Dussehra 2026 in Phoenix: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri Celebrations

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Phoenix is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat in Phoenix is 2:04 PM – 2:49 PM Mountain Standard Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, inside the Aparahna period of 1:20 PM – 3:34 PM. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Dashami tithi runs from 12:20 AM on 20 October to 1:41 AM on 21 October, local time.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Phoenix dates and times on this page were calculated for Phoenix's own sunrise, sunset and time zone (America/Phoenix, UTC-0700; Arizona does not observe daylight saving time) using the Drik Panchang method, following the same rules Drik Panchang uses for India and North America. India's times have not been converted into Phoenix 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.

The Valley of the Sun has one of the fastest-growing Hindu communities in the American Southwest. Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Hindi-speaking, Marathi, Malayali and Nepali families have settled across Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa and the West Valley, and every October the nine nights of Navratri and Vijayadashami bring garba, Durga Puja, Golu and temple festivals to the desert.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Phoenix

All Phoenix times are Mountain Standard Time (UTC-0700). Unlike most of the US, Arizona keeps the same clock all year. 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 Phoenix 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 Phoenix for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations across the Phoenix metropolitan area 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.

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Phoenix): the traditional stone mandir near Black Canyon Highway, inaugurated in 2014 and a major centre for the Valley's Gujarati community.
• Ekta Mandir (west Phoenix): run by Bharatiya Ekta Mandir of Arizona, a temple whose name means "unity", serving devotees of many regional traditions with shrines to several deities.
• Sri Venkata Krishna Kshetra (Tempe): a temple near Arizona State University, popular with Telugu and other South Indian families and with students.
• Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona (Maricopa): a Chola-style South Indian temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha in the desert south of Phoenix, with shrines to many deities and special services on major festivals.
• Indo-American Cultural and Religious Foundation (Phoenix): a long-standing community centre that has hosted festival gatherings, including Durga Puja.
• Gujarati Cultural Association of Arizona (Valley-wide): a community organisation that promotes Gujarati heritage and is known for its Navratri garba celebrations.

Many smaller mandirs, Bengali and Telugu associations and university student groups in Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Mesa and Glendale also hold their own Navratri events. Timings and arrangements change from year to year, so always check the temple's own website before you visit.

How Phoenix celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

For many Phoenix families, Navratri means garba. Gujarati associations and temples typically rent halls, school gyms, hotel ballrooms or event centres for evenings of garba and dandiya raas, with live or recorded music, colourful chaniya cholis and kediyus, and an aarti to the Goddess. The biggest nights usually fall on weekends.

Durga Puja

Phoenix's Bengali community has celebrated Durga Puja for many years. A typical puja features the clay idol of Durga with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, the beat of the dhak, morning anjali, 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 in the Valley keep the Ramayana alive through children's plays, bhajan evenings and community stage productions that retell Rama's exile and his victory over Ravana. Where a Ravana effigy is burnt, it is done at an open venue after dark, with permission from local authorities and with safety arrangements in place.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

Tamil and Telugu households set up Golu (Bommai Kolu or Bommala Koluvu), steps of dolls showing gods, saints and village scenes, and invite friends for songs and sundal. Telugu women in the Valley celebrate Bathukamma with stacked flower arrangements, songs and circle dances. On Navami, South Indian families perform Ayudha Puja, worshipping tools, cars, books and laptops, and on Vijayadashami many children begin learning with Vidyarambham.

Dussehra puja at home in Phoenix

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

• Aparajita puja: worship Goddess Aparajita, the unconquerable one, during the Aparahna (1:20 PM – 3:34 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 tree or Shami leaves, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:04 PM – 2:49 PM). In Maharashtra and Karnataka traditions, Apta leaves are exchanged as "gold".
• 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: 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 at your desk in that window and a fuller family puja in the evening are both perfectly acceptable. For the full meaning of the festival and a detailed puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 complete guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Phoenix

• 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 Arizona, the City of Phoenix and each surrounding city and county, and they differ by location and season. Check your local rules and leave effigy burning to organised events.
• Getting there: the Valley is spread out and most people drive. Temple and event car parks fill quickly on festival weekends, so carpool, arrive early and follow volunteers' directions.
• Weather: October afternoons in Phoenix can still be hot and very dry. Carry water for outdoor puja and events, and use sunscreen if you are outdoors during the Vijay Muhurat.
• Dress and etiquette: wear modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees at temples, remove shoes where asked and follow each temple's guidance on photography.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Phoenix?

Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Phoenix is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Dashami tithi begins at 12:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October and ends at 1:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, Phoenix time, so it covers the whole of Tuesday afternoon.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Phoenix on Dussehra 2026?

2:04 PM – 2:49 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026, Mountain Standard Time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Phoenix. The wider Aparahna period is 1:20 PM – 3:34 PM. Use these windows for Shami puja, Aparajita puja and Shastra or Ayudha puja.

Does Arizona's time zone change the Dussehra timings?

Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time (UTC-0700) all year, so Phoenix does not use daylight saving time. The Phoenix times on this page already take that into account. Do not convert India's muhurat into Phoenix time, because muhurats depend on local sunrise and sunset.

Where is Durga Puja held in Phoenix?

Bengali associations in the Phoenix area organise Durga Puja each autumn, and community halls such as the Indo-American Cultural and Religious Foundation in Phoenix have hosted pujas in past years. Each committee sets its own schedule and many move the main days to 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 Phoenix?

Some community groups in the Valley have held Dussehra programmes 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. Fireworks and open-flame rules are set by local authorities, and fire danger in the desert is taken seriously.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Phoenix?

No. Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a normal working and school day in Arizona. Many families do a short puja at home and join temple celebrations on the weekend.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state: date and Vijay Muhurat
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Dussehra 2026 in Las Vegas
• Dussehra 2026 in Denver
• Dussehra 2026 in Salt Lake City
• Dussehra 2026 in San Diego
• Dussehra 2026 in Los Angeles
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families