Dussehra 2026 in Bihar: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Durga Puja in Patna, Ravan Dahan and Mithila Traditions

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Bihar is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Vijay Muhurat: Patna 1:28 to 2:14 PM, Gaya 1:29 to 2:15 PM, Darbhanga 1:25 to 2:11 PM, Muzaffarpur 1:27 to 2:13 PM (local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method). Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Ashtami and Navami fall together on Monday 19 October 2026.

In Bihar, Dussehra means Durga Puja. For ten days, towns and villages across the state build pandals for the Goddess, the streets of Patna fill with visitors late into the night, and homes keep the Navratri fast around the kalash. In Mithila, the old customs of Devi worship are carried on with jayanti shoots and family rituals, and on Vijayadashami evening, effigies of Ravana are burnt in Patna and many other towns. This guide gives the 2026 dates, a Vijay Muhurat table for four cities, the traditions to know and tips for Bihari families living abroad.

Dussehra 2026 key dates (India)

Dates are from Drik Panchang for India. Because Ashtami and Navami share a single day in 2026, the Ashtami fast, Kanya pujan and Navami havan will all fall around Monday 19 October. Many Bihar households and puja committees follow the Mithila or other local panchang, and Bengali-run pujas follow the Bengali panjika, under which Bijoya Dashami falls on Wednesday 21 October 2026. For the opening of the pandals, Nisha puja, Sandhi puja and immersion, follow your priest or puja committee.

Vijay Muhurat 2026 for Bihar cities

The Vijay Muhurat is the most auspicious window of Vijayadashami afternoon, traditionally used for Aparajita puja, Shami puja, Shastra puja and for 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:

The four windows are within a few minutes of each other, with Darbhanga, in the north-east, slightly earlier. All of them fall after the Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM IST. For other towns such as Bhagalpur, Purnia or Begusarai, check a panchang set for that town.

How Bihar celebrates

Durga Puja pandals in Patna

Durga Puja is the biggest public festival of the autumn in Patna. Puja committees across the city set up pandals, from traditional designs to elaborate themed structures, with images of Goddess Durga slaying Mahishasura, accompanied by Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya. In many pujas the doors of the pandal, or the face of the image, are opened to devotees around Saptami, after which crowds grow each evening. Families go pandal-hopping late into the night on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami, stopping at fairs and food stalls along the way. Some of the city's pujas, especially in its older Bengali neighbourhoods, have been held for many decades. Committees and schedules change each year, so check local announcements.

Navratri at home: kalash and fasting

In Bihari homes, Navratri begins with Kalash sthapana on Pratipada. A kalash is set up on a bed of soil, barley is sown around it, and an akhand diya is often kept burning for the nine days. Many family members fast, some for all nine days and some only on the first and last days, and read the Durga Saptashati. On Ashtami or Navami, young girls are worshipped as forms of the Devi in Kanya pujan and fed puri, halwa and chana, and the fast ends with a havan.

Mithila traditions

In the Mithila region of north Bihar, around Darbhanga, Madhubani and neighbouring districts, Durga Puja is woven into a deep tradition of Shakta worship. Many families sow barley beside the kalash; the shoots, known as jayanti, are offered to the Goddess and, on Vijayadashami, given to family members as a blessing, often placed on the head or behind the ears. Devotional songs in Maithili, sung by women at home and at the puja, are part of the festival's atmosphere, and many pujas observe Nisha puja on the night of Saptami or Ashtami. Customs differ from village to village and family to family, and elders and family priests remain the best guides to them.

Ravan Dahan at Gandhi Maidan and beyond

On Dussehra evening, the biggest Ravan Dahan in Patna is usually held at Gandhi Maidan, where tall effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad are set alight before a large crowd, often after a Ramlila enactment of the final battle. Smaller Ravan Dahan events are held in localities across Patna and in towns throughout the state. Timings, entry and traffic arrangements are announced by the organisers and the district administration each year, so check official announcements before you go.

Visarjan

After Vijayadashami, the images are taken in procession for immersion, with music, drums and dancing devotees. The day, route and timings are set by each committee and the local administration, and in recent years authorities in some places have directed immersion to designated ponds or artificial tanks. Follow official instructions on routes and timings.

Practical tips

• Crowds: pandal areas and Ravan Dahan grounds draw very large crowds on Saptami to Dashami evenings. Keep children close, agree a meeting point and carry minimal valuables.
• Safety: stand well back from burning effigies and follow the instructions of organisers and police.
• Traffic: check the district administration's and traffic police's advisories for road closures around major pandals and Gandhi Maidan.
• Holidays: check the official Bihar government holiday list for 2026 for Durga Puja holiday dates.

For Bihari families abroad

• Use a panchang calculated for your own city. Do not convert Patna's Vijay Muhurat into your local time zone.
• Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a working day in most countries. Many mandirs and Bihari and Bengali associations hold Durga Puja or Dussehra events on the nearest weekend.
• Sow barley beside a kalash at home on Sunday 11 October; children love watching the jayanti shoots grow through the nine days.
• Video-call family in Bihar so children can see the pandals and the Ravan Dahan.

For the meaning of Dussehra and a full puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Bihar?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins with Kalash sthapana on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami are both on Monday 19 October 2026, according to Drik Panchang for India.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Patna on Dussehra 2026?

1:28 to 2:14 PM in Patna on Tuesday 20 October 2026, local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Gaya is 1:29 to 2:15 PM, Darbhanga 1:25 to 2:11 PM and Muzaffarpur 1:27 to 2:13 PM.

Where is Ravan Dahan held in Patna?

The biggest Ravan Dahan in Patna is usually held at Gandhi Maidan on Dussehra evening, and many other grounds and localities hold their own. Timings, entry and traffic arrangements are announced each year by the organisers and the district administration, so check official announcements for 2026.

When is Durga Puja visarjan in Bihar in 2026?

Most Bihar pujas hold immersion on or after Vijayadashami, but the exact day and time are set by each puja committee and the local administration. Committees that follow the Bengali panjika observe Bijoya Dashami on Wednesday 21 October 2026. Check your committee's schedule.

What is jayanti in Mithila Durga Puja?

In many Mithila homes, barley is sown in soil beside the kalash at the start of Navratri. The green shoots, called jayanti, are offered to the Goddess and, on Vijayadashami, given as a blessing, often placed on the head or behind the ears of family members. Customs vary from family to family.

Can I use Patna'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 follow your local mandir'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 named puja committees or listed Ravan Dahan times, immersion routes or holiday dates, which change each year; please check local announcements and official sources. Mithila customs vary between families and villages, so follow your family priest or elders.

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