Dussehra 2026 in San Francisco: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Bay Area Temples and Navratri Celebrations

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in San Francisco is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for San Francisco is 2:44 PM – 3:28 PM local time (PDT, UTC-7), 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 San Francisco timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local Pacific Daylight Time (California 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 San Francisco 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.

San Francisco holds a special place in the story of Hinduism in America: the first Hindu temple in the Western Hemisphere was completed in the city's Cow Hollow neighbourhood in 1906. Today the wider Bay Area, from the city itself to the East Bay and Silicon Valley, is home to one of the largest and most diverse Indian-American communities in the country. Navratri here brings together garba, Durga Puja, Golu, Bathukamma and Ramlila across the region.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for San Francisco

In San Francisco the Dashami tithi begins just after midnight on Tuesday and lasts through the whole day, 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 San Francisco for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are established in San Francisco and the wider Bay Area. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website for current details.

• Vedanta Society of Northern California, Cow Hollow (San Francisco): founded in 1900 after Swami Vivekananda's visit, the Society built the Old Temple in Cow Hollow in 1906 and now worships at its New Temple a few blocks away. In the Ramakrishna tradition, Durga and the Divine Mother are central to the autumn season.
• ISKCON New Jagannatha Puri, Berkeley: the Hare Krishna temple for the Bay Area, also known for its Ratha Yatra in Golden Gate Park; Vijayadashami is remembered here as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
• Shiva-Vishnu Temple, Livermore: founded in 1977 and one of the largest Hindu temples in the Bay Area, built in South Indian style; Sharada Navaratri is observed with alankaram of the Devi.
• Fremont Hindu Temple, Fremont: a long-standing community temple in the city with one of the largest Indian-American populations in the region.
• Hindu Temple and Community Center, Sunnyvale: a North Indian-style temple and community centre in Silicon Valley whose festival calendar includes Navratri, Durga Puja and Dussehra.
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Milpitas: the BAPS mandir for the Bay Area, inaugurated in 1991, serving the Gujarati and wider Swaminarayan community.
• Bay Area Prabasi: one of the oldest Bengali socio-cultural organisations in the United States, whose Durga Puja tradition goes back to 1971.

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

How San Francisco celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

The Bay Area's Gujarati community is large, and garba and dandiya raas are the most visible part of Navratri in the region. Typical evenings begin with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of garba and dandiya to live music or a DJ. The biggest events are usually held at weekends in community halls and convention spaces, especially in the South Bay and Fremont area.

Durga Puja

Bengali associations in the Bay Area have held Durga Puja for more than five decades. A typical puja includes the beat of the dhak, pushpanjali on Ashtami, Sandhi Puja, bhog, cultural programmes and, at the end, Bijoya Dashami with Sindoor Khela and a 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 weekends.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

Silicon Valley's large Tamil, Telugu and Kannada communities keep their own Navaratri customs. Many homes set up a Golu (Bommai Kolu or Bombe Habba) of dolls on stepped shelves and invite friends for kumkum, songs and sundal. Telangana families celebrate Bathukamma with stacked flower arrangements and circle songs, often at community gatherings. On Navami, Ayudha Puja honours tools, books, laptops, 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 the Bay Area this usually means community Ramayana readings, children's Ramlila performances and, where local rules allow, a small or symbolic effigy programme organised by a community group. Any burning depends on permits from local fire authorities.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many San Francisco 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 plant or a few Shami or Apta leaves, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:44 PM – 3:28 PM).
• 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 San Francisco

• Weekday festival: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days. Plan a quick puja in the lunch hour 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 California and local authorities, and fire risk can still be high in October. Check with your city before planning anything at home.
• Getting there: suburban temples have limited parking on busy festival days. Carpool, arrive early, and use BART or Caltrain where they serve your destination.
• Weather: Bay Area evenings turn cool and foggy, especially near the coast. Bring a layer for outdoor events and the journey home after garba.
• Clock check: the US is still on daylight saving time on 20 October, so the times on this page are PDT.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in San Francisco?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In San Francisco the Dashami tithi runs from Tue 20 Oct, 12:20 AM to Wed 21 Oct, 1:41 AM local time, so it covers the whole day of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in San Francisco on Dussehra 2026?

2:44 PM – 3:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for San Francisco. 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 San Francisco time. Use the San Francisco timings on this page or your temple's calendar.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in the Bay Area?

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

Which temples in the Bay Area celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Vedanta Society of Northern California in San Francisco, ISKCON's New Jagannatha Puri temple in Berkeley, the Shiva-Vishnu Temple in Livermore, the Fremont Hindu Temple, the Hindu Temple and Community Center in Sunnyvale and the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Milpitas are among the places that mark the season. Check each one's website for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in San Francisco?

Large open-air effigy burnings are rare in the Bay Area because of strict fire rules. Some community groups hold Ramlila performances or symbolic Ravan Dahan programmes, usually on a weekend near Dussehra. Temples and community groups usually announce these a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state
• Dussehra 2026 in San Jose
• Dussehra 2026 in Fremont
• Dussehra 2026 in Sacramento
• Dussehra 2026 in Los Angeles
• Dussehra 2026 in Seattle
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide