Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in New York City is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat in New York City is 2:29 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 New York City dates and times on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise, sunset and time zone (America/New_York, UTC-0400 on 20 October, as New York 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 New York 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.

New York City is home to one of the oldest and most diverse Hindu communities in North America. Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Hindi-speaking, Nepali and Bangladeshi Hindu families live alongside a large Indo-Caribbean Hindu community from Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, so from Flushing and Jackson Heights to Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and Brooklyn, October brings garba nights, Durga Puja, Golu displays and Ramayana recitations across the five boroughs.

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Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for New York City

ObservanceNew York City (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, 3:20 AM
Dashami tithi endsWed 21 Oct, 4:41 AM
Vijay Muhurat (Drik Panchang method)2:29 PM – 3:13 PM
Aparahna (afternoon puja period)1:46 PM – 3:57 PM
Sunset6:08 PM

All New York 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 New York 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 New York City for Navratri & Dussehra

These New York City 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.

  • Hindu Temple Society of North America – Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam (Flushing, Queens): the Ganesh Temple on Bowne Street, consecrated in 1977 and one of the oldest Hindu temples in the United States. Its Navaratri poojas draw large numbers of South Indian devotees.
  • BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Flushing, Queens): the first BAPS mandir in North America, opened in 1974 and a long-standing centre for the city's Gujarati community.
  • Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir (Richmond Hill, Queens): a well-known mandir of the Indo-Caribbean Hindu community in Richmond Hill and South Queens.
  • ISKCON Brooklyn – Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir (Downtown Brooklyn): the Hare Krishna temple on Schermerhorn Street, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
  • East Coast Durga Puja Association (Queens): established in 1970 and the first organiser of Durga Puja in New York.
  • New York Puja Association (Queens): a Bengali cultural association that has held an annual Durga Puja in Queens for more than two decades.

Many smaller mandirs and associations across the five boroughs also hold Navratri events. Timings change from year to year, so check the temple's own website before you visit.

How New York City celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

For many New Yorkers, Navratri means garba. Gujarati associations and temples typically hire halls, school gyms or event spaces in Queens, Long Island and nearby New Jersey for evenings of garba and dandiya raas, with live or recorded music, colourful chaniya cholis and kediyus, and an aarti to the Goddess.

Durga Puja

New York has celebrated Durga Puja since 1970, and today Bengali and Bangladeshi Hindu associations hold pujas across Queens and beyond. 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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Indo-Caribbean Navratri and Ramayana traditions

Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park are home to the largest Indo-Caribbean community in the United States. Many Guyanese and Trinidadian mandirs keep Navratri with daily Devi puja, bhajans and fasting, and the Ramayana, sung in the Ramcharitmanas tradition brought by indentured ancestors, remains at the heart of community worship.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian and Caribbean families 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 the authorities and with safety arrangements in place.

Golu 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. 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 New York City

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

  • Aparajita puja: worship Goddess Aparajita, the unconquerable one, during the Aparahna (1:46 PM – 3:57 PM). Place a lamp and offer flowers.
  • Shami puja: offer water, rice, flowers and a lamp to Shami leaves or a Shami plant, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:29 PM – 3:13 PM).
  • 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: light a lamp, invoke Ganesha, pray to the Devi and Lord Rama, do aarti and share sweets.

A short prayer during the window and a fuller family puja in the evening are both 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 New York City

  • Weekday festival: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are working days. Plan your puja around the Vijay Muhurat, and expect most community celebrations on the nearest weekend.
  • Fireworks and effigies: consumer fireworks are illegal in New York City, and open fires need permits from the city authorities. Leave effigy burning to organised, permitted events.
  • Getting there: street parking around Flushing, Jackson Heights and Richmond Hill is very limited on festival weekends. The subway, LIRR and buses are usually the easier option; allow extra time and follow volunteers' directions.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in New York City?

Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in New York 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, New York time, so it covers the whole of Tuesday afternoon.

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What is the Vijay Muhurat in New York City on Dussehra 2026?

2:29 PM – 3:13 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026, Eastern Daylight Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for New York 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.

Can I convert India's Dussehra muhurat into New York time?

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

Where is Durga Puja held in New York City?

Queens is the centre of Durga Puja in the city. The East Coast Durga Puja Association, which began organising Durga Puja in New York in 1970, and the New York Puja Association are among the established Bengali groups. Each committee sets its own schedule, often on 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 New York City?

Ramlila and Dussehra programmes have been held by temples and community groups in the New York area in past years. 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 or fireworks needs permission from the city authorities, so effigy burning is only done at organised, permitted events.

Is Dussehra a holiday in New York City?

Dussehra is not a federal or state holiday, and Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a normal working day. Check the New York City public school calendar for your child's school. Many families do a short puja during the Vijay Muhurat or in the evening, and join temple and community celebrations on the weekend.