Dussehra 2026 in Parsippany, NJ: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Parsippany, New Jersey is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat is 2:31 PM – 3:15 PM local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Navratri runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October, and the Dashami tithi covers the whole of Tuesday afternoon in New Jersey.

Parsippany-Troy Hills in Morris County is home to one of the most established Indian-American communities in New Jersey. Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi and Hindi-speaking families all mark Navratri and Dussehra here, so the season brings garba nights, Durga Puja, Golu displays, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja within a short drive of each other.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The local times on this page were calculated for Parsippany (America/New_York time zone, UTC-4 on 20 October) from the Drik Panchang Dashami tithi of 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat is the 11th of the 15 daytime muhurtas, the method Drik Panchang uses. We do not list 2026 event schedules, venues or ticket details, because temples and community groups announce these themselves; please check their official channels before you go.

Navratri and Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Parsippany

New Jersey is still on Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4) on 20 October, as daylight saving time in the US does not end until November. Because Dashami begins in the early hours of Tuesday and lasts until Wednesday morning, the full Aparahna overlaps the Dashami tithi, so there is no doubt about the date: Vijayadashami in Parsippany is Tuesday 20 October. Ravan Dahan and evening celebrations traditionally follow sunset.

Hindu temples in Parsippany for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are in Parsippany or within a comfortable drive of it. Temple timings change for festivals, so check each one's official website before visiting.

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Parsippany: a well-established mandir of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, inaugurated in 2007 and a focal point for the area's Gujarati community.
• Shree Swaminarayan Mandir (ISSO), Parsippany: a mandir of the International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation, with regular festival celebrations and kathas.
• ISKCON of New Jersey, Towaco (Montville): the Hare Krishna temple serving Morris County since 1981, which is developing a new temple in Parsippany.
• Sri Venkateswara Temple (Balaji Mandir), Bridgewater: a large South Indian temple in Somerset County known for its festival homams and Navaratri observances.
• Indian Community Center of Garden State, Parsippany: a community organisation that has organised Durga Puja and Navaratri celebrations in Parsippany in recent 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. Larger celebrations are also held in Edison, Jersey City and across central New Jersey, which many Parsippany families attend.

How Parsippany celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

With a large Gujarati community in Morris County, garba and raas-dandiya are the most visible part of Navratri in Parsippany. Celebrations typically begin with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of circle dancing to live or recorded music, with chaniya cholis and kediyus filling school gyms, banquet halls and temple grounds. Because Navratri weeknights are working nights, the biggest garba events tend to fall on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Durga Puja

Bengali families in north Jersey hold Durga Puja with a pratima of Ma Durga and her children, anjali in the mornings, the sound of the dhak, cultural programmes and bhog. Most diaspora pujas compress the festival into a weekend, ending with Sindoor Khela and a farewell to the Goddess. In India, Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami falls on Wednesday 21 October 2026, but local committees set their own dates.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian families mark Dussehra with Ramlila performances, often staged by children and community volunteers, and with the symbolic burning of a Ravana effigy. In New Jersey, any outdoor fire or fireworks need permits from local authorities, so Ravan Dahan here is usually small-scale, held at a permitted venue, or represented by a symbolic effigy.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

Tamil and Telugu households set up Golu (Bommai Kolu), steps of dolls and figurines, and invite friends over for haldi-kumkum, sundal and songs. Telangana families celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle songs, often as a community gathering on a weekend. On Navami many South Indian and Kannadiga homes perform Ayudha Puja, honouring tools, cars and laptops, and on Vijayadashami children begin learning with Vidyarambham.

Dussehra puja at home

Most Parsippany families will do their Dussehra puja at home on Tuesday 20 October. The best time is the Vijay Muhurat (2:31 PM – 3:15 PM); if work makes that difficult, any time during the Aparahna (1:47 PM – 3:59 PM) is traditional, and the Dashami tithi continues into the evening.

• Aparajita puja: draw a simple eight-petalled lotus with rice or kumkum, invoke Devi Aparajita, the goddess of victory, and offer flowers, akshata and a lamp.
• Shami puja: worship a Shami branch or leaves (or a picture if none is available), and exchange leaves with family and friends as 'gold', a Maharashtrian and Deccan custom.
• Ayudha / Shastra puja: clean and worship tools, vehicles, books and laptops, applying kumkum and offering flowers.
• Vidyarambham: young children write their first letters, often 'Om' or the alphabet, in a tray of rice, guided by a parent or elder.
• Simple vidhi: light a diya, offer prayers to Ganesha, then to Durga and Rama, recite the Rama Raksha Stotra or Durga stotras, offer naivedya and end with aarti.

For a fuller step-by-step procedure and the stories behind the festival, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 complete guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Parsippany

• Weekday festival: 20 and 21 October 2026 are normal work and school days. Plan the puja for a lunch break or after school, and expect community events to move to the weekend.
• Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks and outdoor burning are set by the state and local authorities. Check with Parsippany-Troy Hills Township or the venue before planning any Ravan Dahan.
• Parking and traffic: popular garba nights and temple festivals draw big crowds, and parking fills quickly. Arrive early, carpool, and follow volunteers' directions.
• Weather: late-October evenings in north Jersey can be cool, so carry a layer for outdoor events.
• Use local times: always use the Parsippany times on this page or your temple's panchang, never India's times converted to Eastern Time.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Parsippany?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October and runs to Monday 19 October, and Vijayadashami follows on Tuesday 20 October in Parsippany and across New Jersey.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Parsippany on Dussehra 2026?

2:31 PM – 3:15 PM local time (Eastern Daylight Time) on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. The wider Aparahna period runs from 1:47 PM – 3:59 PM, and both fall well inside the Dashami tithi.

When does the Dashami tithi begin and end in Parsippany?

Dashami begins at 3:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October and ends at 4:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, New Jersey time. In India the same tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October; do not convert India's muhurat times into local time.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela for Bengali families?

In India, Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Pujas in New Jersey are usually held over weekends, so follow your puja committee's own schedule.

Where are Navratri and Dussehra programmes held near Parsippany?

Temples such as BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and Shree Swaminarayan Mandir (ISSO) in Parsippany, ISKCON of New Jersey in Towaco and Sri Venkateswara Temple in Bridgewater, along with community groups, usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead. Check their websites and social pages.

Is Dussehra a holiday in New Jersey?

No. Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October 2026 are ordinary working and school days in New Jersey, so many families do the Vijay puja in the afternoon or evening and attend community celebrations on the nearest weekend.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in New York City
• Dussehra 2026 in Edison
• Dussehra 2026 in Jersey City
• Dussehra 2026 in Philadelphia
• October 2026 Hindu festival calendar