Dussehra 2026 in Haryana: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Ramlila, Ravan Dahan, Sanjhi and Kurukshetra

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Haryana is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Vijay Muhurat: Gurugram 2:00 to 2:45 PM, Faridabad 1:59 to 2:44 PM, Kurukshetra 2:00 to 2:45 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. Ravan Dahan takes place after sunset on Dussehra evening.

In Haryana, Dussehra is a festival of the whole community. For the nights of Navratri, Ramlila stages come alive in towns and villages, and in many homes women and girls shape the folk goddess Sanjhi on their walls. On Vijayadashami evening, effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad are burnt in grounds from the new sectors of Gurugram and Faridabad to the old market towns. And in Kurukshetra, the land of the Bhagavad Gita, the festival's message of dharma's victory carries a special weight. This guide gives the 2026 dates, a Vijay Muhurat table, the traditions to know and tips for Haryanvi 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, families who perform Kanya pujan on either day will do it 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.

Vijay Muhurat 2026 for Haryana cities

The Vijay Muhurat is the most auspicious window of Vijayadashami afternoon. It is the traditional time for Shami puja, Aparajita puja, Shastra puja (worship of weapons, tools and vehicles), 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 windows are within a minute of each other and all fall after the Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM IST. For other towns such as Panipat, Karnal, Ambala, Rohtak or Hisar, check a panchang set for that town.

How Haryana celebrates

Ramlila on village and town stages

Ramlila, the enactment of the Ramayana over several nights, is one of the oldest folk theatre traditions of North India, and Haryana's towns and villages have kept it alive for generations. Many Ramlila committees are run by local residents, who rehearse for weeks and play Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman and Ravana themselves, with dialogue, songs and humour that draw on local speech. Night by night the story moves from Rama's birth to exile, Sita's abduction, Hanuman's journey to Lanka and the final battle, which is timed to reach its climax on Vijayadashami.

Ravan Dahan

On Dussehra evening, after the enactment of Rama's victory, tall effigies of Ravana and his brothers, built of bamboo, paper and cloth and packed with firecrackers, are set alight, usually by an arrow, before cheering crowds. Every town has its Ravan Dahan, and in Gurugram and Faridabad, events are held in public grounds, residential sectors and housing societies. Some Haryana towns are known for very tall effigies. Venues, timings and any entry arrangements are announced by local committees each year.

Sanjhi: the goddess on the wall

A distinctive folk tradition of rural Haryana is Sanjhi. At the start of Navratri, women and girls make an image of the mother goddess Sanjhi on the wall of the house, shaping her face, ornaments, and the sun, moon and stars around her from clay or dung and decorating them with colour. Each evening they sing songs to Sanjhi and offer food, and around Dussehra she is taken down and immersed in a pond or stream. The custom is fading in cities, and its details vary from village to village, but it remains a much-loved part of Navratri for many families.

Kurukshetra and the victory of dharma

Kurukshetra, the Dharmakshetra of the opening verse of the Bhagavad Gita, is revered as the field of the Mahabharata war and the place where Krishna taught Arjuna the Gita. Its sacred sites include Brahma Sarovar and Jyotisar, traditionally identified as the spot where the Gita was spoken. Vijayadashami resonates here: the Pandavas are said to have recovered their weapons from a Shami tree on this day at the end of their year in disguise, before the events that led to Kurukshetra. Kurukshetra also has the Bhadrakali temple, regarded by many devotees as a Shakti Peetha, which draws devotees during Navratri. Check official information for current timings.

Navratri temples

Haryana's Devi temples are crowded through Navratri. The Mansa Devi temple at Panchkula and the Sheetla Mata temple at Gurugram are among the best-known, and many families keep the nine-day fast with vrat food such as kuttu, singhara and sabudana, ending with Kanya pujan, when young girls are honoured as forms of the Devi and served halwa, puri and chana. Check each temple's official information for current timings and arrangements.

Practical tips

• Crowds: big Ramlila and Ravan Dahan grounds draw very large crowds. Keep children close, agree a meeting point and carry minimal valuables.
• Safety: stand well back from the effigies and follow the instructions of organisers and police.
• Traffic: roads around major venues in Gurugram and Faridabad are usually congested on Dussehra evening. Check traffic police advisories.
• Firecrackers and air quality: rules on firecrackers in the NCR are set by the authorities and the courts and can change. Check current official orders, and air quality updates if you have breathing problems.

For Haryanvi families abroad

• Use a panchang calculated for your own city. Do not convert Gurugram's Vijay Muhurat into your local time zone.
• Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a working day in most countries. Many mandirs hold Ramlila or Ravan Dahan on the nearest weekend.
• Make a small Sanjhi with children using clay or paper cut-outs, and sing to her through Navratri.
• Read the Gita's opening chapter together on Vijayadashami and talk about what victory over one's own weaknesses means.

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 Haryana?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins 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 Gurugram on Dussehra 2026?

2:00 to 2:45 PM in Gurugram on Tuesday 20 October 2026, local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Faridabad is 1:59 to 2:44 PM and Kurukshetra 2:00 to 2:45 PM.

What is Sanjhi in Haryana?

Sanjhi is a folk tradition of Haryana and neighbouring regions in which women and girls make an image of the mother goddess Sanjhi on a wall during Navratri, using clay or dung shaped into stars, moon, sun and ornaments. She is worshipped with songs each evening and taken down and immersed around Dussehra. Practices vary from village to village.

Where can I see Ravan Dahan in Gurugram and Faridabad?

Ravan Dahan is held in many public grounds, sectors and housing societies in both cities, usually after sunset on Dussehra. Venues and timings are announced each year by local committees and the administration, so check local announcements for 2026.

Why is Kurukshetra special on Dussehra?

Kurukshetra is revered as the field of the Mahabharata war and the place where Krishna taught Arjuna the Bhagavad Gita. Vijayadashami's theme of the victory of dharma over adharma, and its link with the Pandavas' recovery of their weapons from the Shami tree, make it a meaningful day for many visitors to the town's sacred sites.

Can I use Gurugram's muhurat abroad?

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 listed 2026 Ramlila schedules, Ravan Dahan venues or times, effigy heights or holiday dates, which are announced each year by organisers and the authorities; please check official sources. Sanjhi customs vary between villages and families. Temple timings change, so check official information.

Related guides

• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Dussehra 2026 in Delhi
• Dussehra 2026 in Punjab
• Dussehra 2026 in Chandigarh
• Dussehra 2026 in Rajasthan
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRI families