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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Surrey is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat is 2:41 PM – 3:23 PM local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October 2026.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): Local times on this page were calculated for Surrey, British Columbia (Pacific time, UTC-7 on 20 October) from the Drik Panchang Dashami tithi of 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October, using local sunrise and sunset. The Vijay Muhurat is the 11th of the 15 daytime muhurtas, the method Drik Panchang uses. We do not list 2026 event schedules, ticket prices or performance times, because temples and community groups announce these themselves.

Surrey is home to one of the largest South Asian communities in Canada, and its Hindu families come from many backgrounds: Punjabi and North Indian, Indo-Fijian, Gujarati, Bengali and South Indian. Through Navratri the city's mandirs, banquet halls and community centres fill with Devi puja, bhajans, Ramayan recitation and garba. Vijayadashami, the tenth day, celebrates Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and the Goddess Durga's victory over Mahishasura, and it is one of the most auspicious days of the year to begin something new.

Dussehra 2026 dates and times for Surrey

All times are Surrey local time. British Columbia now stays on daylight time year-round, so on 20 October clocks are at UTC-7. Because Dashami begins just after midnight on Tuesday and lasts into the early hours of Wednesday, the entire Aparahna and the Vijay Muhurat on 20 October fall within Dashami, and calendars agree on Tuesday 20 October for Surrey. Vancouver, Burnaby, Delta, Richmond, Langley and Abbotsford will be within a minute or two of these times.

Please do not convert India's Dussehra muhurat into BC time. Muhurat windows depend on sunrise and sunset where you are, which is why this page gives times worked out for Surrey itself.

Hindu temples in Surrey for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are well established in Surrey and the neighbouring Lower Mainland, and usually mark Navratri and Vijayadashami. We list names and areas only; check each temple's own website or social pages for timings and programmes.

• Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (Newton, Surrey): run by the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society, one of the best-known mandirs in the Lower Mainland, dedicated to Lord Lakshmi Narayan, with regular pujas, festivals and community programmes.
• Shri Durga Bhameshwari Mandir (Newton, Surrey): a mandir of the Goddess, a natural focus for Devi devotees during the nine nights of Navratri.
• Sri Yoga Hanuman temple (Newton, Surrey): run by the Sri Yoga Hanuman Cultural Society and known for its large granite murti of Hanuman seated on a lotus.
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vancouver (North Delta, on Surrey's western edge): the BAPS mandir for Metro Vancouver, with a strong Gujarati following.
• ISKCON Vancouver (Hare Krishna Temple) (Burnaby): the Vedic-style temple of Sri Sri Radha-Madana-mohana, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
• Lower Mainland Bengali Cultural Society of BC (Lower Mainland): the long-running Bengali association that organises Durga Puja for the region.

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 Surrey celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Devi puja, jagrans and Ramayan

For Surrey's large Punjabi Hindu and North Indian community, Navratri is a time of fasting, Devi puja and Mata ki chowki or jagran evenings of bhajans sung through the night. Many families keep the nine-day vrat and finish with Kanya pujan on Ashtami or Navami, honouring young girls as forms of the Goddess with halwa, puri and chana. Indo-Fijian Hindu families, a large and long-established community in Surrey, bring their own strong tradition of Ramayan mandalis, where groups sing the Ramcharitmanas together, and Navratri and Dussehra are often marked with Ramayan recitation, Devi puja and community bhojan.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

Dussehra is above all the day of Lord Rama's victory. Community programmes in the Lower Mainland often include Ram katha, Ramayana readings, scenes from the Ramlila performed by children and youth, and sometimes a symbolic Ravan Dahan. Where an effigy is burnt, it is usually small and organised with the permission of the local authorities. Many such programmes move to the nearest weekend because 20 October is a working day.

Garba and dandiya

Gujarati families and their friends from every background make garba and dandiya raas one of the liveliest parts of Navratri in Surrey and across Metro Vancouver. Evenings typically start with aarti to the Goddess, followed by circles of garba and then faster dandiya with sticks, often in temple halls or rented banquet venues on weekends.

Durga Puja and Bijoya Dashami

Bengali families in the Lower Mainland celebrate Durga Puja with a pratima of the Goddess, dhak drumming, anjali, bhog and cultural evenings. In India, the Bengali-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Diaspora committees often adjust their days to fit weekends and venue bookings, so follow your committee's own schedule.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

South Indian families bring their own traditions: Tamil, Telugu and Kannada households set up a Golu of dolls on steps, Telugu families celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle dances, and Malayali, Tamil and Kannada families observe Ayudha Puja on Navami and Vidyarambham on Vijayadashami.

Dussehra puja at home

Even on a busy Tuesday you can mark Vijayadashami at home. The ideal time for the main rituals is the Vijay Muhurat (2:41 PM – 3:23 PM) or, failing that, anywhere in the Aparahna (1:58 PM – 4:05 PM). Ravan Dahan and community celebrations are usually after sunset, which is at 6:11 PM in Surrey.

• Aparajita puja: worship Goddess Aparajita, the unconquered form of Devi, with flowers, kumkum, rice and a lamp, and pray for victory over obstacles.
• Shami puja: if you have a Shami plant, or a picture of one, offer water, rice and flowers. In Maharashtra and Karnataka traditions, Apta or Shami leaves are exchanged as 'gold' with family and friends.
• Ayudha / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, vehicles, laptops and books, apply kumkum and offer a flower. Many families do this on Navami, Monday 19 October.
• Vidyarambham: let a young child write 'Om' or the first letters of the alphabet in a plate of rice, guided by a parent or grandparent.
• Simple vidhi: light a lamp, invoke Lord Ganesha, offer prayers to Durga and Lord Rama, recite the Ram Raksha Stotra or a few chaupais of the Ramcharitmanas if you know them, do aarti and share sweets.

Families who sowed barley (jaware or khetri) at Ghatasthapana usually take the shoots after the Navratri puja is complete and give them as blessings. For the full meaning of the festival and a detailed puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Surrey

• Weekday festival: 20 and 21 October 2026 are ordinary school and work days in British Columbia. Plan a short evening puja and look out for weekend programmes at your mandir.
• Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks and open burning are set by the City of Surrey and local authorities. Check the current city rules before using fireworks, and leave effigy burning to organisers with permits.
• Parking and transit: temple car parks fill quickly on festival evenings. Carpool, arrive early, use TransLink buses or SkyTrain where you can and follow the directions of volunteers.
• Weather: October evenings in Surrey are often cool and rainy. Bring a warm layer and an umbrella over festive clothes for outdoor events.
• Fasting: if you keep the Navratri fast, end it according to your family tradition, often after the Navami or Dashami puja.
• Clock check: BC stays on daylight time year-round, so the times on this page are already in the local clock you will see on 20 October.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Surrey?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. In Surrey's local time, the Dashami tithi runs from 12:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October to 1:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, so the whole day and afternoon of the 20th fall within Dashami.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Surrey on Dussehra 2026?

2:41 PM – 3:23 PM local time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. The wider Aparahna window is 1:58 PM – 4:05 PM.

Can I convert India's Dussehra muhurat into Surrey time?

No. Muhurat windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, so India's times cannot simply be converted. Use the Surrey times on this page or follow your mandir's calendar.

Where can I celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in Surrey?

Surrey's mandirs, including the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir of the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society, Shri Durga Bhameshwari Mandir and the Sri Yoga Hanuman temple, usually mark Navratri and Vijayadashami, as do BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in neighbouring Delta and ISKCON Vancouver in Burnaby. Check each temple's website or social pages for 2026 details.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in 2026?

In India, the Bengali-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Puja committees in the Lower Mainland set their own schedules, so follow your committee.

Is Dussehra a holiday in British Columbia?

No. Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a regular school and work day, so many families do a short puja in the afternoon or evening and join community programmes on the nearest weekend.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 Canada, province by province
• Dussehra 2026 in Vancouver
• Dussehra 2026 in Victoria
• Dussehra 2026 in Calgary
• Dussehra 2026 in Edmonton
• Dussehra 2026 in Brampton
• Navratri 2026 in Canada, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Diwali 2026 Canada: Lakshmi Puja muhurat city by city