Dasara 2026 in Andhra Pradesh: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Kanaka Durga Alankarams, Bommala Koluvu and Jammi Puja

Quick answer: Dasara (Dussehra, Vijayadashami) 2026 in Andhra Pradesh is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Vijay Muhurat: Vijayawada 1:49 to 2:36 PM, Visakhapatnam 1:38 to 2:25 PM and Tirupati 1:54 to 2:42 PM (local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method). Devi Navaratrulu begin on Sunday 11 October, and Durgashtami and Maha Navami fall together on Monday 19 October 2026.

In Andhra Pradesh, Dasara is above all a festival of the Goddess. For the nine nights of Devi Navaratrulu, devotees climb Indrakeeladri hill in Vijayawada to see Kanaka Durga in a new alankaram each day, homes fill with the steps of Bommala Koluvu, and on Vijayadashami families worship their tools and vehicles, gather at the Jammi tree and exchange its leaves as gold. This guide gives the 2026 dates, a Vijay Muhurat table for three cities, the customs that make Dasara in Andhra special and ideas for Telugu families living abroad.

Dasara 2026 key dates (India)

Dates are from Drik Panchang for India. Because Durgashtami and Maha Navami share a single day in 2026, rituals that families usually spread over two days, such as Durgashtami puja and Ayudha Puja on Navami, both fall on Monday 19 October. The Dashami tithi begins shortly after midday on 20 October and covers the afternoon, which is why Vijayadashami is observed on Tuesday 20 October. Temples may follow their own almanac for individual rituals, so check their announcements.

Vijay Muhurat 2026 for Andhra Pradesh cities

The Vijay Muhurat is the most auspicious window of Vijayadashami afternoon. It is the traditional time for Jammi (Shami) puja, Aparajita puja, starting new work, buying a vehicle or setting out on a journey. Timings for Tuesday 20 October 2026, in local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method:

Visakhapatnam, on the northern coast, has the earliest window and Tirupati, in the south, the latest. All three windows fall after the Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM IST. For other towns such as Guntur, Nellore, Kurnool, Kakinada or Rajahmundry, check a panchang set for that town.

Kanaka Durga on Indrakeeladri: the Dasara alankarams

The Kanaka Durga temple at Vijayawada stands on Indrakeeladri hill above the Krishna river and is the heart of Dasara in Andhra Pradesh. Legend links the hill with the Goddess's victory over the demon Mahishasura, and with Arjuna, who is said to have performed penance here to win the Pashupatastra from Shiva.

The temple's Dasara festival is famous for its alankarams. Each day of Navratri the goddess is adorned and worshipped as a different form of the Divine Mother. Forms commonly associated with the festival include Bala Tripura Sundari, Annapurna, Saraswati, Mahishasura Mardini and Raja Rajeswari. The exact list and order are fixed by the temple each year according to the tithis and nakshatras, so check the temple's official announcement for 2026.

Devotees from across the Telugu states visit during these days, and the hill sees very heavy crowds, especially on the days most associated with Saraswati and Mahishasura Mardini and on Vijayadashami. Many devotees observe the festival as a deeksha, wearing red and keeping vows. The festival traditionally closes with a float festival of the deity on the Krishna river around Vijayadashami, subject to arrangements announced by the temple and authorities. Check the temple's official website for current darshan timings, queue arrangements and festival schedules.

Bommala Koluvu: the doll court

Bommala Koluvu, literally the court of dolls, is one of the most charming Navratri traditions in Andhra homes. Families set up a stepped platform, usually with an odd number of steps, and arrange dolls of gods and goddesses, the Dashavatara, scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, saints, wedding processions, villages and everyday life. A kalasam representing the Goddess is often placed at the centre.

Each evening the women of the house light lamps, offer naivedyam such as sundal or other prasadam, and invite neighbours and friends to see the display. Guests, especially married women and girls, are given tambulam with turmeric, kumkum, betel leaves and a small gift, and children are encouraged to sing or recite a shloka. Many families keep dolls passed down over generations and add a new one every year. After Vijayadashami, one doll is symbolically laid to rest and the display is packed away until the next year.

Dasara day customs in Andhra Pradesh

Ayudha Puja

Ayudha Puja honours the tools of one's livelihood. Vehicles are washed and decorated with turmeric, kumkum, flowers and banana stems, shops and workshops are cleaned, and account books, machines, laptops and musical instruments are worshipped. Many Andhra families do this on Maha Navami, which in 2026 falls on Monday 19 October together with Durgashtami, while others perform it on Vijayadashami morning. Students often place their books before the Goddess as Saraswati and take them back after the puja.

Jammi puja and bangaram

On Vijayadashami afternoon, families and whole villages gather at the Jammi (Shami) tree. The tree is remembered as the place where the Pandavas hid their weapons during their year of living in disguise, recovering them on Vijayadashami, and Rama is also said to have worshipped the Shami before setting out for Lanka. People offer turmeric, kumkum and flowers, recite the Shami shloka, which begins "Shami shamayate papam, Shami shatru vinashini" (Shami removes sin, Shami destroys enemies), and write prayers or names on slips of paper placed in the tree. The leaves are then exchanged as bangaram (gold), and younger people touch the feet of elders for their blessings. Many families time the Jammi puja to fall in the Vijay Muhurat.

New beginnings and the festive meal

Vijayadashami is one of the most auspicious days of the year for new beginnings. Many parents choose it for Aksharabhyasam, a child's first writing of letters, and families buy vehicles, gold or household items. The day ends with a festive meal and visits to relatives.

Other temples to visit during Navratri

• Srisailam: the hill shrine of Mallikarjuna and Goddess Bhramaramba in the Nallamala forest, revered both as a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peetha, holds its own Dasara observances. See our Srisailam temple guide.
• Tirumala and Tirupati: the Tirumala Venkateswara temple draws huge crowds through the year. If you plan a visit around Dasara, check the official TTD announcements for that period's festivals and arrangements.

Temples see very heavy crowds during Navratri and Dasara, so check each temple's official website for current timings and arrangements.

For Telugu families abroad

• Use a panchang calculated for your own city. Do not convert Vijayawada's Vijay Muhurat into your local time zone.
• A Bommala Koluvu can be as small as three steps on a bookshelf. Invite friends' children and give them a small tambulam bag.
• If there is no Jammi tree nearby, worship a potted Shami plant or a picture, and still exchange leaves or small tokens as bangaram.
• Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a working day in most countries. Many Telugu associations and temples hold Dasara events on the nearest weekend, so check their announcements.

For Canada-specific plans, see Bathukamma and Dasara 2026 in Canada. For the meaning of Dussehra and a full puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dasara 2026 in Andhra Pradesh?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri (Devi Navaratrulu) begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durgashtami and Maha Navami are both on Monday 19 October 2026, according to Drik Panchang for India.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Vijayawada on Dasara 2026?

1:49 to 2:36 PM in Vijayawada on Tuesday 20 October 2026, local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Visakhapatnam is 1:38 to 2:25 PM and Tirupati 1:54 to 2:42 PM.

What are the Kanaka Durga Dasara alankarams?

During the Dasara festival at the Kanaka Durga temple on Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada, the goddess is decorated each day as a different form of the Divine Mother. The list and order of the alankarams for 2026 are announced by the temple, so check its official website before you plan a visit.

What is Bommala Koluvu?

Bommala Koluvu is the Telugu tradition of arranging dolls of gods, saints, epic characters and everyday life on odd-numbered steps during Navratri. Families invite neighbours, especially women and children, to see the display and offer tambulam, and many put the dolls to rest after Vijayadashami.

When is Ayudha Puja in Andhra Pradesh in 2026?

Many Andhra families perform Ayudha Puja on Maha Navami, which falls on Monday 19 October 2026, while others worship their tools and vehicles on Vijayadashami, Tuesday 20 October. Follow your family custom.

Can I use Vijayawada's muhurat in the USA or UK?

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

Editor's note

Editor's note (5 October 2026): This page has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Dates are from Drik Panchang for India, and the Vijay Muhurat timings are calculated by the Drik Panchang method for each city. We have not listed the 2026 alankaram schedule, float festival timings, darshan arrangements or holiday dates because these are announced each year by the temple, the authorities and the state government; please check official sources. Customs vary between regions and families. Temple timings change, so check the temple's official website.

Related guides

• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Dasara 2026 in Telangana
• Dussehra 2026 in Tamil Nadu
• Dussehra 2026 in Karnataka
• Kanaka Durga temple, Vijayawada
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families