Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Leeds is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat in Leeds is 2:33 PM – 3:14 PM local time (BST, UTC+1), calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Dashami tithi runs from 8:20 AM on 20 October to 9:41 AM on 21 October, so the whole afternoon of Tuesday 20 October falls within Dashami.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Leeds times on this page were calculated for Leeds itself using the Drik Panchang method: the Dashami tithi (12:50 PM IST 20 October to 2:11 PM IST 21 October in India) is shown in UK time, and the Vijay Muhurat and Aparahna are worked out from Leeds sunrise and sunset. We do not list 2026 event schedules, because temples and community groups announce their own programmes; please check with them directly.

Leeds has one of the longest-established Hindu communities in Yorkshire. Families who came to West Yorkshire from the 1950s onwards, many from Gujarat, Punjab and East Africa, worshipped in each other's homes before building their own mandirs, and today the city is also home to Bengali, South Indian and other communities, as well as a large number of Indian students at its universities. Navratri and Dussehra bring all of them together.

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Dussehra 2026 dates and timings in Leeds

ObservanceLeeds (UK time, 2026)
Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana)Sunday 11 October
Durga Ashtami and Maha NavamiMonday 19 October
Dussehra / VijayadashamiTuesday 20 October
Dashami tithi beginsTue 20 Oct, 8:20 AM
Dashami tithi endsWed 21 Oct, 9:41 AM
Vijay Muhurat (Drik Panchang method)2:33 PM – 3:14 PM
Aparahna (afternoon puja period)1:52 PM – 3:55 PM
Sunset5:58 PM

The UK is still on British Summer Time on 20 October, so all Leeds times are BST (UTC+1). The Dashami tithi covers the whole Aparahna on Tuesday, which is why Leeds, like India, observes Vijayadashami on 20 October. The Vijay Muhurat, the eleventh of the fifteen daytime muhurtas, falls comfortably within Dashami, making it the ideal window for Shami puja, Aparajita puja and starting new work.

Hindu temples in Leeds for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and community organisations are active in Leeds. We list names and areas only; check each one's official website or social pages for opening times and festival plans.

  • Leeds Hindu Mandir (Burley / Hyde Park): the city's long-established mandir on Alexandra Road, developed from the 1960s, with traditional Hindu architectural features and a busy festival calendar.
  • BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Leeds (Burley, LS4): opened in 2014 and serving BAPS devotees across West Yorkshire and the Humber, with regular sabhas and festival celebrations.
  • Leeds Durgapuja and Diwali Association (North East Leeds): a registered charity that organises the Bengali community's Durga Puja and Diwali celebrations in the city.
  • Leeds Indian Cultural Exchange: a community group that has organised Navratri evenings in Leeds with garba, dandiya, aarti and prasad.

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. Bradford, just a few miles west, also has several mandirs, so see our Bradford guide if you live on that side of the city.

How Leeds celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

For Leeds's Gujarati families, Navratri means nine nights of garba and dandiya raas around an image or lamp of Mata. Evenings typically begin with aarti and continue with circle dances to live or recorded music, with families in chaniya choli and kediyu, and close with prasad. Mandirs, community halls and student societies all host garba nights, and many of the biggest evenings fall on the weekends during Navratri because 11–19 October includes school and work days.

Durga Puja

Leeds's Bengali community celebrates Durga Puja with the idol of the Goddess with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik, daily pujas and anjali, dhak drumming, cultural programmes and shared bhog. Puja days are set by each committee, often around a weekend. In India, Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata), but diaspora pujas follow their own committee's schedule.

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Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian and Punjabi families mark Dussehra as the victory of Rama over Ravana. In the UK, this often takes the form of Ramayana readings, children's Ramlila plays and talks at the mandir, and where organisers arrange it, a symbolic Ravan Dahan. Any effigy burning or fireworks need local permissions, so these events are usually small and organised by temples or community groups.

South Indian traditions

Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayali families in Leeds may set up a Golu display of dolls during Navaratri, perform Saraswati and Ayudha Puja on Navami, and hold Vidyarambham on Vijayadashami, when young children write their first letters. Telugu families may also celebrate Bathukamma with flower arrangements and songs.

Dussehra puja at home in Leeds

If you cannot get to a mandir on a Tuesday afternoon, a simple home puja is perfectly traditional.

  • Aparajita puja: draw an eight-petalled lotus with rice or kumkum, place a lamp in the centre and pray to Devi Aparajita, the undefeated goddess, for victory over obstacles.
  • Shami puja: if you have Shami leaves (or a symbolic substitute), offer them with turmeric, kumkum and flowers. In many traditions, Shami leaves are exchanged as "gold" with family and friends.
  • Ayudha / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, vehicles, laptops and books, apply a tilak and offer flowers.
  • Vidyarambham: help a young child trace their first letters in rice or sand, beginning with Om or the name of Saraswati.
  • Timing: do these pujas during the Vijay Muhurat, 2:33 PM – 3:14 PM, or at least within the Aparahna, 1:52 PM – 3:55 PM, on Tuesday 20 October.

A simple vidhi: bathe and wear clean clothes, light a diya and incense, invoke Ganesha, offer flowers, kumkum, akshata and sweets to the Devi and to Rama, recite a short prayer or the Ram Raksha Stotra, perform aarti and share prasad. For the full procedure and the stories behind the festival, see our Dussehra pillar guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Leeds

  • It's a weekday: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are normal school and work days. Many families take a long lunch or leave early for the afternoon puja, and many community programmes move to the nearest weekend.
  • Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks, bonfires and effigy burning are set by Leeds City Council and other local authorities. Only attend organised events and follow the organisers' safety instructions.
  • Getting there: parking at mandirs and community halls fills quickly on festival evenings. Consider sharing lifts or using local buses and trains, and be considerate to neighbours.
  • Weather: October evenings in Yorkshire are cool and often wet. Bring a warm layer and an umbrella for garba nights and outdoor events.
  • Clocks: the UK is still on BST on 20 October; clocks go back on the following Sunday, 25 October.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Leeds?

Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Leeds is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October, with Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both observed on Monday 19 October.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Leeds on Dussehra 2026?

2:33 PM – 3:14 PM UK time (BST) on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Leeds. The wider Aparahna period runs from 1:52 PM to 3:55 PM.

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When does Dashami tithi begin and end in Leeds?

Dashami begins at 8:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October and ends at 9:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October 2026, Leeds time. That is the same moment as 12:50 PM to 2:11 PM IST in India, simply shown in UK time.

Can I use India's Dussehra muhurat in Leeds?

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

Where can I celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in Leeds?

Leeds Hindu Mandir in Burley, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Leeds, the Leeds Durgapuja and Diwali Association and Leeds Indian Cultural Exchange are among the places and groups that mark the season. They usually announce their programmes a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages.

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

In India, Bengali-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Puja committees in Leeds set their own puja days, so follow your committee's schedule.