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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Seattle is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Seattle is 2:39 PM – 3:22 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 Seattle timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local Pacific Daylight Time (Washington 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 Seattle 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.

The Seattle area's Hindu community has grown quickly over the past three decades, drawn largely by the technology industry on the Eastside. Redmond, Bellevue, Bothell, Sammamish and Kirkland now have some of the densest Indian-American neighbourhoods in the Pacific Northwest, and Navratri brings together Telugu and Tamil families, Gujarati garba lovers, Bengali Durga Puja committees and North Indian households keeping the nine-day fast, in temple halls, school gyms and community centres across King and Snohomish counties.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Seattle

In Seattle 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 Seattle for Navratri & Dussehra

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

• Hindu Temple and Cultural Center (HTCC), Bothell: opened in 2003 as the first temple of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, home to a consecrated shrine of Sri Prasanna Venkateswara and a hub for festivals, music and dance.
• VEDA Sri Venkateswara Temple, Redmond: an Eastside temple on the Redmond plateau that holds community observances of Navratri alongside regular pujas and cultural classes.
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Redmond: the BAPS mandir for the Greater Puget Sound area, opened in 2014 and much loved by the Gujarati community.
• Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Redmond: a Sai Baba temple; Vijayadashami is also observed by Sai devotees as Baba's Mahasamadhi day.
• Vedic Cultural Center (ISKCON), Sammamish: the Hare Krishna temple of Sri Sri Radha Nila Madhava, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
• Sanatan Dharma Temple and Cultural Center, Kent: serving South King County, with celebrations of major festivals including Durga Puja and Navratri.

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 Seattle celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

Garba and dandiya raas are the most visible part of Navratri in the Puget Sound region, and they draw far more than just Gujarati families. Typical evenings start with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of circular garba and dandiya with live music or a DJ, with dancers in chaniya choli and kediyu. Because most Navratri nights fall on weekdays, many of the largest events are held on the weekends, in temple halls, school gyms and event venues on the Eastside and beyond.

Durga Puja

Bengali associations in the Seattle area organise Durga Puja each autumn. A typical puja includes 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 weekends.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

The Eastside's large Telugu, Tamil and Kannada communities 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 in parks or halls. On Navami, Ayudha Puja honours tools, books, instruments and vehicles, and on Vijayadashami many children begin learning with Vidyarambham, a custom some South Indian temples in the area also observe.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

North Indian families mark Dussehra with Rama's victory over Ravana. In the Seattle area this usually means community Ramayana readings, children's Ramlila skits and, where local rules allow, a small effigy burning organised by a community group. Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are much less common than in India, and any burning depends on local fire department permits and burn conditions.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Seattle 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 (1:57 PM – 4:04 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 (2:39 PM – 3:22 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. For many Seattle tech families, the work laptop gets its tilak too.
• 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 Seattle

• Weekday festival: Tuesday 20 October and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days. Plan a quick puja over lunch 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 Washington State and your city or county, and many local jurisdictions restrict fireworks outside set dates. Check with your local fire department before planning anything at home.
• Getting there: Eastside temples get busy on festival weekends and parking is limited. Carpool, arrive early, and allow extra time for traffic on I-405, SR 520 and I-90.
• Weather: late October in Seattle is usually cool and often rainy. Bring a jacket and umbrella for outdoor events and evening travel after garba.
• Clock check: the US is still on daylight saving time on 20 October, so the times on this page are PDT (UTC-7).

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Seattle?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In Seattle 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 afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Seattle on Dussehra 2026?

2:39 PM – 3:22 PM Pacific Daylight Time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Seattle. It falls inside the Aparahna (1:57 PM – 4:04 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 Seattle time. Use the Seattle timings on this page or your temple's calendar.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in Seattle?

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

Which temples in the Seattle area celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Hindu Temple and Cultural Center in Bothell, VEDA Sri Venkateswara Temple in Redmond, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Redmond, the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple in Redmond, ISKCON's Vedic Cultural Center in Sammamish and the Sanatan Dharma Temple in Kent are among the places that mark the festival. Check each one's website for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in Seattle?

Some community groups in the region hold Ramlila or Ravan Dahan programmes, usually on a weekend near Dussehra and subject to local fire and burn rules. 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 Portland
• Dussehra 2026 in San Francisco
• Dussehra 2026 in San Jose
• Dussehra 2026 in Sacramento
• Dussehra 2026 in Salt Lake City
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide