Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2027 falls on Saturday, October 9, on Ashwin Shukla Dashami. It marks the culmination of the nine-day Navratri festival and is one of the most significant dates in the Hindu calendar.
What the day marks
The day symbolises the triumph of good over evil, commemorating Lord Ram’s victory over Ravana and Goddess Durga’s over Mahishasura. In North India, the Ram Lila tradition dramatises scenes from the Ramayana over the preceding days, building up to the burning of massive Ravana effigies on Dussehra evening. In Bengal and parts of East India, the day coincides with Durga Visarjan, when Durga idols are immersed in rivers and lakes after five days of elaborate worship.
The word “Vijayadashami” itself means “victory on the tenth day,” referring to both narratives: Ram’s ten-day battle with Ravana, and Durga’s nine nights of combat with Mahishasura culminating in her victory on the tenth.
Vijay Muhurat: what it is and why it matters
“Vijay Muhurat” literally means “the muhurat of victory.” Classical texts identify a specific window on Vijayadashami afternoon as the most auspicious time to begin any new venture, because the energy of victory is at its peak. This is why Shastra Puja (worship of tools, weapons, or instruments of your livelihood) is done during this window. Artists worship their instruments, students their books, soldiers their weapons, and professionals their tools.
In practical terms, if you’re planning to start a business, sign an important document, or begin a new course of study, doing it during Vijay Muhurat on Dussehra is considered especially powerful. The specific window falls during Aparahna Kaal, which is the fourth-fifteenth of the daytime period (sunrise to sunset). For most Indian cities in early October, that places it roughly between 1:30 PM and 3:45 PM, though the exact minutes depend on local sunrise and sunset.
How Dussehra is celebrated differently across India
The regional variations are striking. In Mysuru, Dussehra is celebrated with a grand royal procession featuring decorated elephants, the famous Mysuru Palace lit up with nearly 100,000 bulbs, and a torch-lit parade through the city. In Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), deities from surrounding villages are brought to the town in palanquins for a week-long fair that begins on Dussehra rather than ending on it. In Gujarat, the final night of Garba and Dandiya Raas coincides with Navami, and Dussehra is observed more quietly.
Dussehra abroad
For NRIs, Dussehra often becomes a community affair. Indian associations in cities like Edison (NJ), Southall (London), and Parramatta (Sydney) organise Ravana Dahan events, sometimes with surprisingly large effigies. If you’re organising or attending one, the relevant timing question is: when is Vijay Muhurat for your city? Since Aparahna Kaal depends on local sunset, the window for London will be different from the one in Delhi.
Check your city’s timing
Check the muhurat page with your city selected for that day’s Aparahna Kaal. You can verify the tithi on the panchang page to confirm that Ashwin Shukla Dashami is running during the afternoon hours in your time zone.