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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Mauritius is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 across the whole country. The Vijay Muhurat, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, is 2:01 PM – 2:51 PM in Port Louis and Curepipe, 2:00 PM – 2:51 PM in Mahébourg and 1:37 PM – 2:27 PM in Port Mathurin, Rodrigues (Mauritius Time, UTC+4). 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 town from the Drik Panchang tithi (Dashami from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October 2026), using Mauritius Time, which stays at UTC+4 all year with no daylight saving. 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 organisations announce their own programmes; please check with them directly.

Mauritius is one of only three countries in the world where Hindus form the largest religious group, at close to half the population. Most Hindu Mauritians descend from indentured labourers brought from India from the 1830s onwards, the first of whom landed at the Aapravasi Ghat in Port Louis. The majority have Bhojpuri-speaking roots in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, alongside large Tamil, Telugu and Marathi communities, each with its own temples and traditions. The result is an island where Shiva temples, Tamil kovils, Arya Samaj halls and Marathi mandirs stand within a few kilometres of each other, and where Navratri and Dussehra are observed in every district.

Dussehra 2026 in Mauritius: dates and Vijay Muhurat by city

The whole country, including Rodrigues, is on Mauritius Time (UTC+0400). The Dashami tithi begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, so only the sun-based windows differ. On the main island they differ by barely a minute; Rodrigues, about 600 km to the east, sees everything roughly 24 minutes earlier on the clock.

The Aparahna (afternoon period) is the traditional window for Aparajita and Shami puja, and sunset marks the time for any evening aarti or Ravan Dahan:

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 Mauritian town the Dashami tithi begins well before the Aparahna and covers all of it on 20 October, so there is no doubt about the date, and the Vijay Muhurat falls comfortably within Dashami.

Hindu temples in Mauritius for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations have been confirmed to exist in or near each area. 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.

Island-wide, most temples belong to umbrella bodies that coordinate festivals and can point you to your nearest venue:

• Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation — the main body for Sanatani (largely Bhojpuri-heritage) mandirs and shivalas.
• Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation — founded in 1957, it coordinates more than a hundred Tamil kovils.
• Arya Sabha Mauritius — the Arya Samaj body, with mandirs, schools and havan programmes across the island.
• Mauritius Telugu Maha Sabha and Mauritius Marathi Mandali Federation — the main Telugu and Marathi community organisations, each with many local branches.

Port Louis

The capital's Vijay Muhurat is 2:01 PM – 2:51 PM, with the Aparahna from 1:10 PM to 3:42 PM. Port Louis is where Indian Mauritian history began, and its northern suburbs are home to one of the island's most important Tamil shrines.

• Sockalingum Meenatchee Ammen Kovil (Kaylasson Temple) — Sainte-Croix, northern Port Louis. Founded in 1854 by Tamil merchants and modelled on the Meenakshi Amman temple of Madurai, it is the oldest Tamil temple in Mauritius.

In Tamil kovils, Navaratri is usually marked with nightly Amman abhishekam and alankaram, Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja near the end of the nine nights, and Vidyarambham for small children on Vijayadashami.

Plaines Wilhems: Curepipe and the central plateau

Curepipe's Vijay Muhurat is 2:01 PM – 2:51 PM, with the Aparahna from 1:10 PM to 3:42 PM. The central towns of Curepipe, Vacoas-Phoenix, Quatre Bornes and Rose Hill have a dense network of neighbourhood shivalas and kovils, and Vacoas-Phoenix alone has dozens of Hindu temples.

• Siva Subramanya Thirukovil (Kovil Montagne) — Corps de Garde mountain, Quatre Bornes. Founded in 1890, this hillside Murugan temple is one of the best-known landmarks of the plateau.
• Ganga Talao (Grand Bassin) — Savanne highlands, a short drive south-west of Curepipe. The crater lake is the holiest Hindu site in Mauritius, with a Shiv Mandir and shrines to Hanuman, Ganga and Ganesh on its banks and a giant statue of Maa Durga that draws devotees during Navratri.

Pamplemousses: Triolet and the north

Triolet's Vijay Muhurat is 2:01 PM – 2:51 PM, with the Aparahna from 1:10 PM to 3:42 PM. The northern villages, surrounded by sugar-cane fields, are a heartland of Bhojpuri-heritage Hindu life.

• Maheswarnath Mandir (Grand Shivala Triolet) — Triolet. Founded in 1888, it is the largest Hindu temple complex in Mauritius, with shrines to Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Ganesha, Muruga and others, and is linked to the first pilgrimage to Ganga Talao.
• Siva Soopramaniar Kovil — Goodlands, in neighbouring Rivière du Rempart. A Tamil temple consecrated in its new building in 2008, notable for carvings of the 108 tandava postures of Shiva.

In Sanatani mandirs, Navratri is usually marked with Durga and Devi puja, fasting, bhajan and kirtan, and recitation of the Ramcharitmanas, with Dussehra celebrated as Rama's victory over Ravan.

Grand Port: Mahébourg and the south-east

Mahébourg's Vijay Muhurat is 2:00 PM – 2:51 PM, with the Aparahna from 1:10 PM to 3:41 PM. The historic seaside town and the surrounding villages of Grand Port have long-established Tamil and Hindi-speaking communities.

• Shri Vinayagar Seedalamen Kovil — Mahébourg, beside the Mahébourg Museum. A colourful Tamil temple dedicated to Ganesha and a centre of the local Tamil community.

Rodrigues: Port Mathurin

Port Mathurin's Vijay Muhurat is 1:37 PM – 2:27 PM, with the Aparahna from 12:47 PM to 3:18 PM and sunset at 5:49 PM. Rodrigues is overwhelmingly Christian and we could not confirm a Hindu temple on the island, so Hindu residents and visitors usually mark Dussehra with a home puja using the local times above, or by joining family on the main island.

How Mauritius celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Navratri in Mauritius is above all a temple and family festival. Sanatani households keep the nine-day fast, light an akhand diya, and visit their local shivala or Devi mandir each evening for aarti and bhajan. Many associations and Ramayana groups hold Ramcharitmanas path (recitation) through the nine nights, and some stage scenes from the Ramlila, with children playing Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Kanya pujan on Ashtami or Navami, honouring young girls as forms of the Devi with halwa, puri and chana, is widely observed.

Tamil families set up Golu (Bommai Kolu) displays of dolls on stepped shelves at home and in kovils, and temples hold Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja, when tools, books and vehicles are blessed. Telugu families may celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle songs, and Marathi families observe Ghatasthapana and exchange apta leaves as "gold" on Dasara. Gujarati and North Indian groups, along with Indian expatriates, organise garba and dandiya evenings in community halls, while the island's small Bengali community gathers for Durga Puja where a committee is active.

Large open-air Ravan Dahan of the kind seen in North India is less common in Mauritius than in India. Where groups mark it, it is usually with a modest effigy at a temple ground, subject to local permission, a dramatised Ramayana episode or a symbolic burning, followed by prasad and the exchange of greetings. Because Dussehra is not a public holiday, many of these community events move to the weekend around 20 October.

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 town'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 prayer for success over obstacles.
• Shami puja: if you have Shami leaves (or apta/bauhinia leaves), offer them to the Devi and exchange them with family as "gold" — a Maharashtrian and Karnataka custom kept alive by Marathi families in Mauritius.
• Ayudha Puja / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, books, laptops, fishing gear 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 beginning 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 Mauritius

• Working day: Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October are normal working and school days. The Vijay Muhurat falls in the early afternoon, so consider a short break, or do the puja later within the Aparahna if you can.
• Fire and fireworks: rules on open fires, effigy burning and fireworks are set by the local authorities and police. Do not burn effigies in public spaces or near cane fields without permission, especially in the dry season.
• Getting to temples: parking near popular temples is limited on festival evenings. The Metro Express between Port Louis and Curepipe and the bus network can be easier for central temples; allow extra time on the roads to Ganga Talao.
• Weather: October is late in the dry season, with warm days and cooler evenings on the central plateau around Curepipe, so bring a light layer for evening aarti.
• Puja items: markets and Indian grocers in Port Louis, Rose Hill and the larger villages stock flowers, kumkum, diyas and sweets, but buy a few days early before the Navratri weekends.
• Muhurat: use your own town's times from the table above, and the separate Rodrigues times if you are there; never convert India's times into Mauritius time.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Mauritius?

Tuesday 20 October 2026 everywhere in Mauritius, including Rodrigues. The Dashami tithi begins at 11:20 AM Mauritius time on 20 October and ends at 12:41 PM on Wednesday 21 October, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Port Louis and Curepipe?

Calculated by the Drik Panchang method, the Vijay Muhurat on Tuesday 20 October 2026 is 2:01 PM – 2:51 PM in both Port Louis and Curepipe, 2:00 PM – 2:51 PM in Mahébourg and 1:37 PM – 2:27 PM in Port Mathurin, Rodrigues, all in Mauritius Time (UTC+4).

Why is the Vijay Muhurat earlier in Rodrigues?

Rodrigues lies far to the east of the main island but uses the same clock time. The sun rises and sets earlier there (sunset on 20 October is at 5:49 PM, against 6:13 PM in Port Louis), so every sun-based window, including the Vijay Muhurat and Aparahna, comes earlier.

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

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

Is Dussehra a public holiday in Mauritius?

No. Mauritius has public holidays for Maha Shivaratri, Ugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali, but Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a normal working and school day. Many families do a short afternoon puja and join temple programmes in the evening or on the weekend.

Where will Ramlila, Navratri and Ravan Dahan programmes take place?

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. Any open fire, effigy burning or fireworks is subject to the rules of the local authorities and police.

Related guides

• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families
• Dussehra 2026 in South Africa, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Fiji, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Trinidad & Tobago, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Guyana, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Kenya, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 Malaysia, state by state
• October 2026 Hindu festival calendar