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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Italy is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every city. The Vijay Muhurat, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, is 2:55 PM – 3:38 PM in Milan and 2:43 PM – 3:27 PM in Rome (Italian 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 Italian 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 temples and associations announce their own programmes; please check with them directly.

Italy's Hindu community is smaller than those of the UK or Germany, but it is growing and unusually varied. Many families came from Punjab to work on the dairy farms and in the food industry of the Po Valley, especially in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Rome and its suburbs have a large Bangladeshi community, including Bengali Hindus, as well as Indian families from many states. Milan and Turin draw Indian professionals and students in engineering, fashion, finance and research, and there are smaller Sri Lankan Tamil and Mauritian Hindu communities. Italian converts and practitioners also play a big part: the Unione Induista Italiana, founded in 1996, signed an agreement (intesa) with the Italian State that Parliament ratified in 2012, making Hinduism a formally recognised religion in Italy.

Dussehra 2026 in Italy: dates and Vijay Muhurat by city

All of Italy 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 in the country, so only the sun-based windows differ from city to city. Turin, the furthest west, has the latest Vijay Muhurat; Venice and Rome have the earliest.

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 Italian city the Dashami tithi covers the whole Aparahna on 20 October, so there is no doubt about the date.

Hindu temples in Italy for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples 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.

Lombardy: Milan

Milan's Vijay Muhurat is 2:55 PM – 3:38 PM, within an Aparahna of 2:12 PM – 4:21 PM. The city is Italy's business capital and home to many Indian professionals, while the surrounding provinces have large Punjabi farming communities.

• Unione Induista Italiana – Sanatana Dharma Samgha place of worship — Milan. A property of the Italian Hindu Union, recognised by the city as a place of worship.
• ISKCON Milan (Govinda) — central Milan, near Via Torino. A Hare Krishna temple in the city centre.
• Hare Krishna Village (ISKCON) — province of Bergamo, about 40 km from Milan. A large ashram community.

Indian associations in and around Milan typically host garba and dandiya nights on Navratri weekends in rented halls, and Punjabi families in Lombardy's towns often mark Navratri with jagrata and Mata ki chowki at home or in local mandirs.

Lazio: Rome

Rome's Vijay Muhurat is 2:43 PM – 3:27 PM, within an Aparahna of 1:59 PM – 4:10 PM. The capital has Italy's most diverse Hindu population, with Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati and South Indian families, embassy staff and students.

• Tempio Om Hindu Mandir — Tor Pignattara. A Krishna temple and community centre that gathers a growing community for Hindu festivals.
• Kali Mandir — Casal Lumbroso, on the western edge of Rome. Founded by Yogi Krishnanath of the Nath tradition and dedicated to Shiva and Kali, set in a large garden.

Tor Pignattara and the neighbouring districts of eastern Rome are home to many Bangladeshi and Bengali families, and Durga Puja is one of the community's biggest events of the year, typically with a decorated idol, dhak drumming, pushpanjali, bhog and cultural programmes, ending with Bijoya greetings and Sindoor Khela.

Emilia-Romagna: Bologna and Parma

Bologna's Vijay Muhurat is 2:47 PM – 3:30 PM, within an Aparahna of 2:03 PM – 4:13 PM. Emilia-Romagna has a large Punjabi community working in agriculture and the dairy industry around Parma and Reggio Emilia, alongside students and researchers at the University of Bologna.

• Shree Nav Durga Mandir — Frescarolo, province of Parma. A Devi temple of the Punjabi Hindu community, built inside a converted farm building, and a natural focus for Navratri.

We could not confirm a dedicated Hindu temple inside the city of Bologna, so families there usually join community-organised events in the city or travel to temples elsewhere in the region. Students' and Indian associations at the university often hold a garba or cultural evening around Navratri.

Piedmont (and Liguria): Turin

Turin's Vijay Muhurat is 3:01 PM – 3:44 PM, the latest in this guide, within an Aparahna of 2:18 PM – 4:27 PM. Turin's automotive, aerospace and university sectors attract Indian engineers and students, and the province of Cuneo to the south has a Punjabi farming community.

• ISKCON Turin — central Turin. A Hare Krishna temple near the city centre.
• Villa Hare Krishna (ISKCON) — Roatto, province of Asti.
• Hindu temple project, Centallo — Madonna dei Prati industrial area, province of Cuneo. A purpose-built temple funded by the local Indian community, described as the first Hindu temple built from scratch in Piedmont.
• Matha Gitananda Ashram — Altare, province of Savona (Liguria). Italy's first Hindu monastery and the national headquarters of the Unione Induista Italiana, following Saiva Siddhanta and Srividya traditions.

At Navaratri, the Gitananda Ashram's Srividya tradition gives the Goddess a central place, and Italian and Indian devotees alike come together for Devi worship. Check the ashram's own announcements before travelling.

Veneto: Venice and Padua

Venice's Vijay Muhurat is 2:42 PM – 3:25 PM, within an Aparahna of 1:59 PM – 4:08 PM, with sunset at 6:17 PM. The Veneto's industrial towns have a sizeable Indian community, largely from Punjab and Rajasthan, working in tanning, manufacturing and agriculture.

• Shree Salasar Mandir — Arcella, Padua. A Hanuman (Salasar Balaji) temple in the Rajasthani tradition, rebuilt and reopened in 2022 after a fire.
• Sanatan Dharm Mandir — Arzignano, province of Vicenza. A community temple serving Indian families in the Chiampo valley.

Families in Venice and Mestre usually travel to Padua or Vicenza province for temple celebrations; Padua is a short train ride from Venice Santa Lucia and Mestre.

How Italy celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Because 11–20 October are ordinary working days, most community celebration in Italy moves to the weekends around Navratri. Gujarati and wider Indian groups hold garba and dandiya nights in community halls, with chaniya choli and kediyu, a central Mataji image and aarti at the start. Bengali and Bangladeshi Hindu associations, especially in Rome, organise Durga Puja with a clay or fibre idol, pushpanjali, bhog and cultural evenings. Punjabi families, the largest Indian group in northern Italy, keep the nine-day fast, hold jagratas with bhajans to Mata Rani and end with Kanya pujan on Ashtami or Navami. Tamil and other South Indian families may set up Golu (Bommai Kolu) displays at home and perform Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja, while Telugu families may celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle songs.

Large open-air Ravan Dahan as seen in India is rare in Italy. Open fires and fireworks need permission from the comune and are subject to local fire-safety rules, 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 North Indian families watch the Ramlila online or tell children the story of Rama's victory at home.

Dussehra puja at home

If you cannot reach a temple 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, bikes 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 Italy

• 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 the comune and local authorities and differ from place to place. Do not burn effigies in parks or gardens without permission.
• Getting to temples: several temples are in suburbs, small towns or industrial areas with limited parking on festival days. Regional trains (Trenitalia, Trenord) and local buses can be easier; check evening return services before you go.
• Weather: late-October evenings are cool in the north and can be damp, and sunset is between 6:17 PM in Venice and 6:36 PM in Turin, so bring warm layers for any outdoor events.
• Puja items: Indian and Bangladeshi grocers in larger cities stock flowers, kumkum 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 Italian time.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Italy?

Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every Italian city. The Dashami tithi begins at 9:20 AM Italian 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 Milan and Rome?

Calculated by the Drik Panchang method for each city: Milan 2:55 PM – 3:38 PM and Rome 2:43 PM – 3:27 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026, both in Italian summer time (CEST, UTC+2). Bologna is 2:47 PM – 3:30 PM, Turin 3:01 PM – 3:44 PM and Venice 2:42 PM – 3:25 PM.

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

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

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

In India, Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Pujas in Italy, including those run by the Bengali and Bangladeshi Hindu communities in Rome, follow their own committee's schedule, so check their announcements.

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

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages. Open fires and fireworks need permission from the comune, so many groups mark Ravan Dahan symbolically or on a weekend.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Italy?

No. Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October 2026 are normal working and school days in Italy, so many families do the afternoon puja at home and join temple 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 Switzerland, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in France, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Germany, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Spain, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 UK, region by region
• October 2026 Hindu festival calendar