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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Slough is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Slough is 2:30 PM – 3:12 PM local time (BST, UTC+1), 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 Slough timings on this page were calculated for the town's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local British Summer Time (the UK is still on summer time on 20 October; clocks go back on the following Sunday). India's Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October; the Slough 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.

Slough has one of the most diverse populations in England, and a large share of its residents have roots in South Asia. Punjabi Hindu families who settled in the town from the 1960s were joined by Gujarati families from India and East Africa and, more recently, by Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayali and other professionals working along the M4 corridor and around Heathrow. Navratri and Dussehra here draw on all these traditions: garba in community halls, Durga Puja organised by Bengali associations, Golu in South Indian homes and Ramayana-centred worship at the town's mandir.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Slough

In Slough the Dashami tithi begins on Tuesday morning 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, which is at 5:59 PM in Slough on the day.

Hindu temples in Slough for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are established in Slough and the neighbouring areas of Berkshire and west London. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website or social pages for current details.

• Slough Hindu Temple, Keel Drive:run by the Hindu Cultural Society, Slough, a registered charity since 1974. Opened in 1981, it is one of the earliest purpose-built Hindu temples in Britain and the main place of worship and festival gathering for the town's Hindu families.
• Royal Berkshire Bengali Association, Slough: a Bengali community group that has organised a multi-day Durga Puja in Slough in past years, with rituals, cultural performances and community feasts.
• Reading Hindu Temple, Whitley (Reading): the main mandir for Reading and the wider Thames Valley, a short drive west along the M4.
• Shree Ram Mandir, Southall: a long-established temple on King Street in Southall, dedicated to Lord Rama and serving as a religious, social and educational centre.
• Vishwa Hindu Kendra, Southall: a Southall temple and community centre providing a place of worship and festival celebrations for west London Hindus.
• Laxmi Narayan Mandir (Hindu Temple and Cultural Trust Centre), Hounslow: a Hounslow temple serving families on the Heathrow side of west London.

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 Slough celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

Gujarati families in Slough and the surrounding towns keep up a lively garba tradition. Typical evenings begin with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by circular garba and dandiya raas with live musicians or a DJ, with families dressed in chaniya choli and kediyu. Nights are often held in temple halls, community centres and school sports halls, and the biggest events tend to fall on weekends, since most Navratri nights in October are school and work days.

Durga Puja

Bengali families across Berkshire come together for Durga Puja. 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 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

Many Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayali families have settled in Slough and the Thames Valley. 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 stacked flower arrangements 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

For Slough's Punjabi and North Indian Hindu families, Dussehra is above all the day of Rama's victory over Ravana. Locally this usually means Ramayana readings, bhajans, children's Ramlila performances and, where permission is granted, a small effigy burning organised by a temple or community group. Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are far less common than in India, and anything involving fire or fireworks depends on the rules of the local council and fire service.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Slough 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 (1:49 PM – 3:54 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 (2:30 PM – 3:12 PM). Exchanging leaves as 'gold' with friends is a 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 Slough

• 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 UK law, Slough Borough Council and neighbouring councils. Check before planning anything at home or in a public space.
• Getting there: temple car parks fill quickly on festival evenings. Car-share and arrive early; the Elizabeth line and local buses make Southall, Hayes and Reading easy to reach without a car.
• Weather: late October evenings in Berkshire are cool and often wet. Bring layers and an umbrella for outdoor events.
• Clock check: the UK is still on British Summer Time on 20 October, so the times on this page are BST.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Slough?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In Slough the Dashami tithi runs from Tue 20 Oct, 8:20 AM to Wed 21 Oct, 9:41 AM local time, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Slough on Dussehra 2026?

2:30 PM – 3:12 PM British Summer Time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Slough. It falls inside the Aparahna (1:49 PM – 3:54 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 UK time. Use the Slough timings on this page or your temple's calendar.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in Slough?

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

Which temples in and around Slough celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Slough Hindu Temple on Keel Drive is the town's main mandir. Nearby, the Reading Hindu Temple in Whitley, the Shree Ram Mandir and the Vishwa Hindu Kendra in Southall, and the Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Hounslow also mark the festival. Check each one's website or social pages for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in Slough?

Some temples and community groups in the area hold Ramlila or Ravan Dahan programmes, usually on a weekend near Dussehra and subject to council and fire safety rules. Temples and community groups usually announce these a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 UK, region by region
• Dussehra 2026 in London
• Dussehra 2026 in Reading
• Dussehra 2026 in Milton Keynes
• Dussehra 2026 in Luton
• Dussehra 2026 in Southampton
• Navratri 2026 in the UK, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide