

• Weekday festival: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are working and school days. Plan your puja around the Vijay Muhurat, and expect community celebrations on the nearest weekend.
• Fireworks and open flames: fireworks rules in Honolulu are set by the City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii, and are strict; check current rules and leave any effigy burning to organised, permitted events.
• Getting there: Honolulu traffic is heavy on weekday evenings, and parking near residential temples is limited. Carpool, use TheBus where practical and arrive early.
• Visiting Kauai: if you plan a pilgrimage to Kauai's Hindu Monastery, check its visiting rules and dress code on its official website before you book flights.
• Weather and dress: October is warm and humid with passing showers. Wear light but modest clothing to temples, remove shoes where asked and follow each temple's guidance on photography.
• Family in India: Honolulu is many hours behind India, so when it is Tuesday afternoon in Honolulu, Vijayadashami is already over in India. Plan video calls with relatives accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Honolulu?

Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Honolulu is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Dashami tithi begins at 9:20 PM on Monday 19 October and ends at 10:41 PM on Tuesday 20 October, Honolulu time, so it covers the whole of Tuesday.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Honolulu on Dussehra 2026?

2:11 PM – 2:58 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026, Hawaii Standard Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Honolulu. The wider Aparahna period is 1:25 PM – 3:44 PM. Use these windows for Shami puja, Aparajita puja and Shastra or Ayudha puja.

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

No. Muhurats depend on local sunrise and sunset, so India's timings cannot simply be converted into Hawaii time. Use the Honolulu times on this page or your temple's own calendar.

Are there Hindu temples in Honolulu?

Yes, though Hawaii's Hindu community is small. ISKCON Honolulu (New Navadvipa Dhama) is in Nuuanu, the Sri Sathya Sai Oahu Center holds regular devotional singing on Oahu, and Kauai's Hindu Monastery, with the Kadavul and Iraivan temples, is in Kapaa on Kauai. Check each one's website before visiting.

Is Ravan Dahan held in Honolulu?

Large effigy burning is not a regular feature of Dussehra in Hawaii, and any open fire or fireworks needs permission under Honolulu and state rules. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Hawaii?

No. Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a normal working and school day in Hawaii. Many families do a short puja during the Vijay Muhurat or in the evening, and join community gatherings on the weekend.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state: date and Vijay Muhurat
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Dussehra 2026 in Los Angeles
• Dussehra 2026 in San Francisco
• Dussehra 2026 in San Jose
• Dussehra 2026 in Seattle
• Dussehra 2026 in Portland
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families