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

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Windsor, Ontario is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Windsor is 3:05 PM – 3:48 PM local time (EDT, UTC-4), 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 Windsor timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local Eastern Daylight Time (Ontario is still on daylight saving time on 20 October). India's Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October; the Windsor 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.

Windsor sits at the south-western tip of Ontario, across the Detroit River from Michigan, and has one of the longest-established Hindu communities in the province: the city's Hindu organisation dates back to 1968. Today it includes families with roots in Gujarat, Punjab, North India, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Bengal, plus many Indian students at the University of Windsor and St. Clair College. Navratri and Dussehra are celebrated in temple halls, community venues and homes.

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Windsor

In Windsor the Dashami tithi begins in the early hours of Tuesday and lasts through the whole afternoon, so the Aparahna and Dashami overlap fully and there is no doubt 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. Because Windsor is at the western edge of the Eastern time zone, its timings are noticeably later than Toronto's, so do not borrow a GTA panchang. Ravan Dahan, where held, traditionally takes place after sunset.

Hindu temples in Windsor for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples are established in Windsor and, just across the border, in Metro Detroit. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website for current details.

• Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre of Windsor, east Windsor: the city's long-standing community mandir, whose organisation was founded in 1968. Its purpose-built temple opened in 2015, with a traditional vimana over the inner sanctum added later, and it serves families from many regional traditions.
• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, South Windsor: the Swaminarayan mandir inaugurated in 2017, with daily aarti and festival assemblies. Windsor has a special place in BAPS history as the first Canadian city visited by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
• Bharatiya Temple, Troy (Michigan): one of Metro Detroit's largest Hindu temples, with several shrines in its prayer hall, and a regional focus for North Indian festivals.
• Sri Venkateswara Temple and Cultural Center, Novi (Michigan): a South Indian-style temple serving the region's large Telugu community.

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. If you plan to visit a temple in Michigan, remember that crossing the Ambassador Bridge or the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel needs valid travel documents and can involve border queues.

How Windsor celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

Windsor's Gujarati families and the many Indian students in the city make garba and dandiya raas the most visible part of Navratri. Evenings start with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of garba and dandiya. Because most Navratri nights are weekdays, the largest garba events are usually held on weekends in banquet halls and community clubs, and some families also travel to garba nights in Metro Detroit.

Durga Puja

Bengali families in Windsor-Essex often join Durga Puja celebrations organised by community groups locally or in the Detroit area. A typical puja includes the dhak, pushpanjali on Ashtami, Sandhi Puja, bhog, cultural programmes and, at the end, Bijoya Dashami with Sindoor Khela and 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 weekends.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

Tamil, Telugu and Kannada families mark Navaratri at home and in the temples. Many homes set up a Golu (Bommai Kolu) of dolls on stepped shelves and invite friends for kumkum, songs and sundal, while Telangana families celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle songs, often in a community hall or park on a weekend. On Navami, Ayudha Puja honours tools, books, instruments and vehicles, which in an auto town like Windsor often includes the family car, and on Vijayadashami many children begin learning with Vidyarambham.

Ramayana traditions and Ravan Dahan

North Indian and Punjabi families mark Dussehra as Rama's victory over Ravana. In Windsor this usually means Ramayana readings, bhajans, children's Ramlila skits and, where local rules allow, a small effigy burning held by a temple or community group. Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are far less common than in India, and any burning depends on approval from the City of Windsor's fire service.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Windsor 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 (3:05 PM – 3:48 PM) or at least within the Aparahna (2:21 PM – 4:32 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 Windsor

• Weekday timing: Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days in Ontario. Many temples and groups 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 Windsor and the surrounding Essex County municipalities, and permits are usually required. Only attend effigy burnings run by organisers with the proper approvals.
• Getting there: Windsor's temples are easiest to reach by car, and parking fills quickly on festival evenings, so carpool and arrive early. Transit Windsor buses serve many areas but run less often in the evening.
• Crossing to Detroit: if you plan to attend a temple in Michigan, carry your passport or other valid documents and allow extra time for the border, especially on weekend evenings.
• Weather and sunset: late October evenings can be cool and damp, so bring a warm layer for outdoor events. Sunset in Windsor on 20 October is at 6:42 PM, a useful guide for an evening aarti.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Windsor?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In Windsor the Dashami tithi runs from Tue 20 Oct, 3:20 AM to Wed 21 Oct, 4:41 AM local time, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Windsor on Dussehra 2026?

3:05 PM – 3:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Windsor. It falls inside the Aparahna (2:21 PM – 4:32 PM), and the whole window is within the Dashami tithi.

Why are Windsor's timings later than Toronto's?

Windsor shares Toronto's time zone but lies much further west, so the sun rises and sets later by the clock. Since muhurats are calculated from local sunrise and sunset, Windsor's Vijay Muhurat and Aparahna fall later in the afternoon. Use the Windsor timings on this page rather than Toronto's.

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 Windsor time. Use the Windsor timings on this page or your temple's calendar.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela?

In India, the Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Puja committees in Canada and the US set their own schedules, often around a weekend, so follow your puja committee's announcements.

Which temples in Windsor celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre of Windsor on the city's east side and the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in South Windsor are the city's main mandirs. Across the river, Metro Detroit has larger temples such as the Bharatiya Temple in Troy and the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Novi. Check each one's website for its 2026 programme.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 Canada, province by province
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Navratri 2026 in Canada, city by city
• Dussehra 2026 in London, Ontario
• Dussehra 2026 in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Dussehra 2026 in Hamilton
• Dussehra 2026 in Toronto
• Dussehra 2026 USA, state by state
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