Dussehra 2026 in Switzerland, City by City: Date, Vijay Muhurat and Hindu Temples

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Switzerland is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every city. The Vijay Muhurat, calculated by the Drik Panchang method, is 2:56 PM – 3:39 PM in Zürich, 3:06 PM – 3:49 PM in Geneva and 3:01 PM – 3:44 PM in Bern (Swiss summer time, CEST). Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and the Dashami tithi runs from 9:20 AM on 20 October to 10:41 AM on 21 October, Swiss time.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The local times on this page were calculated for each Swiss city from the Drik Panchang Dashami tithi (12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October), shown in Swiss time, with the Vijay Muhurat worked out by the Drik Panchang method from each city's own sunrise and sunset. Switzerland is still on summer time (CEST, UTC+2) on 20 October. We do not list 2026 event schedules, venues or ticket details, because temples and associations announce these themselves; please check their official channels. Temples are named only where we could confirm they exist.

Dussehra 2026 in Switzerland: dates and Vijay Muhurat by city

All five cities observe Vijayadashami on the same day. The Dashami tithi begins in the morning in Switzerland, so the whole afternoon of Tuesday 20 October falls within Dashami, and the Vijay Muhurat and Aparahna sit comfortably inside it. Western cities such as Geneva and Lausanne have slightly later afternoon windows than Zürich because the sun sets later there.

Aparahna and sunset on 20 October

Navratri 2026 key dates

Navratri, Ashtami and Navami dates follow the all-India calendar (Drik Panchang). In India, Vijayadashami is also on Tuesday 20 October. Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October in India; Swiss Durga Pujas follow their own committee's schedule. Never convert India's muhurat times into Swiss time: use the local times above.

The Hindu community in Switzerland

Switzerland's Hindu community is small but deeply rooted. Its largest part is the Sri Lankan Tamil community, which grew from the 1980s onward and today numbers in the tens of thousands. Most Tamil Hindus follow the Shaiva tradition, and they have built temples across the country, often in converted factories, warehouses and basements in industrial zones. The first Hindu temple in Switzerland, a small Vinayagar shrine, opened in Basel in the 1980s, and today there are around twenty temples.

Alongside the Tamil community live a growing number of Indian professionals, researchers and students, especially around Zürich, Basel's pharmaceutical industry and the international organisations of Geneva and Lausanne. They bring North Indian, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi traditions with them, so Navratri in Switzerland can mean a Tamil Amman temple festival, a Gujarati garba night, a Bengali Durga Puja or a quiet Shami puja at home. ISKCON has also been present since the 1970s, with temples in Zürich and Geneva.

Hindu temples in Zürich for Navratri & Dussehra

The canton of Zürich has the largest concentration of Hindu temples in Switzerland. Verified places of worship and community groups include:

• Sri Sivasubramaniar Temple — Adliswil, in the Sihl valley south of the city; one of the best-known Tamil Hindu temples in the country.
• Arulmigu Sivan Temple — Glattbrugg (Opfikon), near Zürich Airport.
• Sri Vishnu Thurkkai Amman Temple — Dürnten, in the Zürich Oberland; a Goddess temple, so Navratri is especially important here.
• ISKCON Zürich (Hare Krishna Temple) — Hottingen, Kreis 7; Switzerland's oldest Krishna temple.
• Swisspuja — a community group that has organised Durga Puja in Zürich.
• Indian Association of Greater Zurich — holds cultural celebrations for Indian festivals.

In Zürich, Navratri usually means daily Amman and Durga worship at the Tamil temples, Gujarati-style garba and dandiya evenings organised by community associations, and a Bengali Durga Puja with dhak, bhog and cultural programmes. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

Hindu temples in Geneva for Navratri & Dussehra

Geneva's Hindu community mixes Tamil families with a large international Indian population working for UN agencies, NGOs and multinational firms. Verified groups include:

• Association du Temple Hindou de Genève — the canton's Tamil Hindu temple association, registered in Versoix and serving the Geneva area.
• Hare Krishna Temple (ISKCON Geneva) — the Krishna community's centre in Geneva, active since the early 1970s.
• Indian Association of Geneva — organises Indian cultural and festival events.
• Fondation Temple Sri Balaji — a foundation working towards a Vishnu and Mahalakshmi temple and cultural centre in the canton of Geneva.

Expect garba nights, family Durga and Saraswati puja gatherings and Golu displays in South Indian homes. Many Geneva families also travel to the Lausanne area for Tamil temple festivals. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

Hindu temples in Basel for Navratri & Dussehra

Basel is where Hindu temple life in Switzerland began, and the region also draws Indian families working in the life-sciences industry.

• Hindu Temple Basel (Hindutempel Basel) — Basel; a Tamil temple with shrines to Ganesha, Amman and Murugan, carrying on the tradition of the city's first Vinayagar shrine.
• Sri Manonmani Ampal Alayam — Trimbach near Olten (canton of Solothurn), a large Amman temple within reach of both Basel and Bern.

At Amman temples, Navratri is the Goddess's great festival, with daily abhishekam, alankaram and special pujas on Ashtami and Navami, culminating in Vijayadashami worship. Families from Basel also cross into nearby Germany for some community events. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

Hindu temples in Bern for Navratri & Dussehra

• Saivanerikoodam Temple, Haus der Religionen — Europaplatz, Bern; a Shiva temple inside Bern's multi-faith House of Religions, known for training women as priests.
• Sri Manonmani Ampal Alayam — Trimbach (Solothurn), about an hour away and popular with Bern families for Goddess festivals.

Bern's Indian community also includes diplomatic families and federal-administration staff, and Navratri gatherings in the capital tend to be intimate: home Golu, Lalita Sahasranama recitations and small garba evenings. The Haus der Religionen is open to visitors, which makes it a good place for friends and colleagues to learn about the festival. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

Hindu temples in Lausanne and Vaud for Navratri & Dussehra

• Hindu Temple of Prilly — Prilly, in the western suburbs of Lausanne; a Tamil Hindu temple that began as a prayer room in Renens and is one of the main temples in French-speaking Switzerland.
• PragaN@Swiss — a Lausanne association promoting Indian culture, which has organised Durga Puja in the city.

The Lausanne area has French-speaking Switzerland's largest Tamil community, and with EPFL, the University of Lausanne and international sports bodies nearby, a lively Indian student and professional community too. Bengali-style Durga Puja, Tamil temple Navaratri and student-run garba nights all happen here in a typical year. 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 Switzerland celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Tamil Navaratri and Vijayadashami: at the Tamil temples, the nine nights are dedicated to Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, three nights each. Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja fall at the end of Navratri, when books, instruments, tools and vehicles are blessed, and on Vijayadashami children are often initiated into learning (Vidyarambham), writing their first letters in rice.

Garba and dandiya: Gujarati and wider Indian associations hire halls for garba and dandiya raas, usually on Navratri weekends because weekday evenings are short. Traditional dress, live or recorded music and snacks are typical.

Durga Puja: Bengali committees set up a pratima of Durga with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, with anjali, bhog, cultural evenings and, at the end, Sindoor Khela and a farewell to the Goddess. Dates often shift to a weekend.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan: large outdoor effigy burning is rare in Switzerland. Where it happens, it is a small, permitted event or a symbolic burning of a paper Ravana. Children's Ramayana plays are a popular alternative.

Golu and Bathukamma: Tamil, Telugu and Kannada families arrange Golu doll steps at home and invite friends for haldi-kumkum, while Telangana families sometimes gather for Bathukamma with flower stacks and songs.

Dussehra puja at home in Switzerland

Because 20 October is a working day, most families mark Vijayadashami at home. A simple vidhi:

• Aparajita and Shami puja: in the afternoon, ideally within your city's Vijay Muhurat (or at least within the Aparahna shown above), worship Goddess Aparajita and a Shami branch or leaves. If you cannot find a Shami plant in Switzerland, use a picture or offer your prayer to any tree with the intention of Shami puja.
• Ayudha / Shastra puja: clean and worship tools, work laptops, musical instruments, bicycles and the car with kumkum, flowers and a lamp.
• Vidyarambham: let a young child write 'Om' or the first letters of the alphabet in a plate of rice, after Saraswati puja.
• Seemollanghan and Apta leaves: Maharashtrian families exchange Apta or Shami leaves as 'gold' with friends and elders.
• Evening: light a diya, read or tell the story of Rama's victory, and share sweets with neighbours and colleagues.

If your workday makes the Vijay Muhurat impossible, many priests advise doing the puja at any time in the Aparahna, or in the evening before Dashami ends, with sincere intention.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Switzerland

• Work and school: Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October 2026 are normal weekdays. Plan to take time off early if you want to do the afternoon puja, or celebrate in the evening.
• Weekend events: most community garba, Durga Puja and Ravan Dahan programmes in Switzerland take place on Navratri weekends rather than on Dussehra itself.
• Fire and fireworks: rules on open fires, effigies and fireworks are set by the canton and commune. Check with your local authority, and leave any effigy burning to permitted community events.
• Getting there: many temples are in suburbs or industrial areas. Public transport (SBB, S-Bahn and local trams) is usually easier than finding parking on festival days.
• Weather: late October evenings can be cold and wet, so bring warm layers over festive clothes.
• Visiting temples: dress modestly, remove shoes, and check temple websites or social pages for current opening times.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Switzerland?

Tuesday 20 October 2026 in every Swiss city. The Dashami tithi begins at 9:20 AM Swiss time (CEST) on 20 October and ends at 10:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Zürich, Geneva and Bern?

Calculated by the Drik Panchang method for each city: Zürich 2:56 PM – 3:39 PM, Geneva 3:06 PM – 3:49 PM and Bern 3:01 PM – 3:44 PM on Tuesday 20 October 2026, all in Swiss summer time (CEST).

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

No. The Vijay Muhurat depends on local sunrise and sunset, so it has to be calculated for your own city. Use the Swiss times on this page or your temple's calendar, not India's times shifted by the time difference.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela for Bengali families in Switzerland?

In India, Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Pujas in Switzerland, such as those organised by Swisspuja in Zürich or PragaN@Swiss in Lausanne, follow their own committee's schedule, so check their announcements.

Where will garba, Durga Puja and Ravan Dahan take place in Switzerland?

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. Open fires and fireworks are regulated by the canton and commune, so many groups mark Ravan Dahan symbolically or on a weekend.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Switzerland?

No. Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October 2026 are normal working and school days in Switzerland, so many families do the afternoon puja at home and join temple or community celebrations in the evening or on the following weekend.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 Europe: country-by-country dates and Vijay Muhurat
• Dussehra 2026 in Germany, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in France, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in Italy, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 UK, region by region
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families
• October 2026 Hindu festival calendar