Dussehra 2026 in Jersey City: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri in India Square

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Jersey City is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat in Jersey City is 2:30 PM – 3:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, inside the Aparahna period of 1:46 PM – 3:57 PM. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Dashami tithi runs from 3:20 AM on 20 October to 4:41 AM on 21 October, local time.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Jersey City dates and times on this page were calculated for Jersey City's own sunrise, sunset and time zone (America/New_York, UTC-0400 on 20 October, as New Jersey 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 Jersey City 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.

Jersey City is home to one of the most concentrated Indian communities in the United States. India Square, the stretch of Newark Avenue near Journal Square, is lined with Indian grocers, sari shops and restaurants, and comes alive at Navratri. Gujarati, Hindi-speaking, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi and Malayali families across Hudson County, from the Heights and Journal Square to Hoboken, Bayonne and North Bergen, mark the nine nights and Vijayadashami in their own ways.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Jersey City

All Jersey City times are Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-0400). 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 Jersey City 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 Jersey City for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations serve Jersey City and the wider Hudson County community. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (North Bergen): the long-established BAPS mandir on Tonnelle Avenue serving Jersey City, North Bergen and Hoboken devotees. BAPS has also begun building a new mandir in Jersey City for the growing local community.
• SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Temple (Jersey City): a Swaminarayan congregation based near Journal Square, with plans for a new temple building on Central Avenue in the Heights.
• Lord Hanuman Temple (India Square, Newark Avenue): a small, volunteer-run temple in the heart of India Square, known for Saturday Sunderkand and festival celebrations. It has faced difficulties with its premises, so confirm it is open before you visit.
• BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham (Robbinsville): the vast hand-carved mandir in central New Jersey, a popular festival-season visit for families from across the state.

Many Jersey City families also travel to the large temples of Middlesex and Morris counties for Navratri and Dussehra; see our Edison and Parsippany pages. Timings and arrangements change from year to year, so always check the temple's own website before you visit.

How Jersey City celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya in India Square

For many in Jersey City, Navratri means garba. India Square has long been known for open-air garba along Newark Avenue, where thousands of people in chaniya cholis and kediyus dance garba and dandiya raas around an image of the Goddess late into the night. Gujarati associations and temples also hire halls for ticketed garba evenings, mostly on Friday and Saturday nights. Whether and when street garba happens in a given year depends on organisers and city permits, so watch for official announcements.

Durga Puja

Bengali families in Hudson County join Durga Pujas held across northern and central New Jersey and in New York City. 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.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian families keep the Ramlila tradition alive through community stage productions and children's plays that retell the Ramayana, from Rama's exile to his victory over Ravana. In a dense city like Jersey City, open-flame effigy burning needs official permission and safety arrangements, so where Ravan Dahan is held it is usually at a larger open venue, often a little outside the city.

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 Jersey City

You do not need to be at a temple to observe Vijayadashami. A simple home puja, timed to the Jersey City afternoon, keeps the essence of the day, even in a small apartment.

• Aparajita puja: worship Goddess Aparajita, the unconquerable one, during the Aparahna (1:46 PM – 3:57 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 plant or Shami leaves, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:30 PM – 3:13 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 or bicycle, 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 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 Jersey City

• 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 Jersey City, Hudson County and the State of New Jersey. Check the current rules and leave effigy burning to organised, permitted events.
• Getting there: parking around India Square and Journal Square is tight on festival nights. PATH trains to Journal Square and NJ Transit buses are usually the easier option; if you drive to temples outside the city, carpool and arrive early.
• Crowds: street garba draws very large crowds. Keep children close, agree a meeting point and carry minimal valuables.
• 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 Jersey City?

Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Jersey City is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Dashami tithi begins at 3:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October and ends at 4:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, Jersey City time, so it covers the whole of Tuesday afternoon.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Jersey City on Dussehra 2026?

2:30 PM – 3:13 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026, Eastern Daylight Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Jersey City. The wider Aparahna period is 1:46 PM – 3:57 PM. Use these windows for Shami puja, Aparajita puja and Shastra or Ayudha puja.

Are Jersey City's times the same as New York City's?

Very nearly. Jersey City and Manhattan are only a few kilometres apart in the same time zone, so the times on this page work across Hudson County and are within a minute or so of New York City's.

Can I convert India's Dussehra muhurat into Jersey City time?

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

Is there Navratri garba in Jersey City?

Yes. The India Square area along Newark Avenue has long been known for open-air Navratri garba that draws very large crowds, and temples and associations across Hudson County hold their own garba nights. 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 Jersey City?

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

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state: date and Vijay Muhurat
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Dussehra 2026 in New York City
• Dussehra 2026 in Edison
• Dussehra 2026 in Parsippany
• Dussehra 2026 in Philadelphia
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families