Quick answer: Vijayadashami 2026 in Tamil Nadu is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navarathri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja fall on Monday 19 October. Vijay Muhurat: Chennai 1:51 to 2:38 PM, Madurai 2:01 to 2:48 PM, Coimbatore 2:05 to 2:52 PM (local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method).

In Tamil Nadu, Navarathri is a festival of homes as much as temples. For nine nights, living rooms are transformed by Golu, tiers of dolls telling stories of the gods; women and girls visit one another with gifts of thamboolam; and the season ends with Saraswati Puja, Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami, the day for beginning new learning. In the far south, the Mutharamman temple at Kulasekarapattinam keeps one of the most striking Dasara traditions in India. This guide covers the 2026 dates, Vijay Muhurat and the customs that make the festival Tamil.

ObservanceDate (2026)
Navarathri begins (Golu, kalasam)Sunday 11 October
Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami (Saraswati Puja, Ayudha Puja)Monday 19 October
Vijayadashami (Vidyarambham, Golu ends)Tuesday 20 October
Dashami tithi12:50 PM IST 20 Oct to 2:11 PM IST 21 Oct
DeepavaliSunday 8 November

Dates are from Drik Panchang for India. In 2026 Ashtami and Navami share a single day, Monday 19 October, which is the day for Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja. The Dashami tithi begins shortly after midday on 20 October and continues until 2:11 PM IST on 21 October. Since Dashami is still running on the morning of 21 October, some temples may hold Vidyarambham that morning; check the schedule of the temple you plan to visit.

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Vijay Muhurat 2026 for Tamil Nadu cities

The Vijay Muhurat is the most auspicious window of Vijayadashami afternoon, traditionally used for beginning new work, study, journeys or purchases. Timings for Tuesday 20 October 2026, in local time (IST), calculated by the Drik Panchang method:

CityVijay Muhurat (20 Oct 2026)
Chennai1:51 to 2:38 PM
Madurai2:01 to 2:48 PM
Coimbatore2:05 to 2:52 PM
Kulasekarapattinam2:01 to 2:49 PM

All four windows fall after the Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM IST. Vidyarambham is usually done in the morning according to family or temple custom. For other districts, see our Navarathri 2026 Tamil Nadu district-wise guide or a panchang set for your town.

Golu: the doll steps of Navarathri

Golu (also spelt Kolu or Bommai Kolu) is the heart of Tamil Navarathri. On the first day, families set up an odd number of steps, commonly three, five, seven or nine, cover them with cloth and arrange dolls: gods and goddesses on the upper tiers, saints and avatars below, and scenes of weddings, markets, villages and festivals near the bottom. The Marapachi bommai, a wooden couple, take pride of place, and a kalasam is installed and worshipped.

Each evening a lamp is lit, songs are sung before the Golu and a naivedyam is offered. Neighbours, friends and relatives are invited, especially women and young girls, who receive thamboolam (betel leaves, areca nut, turmeric, kumkum, fruit and often a small gift) and a different sundal, made from boiled chickpeas, lentils or other legumes seasoned with coconut. Many families add a new doll every year, and children often build parks, temple scenes or themed displays on the floor in front of the steps.

The nine nights honour the Goddess in three forms: the first three days Durga, the next three Lakshmi and the last three Saraswati. On Vijayadashami evening, one doll is laid down symbolically, and the Golu is packed away on that day or the next.

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Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja

On Monday 19 October 2026, books, notebooks, musical instruments and pens are placed before Goddess Saraswati and worshipped. Children are not expected to study that day; the books rest with the Goddess.

Ayudha Puja, on the same day, is one of the most visible festivals in Tamil Nadu. Tools, machines, vehicles and computers are cleaned and decorated with sandal paste, kumkum and flowers. Lorries, buses, autos and bikes are dressed with banana stems and mango leaves, and many offices, factories and shops hold puja. Ash gourds are broken to ward off the evil eye, and pori (puffed rice), sundal and fruit are shared.

Vijayadashami and Vidyarambham

On Vijayadashami, books are taken back after a short puja and everyone reads or writes a little as an auspicious beginning. Young children are initiated into learning at Vidyarambham, tracing their first letters in a plate of rice, and the day is popular for starting music, dance or new courses. Many families visit Murugan, Amman and Saraswati temples, and the Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore is among the Chennai temples that draw devotees through Navarathri. Check each temple's official website for current timings.

Kulasekarapattinam Dasara

In Thoothukudi district, on the coast near Tiruchendur, the Mutharamman temple at Kulasekarapattinam holds a Dasara festival widely known across Tamil Nadu. In fulfilment of vows, many devotees take up the guise of deities, especially Kali, and of other characters, wearing costumes and make-up through the festival period and collecting alms, which they offer at the temple. The festival builds to its climax on Dasara night, when the Goddess's victory over Mahishasura is enacted near the seashore.

The festival draws very large numbers of devotees. Flag-hoisting, procession and other timings are announced by the temple each year, so check official temple announcements for 2026 before planning a visit.

Major Devi and Shiva temples across Tamil Nadu observe Navarathri with daily alankaram, the Goddess dressed in a different form each day, along with music and recitals. The Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai is known for its Navarathri celebrations. Temples are crowded through the nine days; for timings and festival schedules, check the temple's official website.

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For Tamil families abroad

  • Use a panchang calculated for your own city. Do not convert Chennai's Vijay Muhurat into your local time zone.
  • Even a three-step Golu on a bookshelf works. Invite friends over on the weekends of 10 to 11 and 17 to 18 October 2026.
  • Monday 19 October is a working day in most countries. Place books before Saraswati the evening before, and do a short Ayudha Puja of laptops and car keys after work.
  • Many temples and Tamil associations abroad hold Vidyarambham and Golu events. Check their 2026 announcements.

For the meaning of Dussehra, the stories behind it and a full puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Vijayadashami 2026 in Tamil Nadu?

Tuesday 20 October 2026, according to Drik Panchang for India. Navarathri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja fall on Maha Navami, Monday 19 October 2026.

When are Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja in 2026?

Both are kept on Maha Navami, Monday 19 October 2026. In 2026 Durga Ashtami falls on the same day. Some families and temples follow their own Tamil panchangam, so check with your temple or priest if you are unsure.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Chennai on Vijayadashami 2026?

1:51 to 2:38 PM in Chennai on Tuesday 20 October 2026, local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Madurai is 2:01 to 2:48 PM, Coimbatore 2:05 to 2:52 PM and Kulasekarapattinam 2:01 to 2:49 PM.

When should I set up Golu in 2026?

Golu is traditionally set up on or just before the first day of Navarathri, Sunday 11 October 2026. Many families arrange the steps over the preceding weekend and perform the kalasam puja on the first day.

What is Kulasekarapattinam Dasara?

It is the Dasara festival of the Mutharamman temple at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district. Devotees take vows, wear costumes of gods, goddesses and other characters, and collect alms during Navarathri, and the festival culminates in the enactment of the Goddess slaying Mahishasura on Dasara night. Check the temple's announcements for the 2026 schedule.

Can I use Chennai's Vijay Muhurat abroad?

No. Muhurat windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, so they cannot be converted into another time zone. Use a panchang set for your own city or follow your local temple.

Editor's note

Editor's note (5 October 2026): This page has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Festival dates are from Drik Panchang for India, and the Vijay Muhurat timings for Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Kulasekarapattinam are calculated by the Drik Panchang method. We have not listed the Kulasekarapattinam festival schedule, crowd figures or any event venues because these are announced by the temple and organisers each year. Temple timings change, so check the temple's official website.