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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Victoria, BC is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat is 2:43 PM – 3:25 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 Victoria, British Columbia (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.

Greater Victoria's Hindu community is far smaller than Metro Vancouver's across the Salish Sea, but it is long-established and close-knit. Students, healthcare workers, public servants, tech professionals and retirees all join in the festival season. Through Navratri the region's mandir and community halls fill with garba, bhajans, Devi puja and shared meals. 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 Victoria

All times are Victoria local time, UTC-7. British Columbia now stays on daylight time year-round, so these are the times you will see on your clock on 20 October. Because Dashami begins just after midnight on Tuesday and lasts until 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 Victoria. Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, Langford, Colwood and Sidney will be within a minute or so of these times.

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

Hindu temples in Victoria for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are established in Greater Victoria and mark Navratri, Durga Puja, Vijayadashami or related cultural festivals. We list names and areas only; check each one's own website or social pages for timings and programmes.

• Victoria Hindu Temple – Victoria Hindu Parishad and Cultural Centre (Saanichton, Central Saanich): the region's Hindu mandir, consecrated in 1995 by the Victoria Hindu Parishad, a registered charity whose roots go back to family prayer meetings in the 1970s. It holds regular gatherings open to all.
• Gujarati Society of Victoria (Greater Victoria): a not-for-profit society best known for its Navratri garba and dandiya evenings, which welcome families and newcomers of every background.
• Victoria Bengali Cultural Society (Greater Victoria): the city's Bengali community group, which shares music, dance and food at local multicultural events and is the place to ask about Durga Puja.
• India-Canada Cultural Association of Victoria (Victoria): a long-running cultural association known for India Fest and Indian arts programmes, which helps connect families from many Indian states.

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. For the larger Ramlila, Durga Puja and Ravan Dahan events of Metro Vancouver, see our Vancouver and Surrey guides linked below.

How Victoria celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

Garba and dandiya raas are the most visible part of Navratri in Victoria. Evenings typically begin with aarti to the Goddess, followed by circles of garba around a decorated lamp or image of Amba Mata and then faster dandiya with sticks. Because the community is small, these nights are usually held in rented recreation centres or community halls, often on weekends so that students and working families can come.

Durga Puja and Bijoya Dashami

Bengali families from West Bengal and Bangladesh bring the traditions of Durga Puja: an image of the Goddess, dhak drumming, pushpanjali, bhog and cultural evenings of song and dance. In a community of Victoria's size, pujas tend to be intimate gatherings rather than large pandals, and some families travel to the bigger pujas on the Lower Mainland. 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.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

For North Indian families, Dussehra is above all the day of Lord Rama's victory. In Victoria, community programmes are usually modest: Ramayana readings, Ram katha, bhajans and short scenes from the Ramlila performed by children and youth. Large outdoor effigy burnings are rare on the Island, and any open burning or fireworks need the approval of local authorities, so they are left to organisers.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

South Indian families keep their own traditions at home and among friends. Tamil, Telugu and Kannada households often set up a Golu (Bommai Kolu or Bombe Habba) of dolls on steps and invite friends to visit. Telugu families celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks, songs and circle dances. Malayali, Tamil and Kannada families observe Ayudha Puja on Navami, honouring tools, books and vehicles, and Vidyarambham on Vijayadashami, when young children write their first letters in rice, guided by an elder or priest.

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 (2:43 PM – 3:25 PM) or, failing that, anywhere in the Aparahna (2:01 PM – 4:08 PM). Community celebrations are usually after sunset, which is at 6:15 PM in Victoria.

• 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 Durga Saptashati verses 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 Victoria

• 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 the temple.
• Fireworks and open fires: rules on fireworks and open burning are set by each municipality in the Capital Region and by the province. Check your own municipality's rules before using fireworks or diyas outdoors, and leave any effigy burning to organisers with permits.
• Getting there: the temple in Saanichton is a drive from downtown Victoria, and parking fills quickly on festival evenings. Carpool, arrive early, check BC Transit routes and follow the directions of volunteers.
• Weather: October in Victoria is mild but often wet and breezy. Bring a warm layer and an umbrella over festive clothes.
• Fasting: if you keep the Navratri fast, end it according to your family tradition, often after the Navami or Dashami puja.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Victoria?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. In Victoria 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 afternoon of the 20th falls within Dashami.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Victoria on Dussehra 2026?

2:43 PM – 3:25 PM local time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. The wider Aparahna window is 2:01 PM – 4:08 PM.

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

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

Where can I celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in Victoria?

The Victoria Hindu Temple in Saanichton, run by the Victoria Hindu Parishad, is the main Hindu place of worship in Greater Victoria. Community groups such as the Gujarati Society of Victoria, the Victoria Bengali Cultural Society and the India-Canada Cultural Association of Victoria also organise cultural events. Check their websites 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 Victoria 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 Surrey
• Dussehra 2026 in Calgary
• Dussehra 2026 in Edmonton
• Dussehra 2026 in Toronto
• Navratri 2026 in Canada, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide