Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Houston is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat in Houston is 2:59 PM – 3:44 PM Central Daylight Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, inside the Aparahna period of 2:14 PM – 4:29 PM. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Dashami tithi runs from 2:20 AM on 20 October to 3:41 AM on 21 October, local time.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Houston dates and times on this page were calculated for Houston's own sunrise, sunset and time zone (America/Chicago, UTC-0500 on 20 October, as Texas is still on daylight saving time) using the Drik Panchang method, and they follow the same rules Drik Panchang uses for India and North America. India's times have not been converted into Houston 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.

Greater Houston has one of the largest and most varied Hindu communities in the United States. Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayali, Marathi, Hindi-speaking and Nepali families all mark the nine nights of Navratri and Vijayadashami in their own ways, so from Pearland to Sugar Land and Katy, October brings garba nights, Durga Puja, Golu displays and Ramlila to the city.

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Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Houston

ObservanceHouston (2026)
Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana)Sunday 11 October
Durga Ashtami and Maha NavamiMonday 19 October (India dates; follow your temple's calendar)
Dussehra / VijayadashamiTuesday 20 October 2026
Dashami tithi beginsTue 20 Oct, 2:20 AM
Dashami tithi endsWed 21 Oct, 3:41 AM
Vijay Muhurat (Drik Panchang method)2:59 PM – 3:44 PM
Aparahna (afternoon puja period)2:14 PM – 4:29 PM
Sunset6:45 PM

All Houston times are Central Daylight Time (UTC-0500). 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 is already running when the Houston afternoon begins, the Vijay Muhurat falls fully within the tithi, and the whole Aparahna is suitable for Shami, Aparajita and Vijay puja. Ravan Dahan, where it is held, traditionally takes place after sunset.

Hindu temples in Houston for Navratri & Dussehra

These Greater Houston temples and organisations are well established and regularly mark Navratri, Durga Puja or Dussehra. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

  • Sri Meenakshi Temple (Pearland): one of the oldest Hindu temples in the United States, built in the South Indian Dravidian style and dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi. Navaratri is an important festival for its Tamil and wider South Indian devotees.
  • BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Stafford): the hand-carved marble and limestone mandir in Fort Bend County, a major centre for the Gujarati community.
  • Houston Durgabari (west Houston): a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga and the heart of Houston's Bengali community, known for its annual Durga Puja.
  • Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple (Sugar Land): a temple to Lord Lakshmi Narayana and the eight forms of Lakshmi, popular with Telugu and other South Indian families.
  • Sri Guruvayurappan Temple (southwest Houston): run by the Kerala Hindu Society and modelled on the Guruvayur temple in Kerala; Kerala families traditionally mark Vijayadashami with Vidyarambham.
  • Shri Sita Ram Foundation (Greater Houston): a community organisation known for staging Ramlila and Dussehra cultural programmes in the Houston area.

Many smaller mandirs, cultural associations and student groups across Katy, Cypress, Pearland, Sugar Land and The Woodlands also hold their own Navratri events. Timings and arrangements change from year to year, so always check the temple's own website before you visit.

How Houston celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

For many Houstonians, Navratri means garba. Gujarati associations and temples typically hire halls, school gyms or convention spaces for evenings of garba and dandiya raas, with live or recorded music, colourful chaniya cholis and kediyus, and an aarti to the Goddess. Larger events tend to be on Friday and Saturday nights, and many sell passes in advance.

Durga Puja

Houston's Bengali community has celebrated Durga Puja for decades. A typical puja includes the clay idol of Durga with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, the sound of the dhak, anjali in the mornings, bhog, cultural programmes and food stalls. It ends with Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela; in India these 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.

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Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian families in Houston keep the Ramlila tradition alive through community stage productions that retell the Ramayana, from Rama's exile to his victory over Ravana. Where an effigy of Ravana is burnt, it is usually done at an open venue after dark, with permission from local authorities and with safety arrangements in place.

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, often as a community gathering. 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 Houston

You do not need to be at a temple to observe Vijayadashami. A simple home puja, timed to the Houston afternoon, keeps the essence of the day.

  • Aparajita puja: worship Goddess Aparajita, the unconquerable one, during the Aparahna (2:14 PM – 4:29 PM). Draw a simple eight-petalled lotus with rice flour or kumkum, 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 (2:59 PM – 3:44 PM). 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, 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 at your desk during that window and a fuller family puja in the evening are both perfectly acceptable. For the full meaning of the festival and a detailed puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 complete guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Houston

  • Weekday festival: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are working and school days. Plan your puja around the Vijay Muhurat, and expect most community celebrations on the nearest weekend.
  • Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks and open flames are set by the City of Houston and the surrounding counties and cities, and they differ by location. Check your local rules and leave effigy burning to organised events.
  • Getting there: Houston is a driving city, and temple and event car parks fill quickly on festival weekends. Carpool, arrive early, follow volunteers' directions and allow extra time on the freeways.
  • Weather: October in Houston can still be warm and humid, with the occasional storm. Carry water for outdoor events and check the forecast.
  • Dress and etiquette: wear modest clothing to temples, remove shoes where asked and follow each temple's guidance on photography.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Houston?

Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Houston is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Dashami tithi begins at 2:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October and ends at 3:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, Houston time, so it covers the whole of Tuesday afternoon.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Houston on Dussehra 2026?

2:59 PM – 3:44 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026, Central Daylight Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Houston. The wider Aparahna period is 2:14 PM – 4:29 PM. Use these windows for Shami puja, Aparajita puja and Shastra or Ayudha puja.

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

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

Where is Durga Puja held in Houston?

Houston Durgabari in west Houston is the best-known Durga temple in the city, and several Bengali associations across Greater Houston also hold pujas. Each committee follows its own schedule, and diaspora pujas often move the main celebrations to a weekend, so check their announcements. In India, Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata).

Is Ravan Dahan held in Houston?

Community organisations in Greater Houston have staged Ramlila and Dussehra programmes with effigy burning in past years, usually on a weekend. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. Fireworks and open-flame rules are set by local authorities.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Houston?

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