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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Richmond, Virginia is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Richmond is 2:44 PM – 3:29 PM local time (EDT, UTC-4), calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami fall together on Monday 19 October 2026.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Richmond timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local Eastern Daylight Time (Virginia is still on daylight saving time on 20 October). India's Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October; the Richmond equivalents are shown below. We do not list 2026 event schedules, venues or ticket details, because temples and community groups announce these themselves. Please check their official websites and social pages before you go.

Virginia's capital has a growing and close-knit Hindu community. Families drawn by healthcare, state government, universities, finance and technology have settled across Henrico and Chesterfield counties, from Glen Allen and Short Pump in the West End to Midlothian south of the James River. Navratri here brings together Gujarati garba, Bengali Durga Puja, Telugu Bathukamma and South Indian Golu, often in temple halls, school gyms and function rooms across the suburbs.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Richmond

In Richmond the Dashami tithi begins in the early hours of Tuesday and lasts through the whole afternoon, so the Aparahna and Dashami overlap fully and there is no ambiguity about the date: Vijayadashami is Tuesday 20 October. The Vijay Muhurat, the eleventh of the fifteen daytime muhurtas, sits comfortably within both the Aparahna and the Dashami tithi. Ravan Dahan, where held, traditionally takes place after sunset.

Hindu temples in Richmond for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are established in the Richmond area. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website for current details.

• Hindu Center of Virginia, Glen Allen: the region's main community temple in Henrico County, founded by a small group of families and now serving a large membership, with shrines to deities including Ganesha, Shiva, Sri Venkateswara, Krishna, Kanaka Durga, Jagannath, Subramanya and Hanuman. It also runs educational and cultural programmes.
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, North Chesterfield: the BAPS mandir for the Richmond area, on Route 1 south of the city, serving many Gujarati families.
• ISKCON Richmond, North Chesterfield: the Hare Krishna centre on the Midlothian Turnpike corridor, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
• Greater Richmond Bengali Association, Glen Allen: a cultural association, established in 2006, that promotes Bengali culture and heritage for families in the Greater Richmond area, including around Durga Puja.

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. Families in the region also travel to the larger temples of Northern Virginia and the Washington DC area for some festivities.

How Richmond celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

Gujarati families are a large part of Richmond's Indian community, and garba and dandiya raas are the most visible part of Navratri in the area. Typical evenings start with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of circular garba and dandiya with live music or a DJ, with families dressed in chaniya choli and kediyu. Because Navratri nights in October fall mostly on weekdays, many of the biggest events are held on weekends, in temple halls and rented venues around the West End and Chesterfield.

Durga Puja

Bengali families in Greater Richmond mark Durga Puja with the dhak, pushpanjali on Ashtami, Sandhi Puja, bhog, cultural programmes and, at the end, Bijoya Dashami with Sindoor Khela and farewell to the Goddess. In India the Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami falls on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata), but diaspora pujas follow their own committee's schedule, often fitted around a weekend.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

Telugu, Tamil and Kannada families in the area keep their own Navaratri customs. Many homes set up a Golu (Bommai Kolu) of dolls on stepped shelves and invite friends for kumkum, songs and sundal. Telangana families celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle songs, often at community gatherings. On Navami, Ayudha Puja honours tools, books, instruments and vehicles, and on Vijayadashami many children begin learning with Vidyarambham.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian families mark Dussehra with Rama's victory over Ravana. In Richmond this usually means Ramayana readings, children's Ramlila skits and bhajans at temples or community gatherings and, where local rules allow, a small effigy burning held by a community group. Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are far less common than in India, and any burning depends on permits from the local fire marshal.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Richmond families keep a short home puja and join community celebrations at the weekend. A simple vidhi:

• Prepare: clean the puja area, place an image of Durga, Rama or your family deity, and keep flowers, rice, kumkum, a diya and incense ready.
• Aparajita puja: in the Aparahna (2:00 PM – 4:13 PM), draw a small eight-petalled lotus with kumkum or rice and worship Goddess Aparajita, praying for victory over obstacles.
• Shami puja: offer worship to a Shami (Prosopis) plant or a few Shami or Apta leaves, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:44 PM – 3:29 PM). Exchanging leaves as 'gold' with friends is a lovely Maharashtrian and Karnataka custom.
• Ayudha / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, laptops, books, musical instruments and the car, apply kumkum and offer a flower.
• Vidyarambham: children can write their first letters or 'Om' in rice, or begin a new class or instrument.
• Close: light the diya, offer naivedya and sing an aarti. If you kept the Navratri fast, break it as per your family custom.

For the meaning of Dussehra, the stories behind it and a fuller puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Richmond

• Weekday festival: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days. Plan a quick puja in the afternoon or arrange a short break during the Vijay Muhurat.
• Weekend events: many garba nights, Durga Pujas and Ramlila programmes are held on the weekends either side of Dussehra. Check dates directly with the organisers.
• Fire and fireworks: rules on fireworks, open flames and effigy burning are set by Virginia and your county or city. Check with Henrico, Chesterfield or the City of Richmond before planning anything at home.
• Getting there: Richmond's temples are in the suburbs and are best reached by car. Parking fills up on busy festival days, so carpool and arrive early.
• Weather: October evenings in central Virginia can turn cool. Bring a layer for outdoor events and for the drive home after garba.
• Clock check: the US is still on daylight saving time on 20 October, so the times on this page are EDT.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Richmond?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In Richmond the Dashami tithi runs from Tue 20 Oct, 3:20 AM to Wed 21 Oct, 4:41 AM local time, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Richmond on Dussehra 2026?

2:44 PM – 3:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Richmond. It falls inside the Aparahna (2:00 PM – 4:13 PM), and the whole window is within the Dashami tithi.

Can I use the Vijay Muhurat published for India?

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

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in Richmond?

In India, the Bengali-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Richmond-area Durga Puja organisers set their own schedules, often around a weekend, so follow your puja committee's announcements.

Which temples in the Richmond area celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Hindu Center of Virginia in Glen Allen, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in North Chesterfield and ISKCON Richmond in North Chesterfield are among the places that mark the festival, and the Greater Richmond Bengali Association serves the Bengali community. Check each one's website for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in Richmond?

Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are uncommon in the area, and any effigy burning depends on local fire and safety rules. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state
• Dussehra 2026 in Washington DC
• Dussehra 2026 in Baltimore
• Dussehra 2026 in Raleigh
• Dussehra 2026 in Charlotte
• Dussehra 2026 in Philadelphia
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide