Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Vancouver is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Vancouver is 2:42 PM – 3:24 PM local time (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 Vancouver timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local time. British Columbia now stays on UTC-7 all year, so on 20 October Vancouver is seven hours behind UTC. India's Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October; the Vancouver 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.

Metro Vancouver has one of the largest South Asian communities in Canada. Hindu families with roots in Punjab, Gujarat, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana live alongside a large Indo-Fijian Hindu community, and Navratri here brings together garba, Durga Puja, Golu, Bathukamma and Ramayana traditions in temple halls, community centres and banquet venues from East Vancouver and Burnaby to Surrey, Delta, Richmond and Coquitlam.

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Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Vancouver

ObservanceVancouver (local time, UTC-7)
Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana)Sunday 11 October 2026
Durga Ashtami and Maha NavamiMonday 19 October 2026
Dussehra / VijayadashamiTuesday 20 October 2026
Dashami tithi beginsTue 20 Oct, 12:20 AM
Dashami tithi endsWed 21 Oct, 1:41 AM
Vijay Muhurat (Drik Panchang method)2:42 PM – 3:24 PM
Aparahna (afternoon puja window)2:00 PM – 4:06 PM
Sunset6:12 PM

In Vancouver 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. Nearby Lower Mainland cities such as Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond and Delta will have timings within a minute or so of Vancouver's. Ravan Dahan, where held, traditionally takes place after sunset.

Hindu temples in Vancouver for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and groups are established in Vancouver and the wider Lower Mainland. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website or social pages for current details.

  • Hindu Temple Burnaby, Burnaby: registered as the Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre of B.C. and founded in 1972, one of the oldest Hindu temples in Canada, now building a large new temple on Marine Drive.
  • ISKCON Vancouver (Sri Radha Madan Mohan temple), Burnaby: the Hare Krishna temple on a large site in south Burnaby, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
  • Sri Ganesh Temple, East Vancouver: a long-standing temple in the Fraser Street area, run by the Sri Ganesh Temple Society of British Columbia and close to the city's South Asian neighbourhoods.
  • Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir, Surrey: the temple of the Vedic Hindu Society of British Columbia, dedicated to Lakshmi Narayan and a busy centre for festivals, poojas and community programmes.
  • BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, North Delta: the Swaminarayan mandir serving Metro Vancouver, opened to the public in 2021 on 120th Street (Scott Road) at the Surrey border.
  • Lower Mainland Bengali Cultural Society, Surrey: a Bengali community organisation active since 1979 that has long organised a Durga Puja for the region's Bengali families.

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 Vancouver celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

Gujarati families and their friends make garba and dandiya raas the most visible part of Navratri in the Lower Mainland. A typical evening starts with aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of circular garba and dandiya with live music or a DJ, with families dressed in chaniya choli and kediyu. Because most Navratri nights fall on weekdays, many of the biggest events are held on weekends in temple halls, banquet venues and community centres, especially in Surrey and Burnaby.

Durga Puja

Bengali families from West Bengal and Bangladesh have celebrated Durga Puja in the Lower Mainland for decades. A typical puja includes the dhak, pushpanjali on Ashtami, Sandhi Puja, bhog, cultural programmes and, at the end, Bijoya Dashami with Sindoor Khela and a 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 a weekend.

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Ramayana traditions and Ravan Dahan

North Indian, Punjabi Hindu and Indo-Fijian families mark Dussehra with Rama's victory over Ravana. Indo-Fijian Hindus in particular keep a strong tradition of Ramayan mandalis, singing the Ramcharitmanas in groups. In Vancouver, Dussehra usually means Ramayana readings, Ram katha, children's Ramlila performances and, where local rules allow, 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 any burning depends on approvals from the municipal fire service.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

Tamil, Telugu and Kannada families keep South Indian Navaratri customs at home and at temple programmes. Many 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. On Navami, Ayudha Puja honours tools, books, instruments and vehicles, and on Vijayadashami many children begin learning with Vidyarambham.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Vancouver families keep a short home puja and join community celebrations at the weekend. A simple vidhi:

  • Prepare: clean the puja space, bathe, and place images of Durga, Rama and Saraswati with a lamp, flowers, kumkum, rice and sweets.
  • Aparajita and Shami puja: in the afternoon, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:42 PM – 3:24 PM) or at least within the Aparahna (2:00 PM – 4:06 PM), worship Goddess Aparajita and offer prayers to the Shami tree. If you have no Shami tree, a few Shami leaves or a drawing of the tree is a traditional substitute.
  • Ayudha (Shastra) puja: clean and honour the tools of your work, such as laptops, books, instruments and car keys, with kumkum, flowers and a lamp.
  • Vidyarambham: help young children write their first letters, often 'Om' or the alphabet, in a plate of rice, with a prayer to Saraswati.
  • Close: perform aarti, share prasad and exchange greetings. Some families exchange Shami or Apta leaves as 'gold', a custom from Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Vancouver

  • Weekday timing: Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days in British Columbia. Many temples move their main programmes to the weekend before or after, so check their calendars.
  • Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks and open burning are set by the City of Vancouver and each Lower Mainland municipality, and permits are usually required. Only attend effigy burnings run by organisers with the proper approvals.
  • Getting there: parking at the larger temples fills quickly on festival evenings. Carpool, arrive early, or use SkyTrain and TransLink buses where the venue is near a route.
  • Weather: late October in Vancouver is often rainy, so bring a waterproof layer for outdoor events and queues.
  • Sunset: sunset in Vancouver on 20 October is at 6:12 PM, a useful guide if you plan an evening aarti or a small family Ravan Dahan.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Vancouver?

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

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Vancouver on Dussehra 2026?

2:42 PM – 3:24 PM local time (UTC-7) on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Vancouver. It falls inside the Aparahna (2:00 PM – 4:06 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 Vancouver time. Use the Vancouver timings on this page or your temple's calendar.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in Vancouver?

In India, the Bengal-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, often around a weekend, so follow your puja committee's announcements.

Which temples in Vancouver celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Hindu Temple Burnaby on Marine Drive, ISKCON Vancouver's Hare Krishna temple in Burnaby, the Sri Ganesh Temple in East Vancouver, the Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey and the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in North Delta are among the places that mark the festival. Check each one's website or social pages for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in Vancouver?

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