Quick answer: Dasara (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Karnataka is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Vijay Muhurat: Bengaluru 2:02 to 2:49 PM, Mysuru 2:06 to 2:53 PM, Mangaluru 2:13 to 3:00 PM and Hubballi 2:11 to 2:58 PM (local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method). Navaratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Ayudha Puja falls on Mahanavami, Monday 19 October 2026.

In Karnataka, Dasara is the Nadahabba, the state festival. Mysuru's royal Dasara, with its illuminated palace and the Jamboo Savari elephant procession, is one of the most famous festivals in India, but the celebration reaches every corner of the state: Bombe Habba doll steps in Bengaluru homes, Ayudha Puja for vehicles and machines, Vidyarambha for young children, the Navadurga festivities of coastal Mangaluru and the exchange of Banni leaves in North Karnataka. This guide brings together the 2026 dates, Vijay Muhurat for four cities and the customs that make Dasara in Karnataka distinctive.

Dasara 2026 key dates (India)

ObservanceDate (2026)
Navaratri begins (kalasha sthapane, Bombe Habba set up)Sunday 11 October
Durga Ashtami and Mahanavami (Ayudha Puja)Monday 19 October
Vijayadashami (Banni puja, Vidyarambha)Tuesday 20 October
Dashami tithi12:50 PM IST 20 Oct to 2:11 PM IST 21 Oct
Mysuru Jamboo Savari (as per Mysuru Dasara schedule)Wednesday 21 October
DeepavaliSunday 8 November

Festival dates are from Drik Panchang for India. In 2026 Ashtami and Navami share a single day, Monday 19 October, so Ayudha Puja and the Durgashtami rituals fall together. The Dashami tithi begins shortly after midday on 20 October and runs until 2:11 PM IST on 21 October. Because Dashami prevails at sunrise on 21 October, some temples and traditional institutions may hold Dashami rituals, including Vidyarambha, on Wednesday morning; follow your temple's or family priest's almanac.

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Vijay Muhurat 2026 for Karnataka cities

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

CityVijay Muhurat (20 Oct 2026)
Bengaluru2:02 to 2:49 PM
Mysuru2:06 to 2:53 PM
Mangaluru2:13 to 3:00 PM
Hubballi2:11 to 2:58 PM

All four windows fall after the Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM IST. For other towns such as Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Shivamogga or Udupi, check a panchang set for that town; our Dasara 2026 Karnataka district-wise guide covers the wider state.

Mysuru Dasara: the Nadahabba

Mysuru's Dasara is closely tied to Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Chamundi Hills, who is believed to have slain the buffalo demon Mahishasura, from whom the city takes its name. The royal celebration was continued by the Wadiyar kings of Mysore, and it is widely traced back to the grand Mahanavami festivities of the Vijayanagara empire.

The festival is traditionally inaugurated atop Chamundi Hills at the start of Navaratri. Through the ten days the Mysuru Palace is illuminated each evening, and cultural programmes, exhibitions and the private durbar rituals of the royal family take place. The high point is the Jamboo Savari, a grand procession in which an idol of Chamundeshwari rides in the golden howdah (ambari) on a decorated elephant, accompanied by tableaux, bands and folk troupes, from the palace towards Bannimantap. The day usually ends with the torchlight parade (Panjina Kavayatu) at Bannimantap.

As reported on our Mysore Dasara 2026 guide, the Jamboo Savari is scheduled for Wednesday 21 October 2026. Programme timings, passes and traffic arrangements are announced by the Mysuru district administration, so check official announcements before you travel. Mysuru is very crowded during Dasara; book accommodation early and allow plenty of time.

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Bombe Habba: Navaratri doll steps

In many Kannada homes, especially in Bengaluru, Mysuru and the old Mysore region, Navaratri means Bombe Habba (also called Gombe Habba). An odd number of steps is covered with cloth and arranged with dolls of gods and goddesses, avatars, saints, wedding scenes, village life and sometimes elaborate parks or temple towns. The Pattada Bombe, a wooden king and queen couple often passed down through generations, has the place of honour. Families light a lamp each evening, women and children visit one another's displays, and guests receive arishina-kumkuma, fruit and sweets. The dolls are usually laid to rest after Vijayadashami.

Ayudha Puja, Vidyarambha and Banni puja

Ayudha Puja on Mahanavami

On Mahanavami, Monday 19 October 2026, tools, machines, vehicles, computers and instruments are cleaned and worshipped as the means of livelihood. Buses, trucks, autos and bikes are decorated with banana stems, mango leaves and flowers, and many workplaces hold puja. An ash gourd (boodu kumbalakai) is often broken in front of vehicles to ward off the evil eye. Books and musical instruments are placed before Saraswati in many homes.

Vidyarambha on Vijayadashami

Vijayadashami is a favoured day to begin learning. Children write their first letters, often tracing them in rice or on a slate, and students of music and dance begin lessons with their gurus. Temples dedicated to Sharada and Mookambika, such as Sringeri and Kollur, are particularly associated with Navaratri and Vidyarambha. Check each temple's official website for 2026 arrangements and timings.

Banni puja

In the afternoon or evening of Vijayadashami, families worship the Banni (Shami) tree, remembering how the Pandavas hid their weapons in a Shami tree and recovered them on this day. In North Karnataka, including Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Vijayapura, people exchange Banni leaves as a token of gold, greet elders and friends and seek blessings, wishing one another a life as precious as gold.

Mangaluru Dasara and the coast

On the coast, Mangaluru Dasara is centred on the Sri Gokarnanatheshwara temple at Kudroli, consecrated by the reformer Sree Narayana Guru. During Navaratri, idols of the Navadurgas and Sharada are installed and worshipped, and the festival ends with a colourful procession through the city's streets. Mangaluru and Udupi are also known for Pili Vesha, the tiger dance in which troupes painted as tigers perform to drumbeats during the festival season. Many coastal devotees also visit the Dharmasthala Manjunatha temple and the Murudeshwara temple during the holidays. Procession routes and timings are announced locally.

Hubballi and North Karnataka

In Hubballi-Dharwad and across North Karnataka, Dasara is a family and community festival rather than a royal spectacle. Devi temples are decorated through the nine days, homes keep Ghatasthapana and Ayudha Puja, and Vijayadashami evening is for Banni puja and visiting relatives with Banni leaves. Some localities stage processions or Ravan Dahan; schedules are announced by local committees each year.

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For Kannadiga families abroad

  • Use a panchang calculated for your own city. Do not convert Bengaluru's or Mysuru's Vijay Muhurat into your local time zone.
  • Set up a small Bombe Habba, even three steps, on 11 October and invite friends over during the week.
  • Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a working day in most countries. Do Ayudha Puja of laptops and car keys on the evening of 19 October, and Vidyarambha before school.
  • Kannada associations abroad often hold Dasara events on the nearest weekend. Check their 2026 announcements.
  • Watch the Jamboo Savari with family in Karnataka on a video call or a broadcast, if one is available.

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 Karnataka?

Vijayadashami is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 according to Drik Panchang for India. Navaratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami (Ayudha Puja) both fall on Monday 19 October 2026.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Bengaluru on Dasara 2026?

2:02 to 2:49 PM in Bengaluru on Tuesday 20 October 2026, local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Mysuru is 2:06 to 2:53 PM, Mangaluru 2:13 to 3:00 PM and Hubballi 2:11 to 2:58 PM.

When is the Mysuru Dasara Jamboo Savari in 2026?

As reported on our Mysore Dasara 2026 guide, the Jamboo Savari procession is scheduled for Wednesday 21 October 2026, the day after the all-India Vijayadashami. The Dashami tithi continues until 2:11 PM IST that day. Confirm the final schedule with the Mysuru district administration before you travel.

When is Ayudha Puja 2026 in Karnataka?

Ayudha Puja is kept on Mahanavami, which falls on Monday 19 October 2026, the same day as Durga Ashtami. Some families and businesses follow their own almanac or custom, so check with your priest if you are unsure.

What is Bombe Habba?

Bombe Habba is the Kannada tradition of arranging dolls on tiered steps during Navaratri, similar to Tamil Golu. A pair of wooden dolls called Pattada Bombe, representing a royal couple, is traditionally given pride of place, and visitors are welcomed with arishina-kumkuma and sweets.

Can I use Mysuru's Vijay Muhurat outside India?

No. Muhurat windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, so they cannot be converted into another time zone. Use a panchang calculated for your own city or follow 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. Festival dates are from Drik Panchang for India, and the Vijay Muhurat timings for Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi are calculated by the Drik Panchang method. The Jamboo Savari date follows the Mysuru Dasara schedule reported on our Mysore Dasara 2026 guide; programme timings, passes and routes are announced by the Mysuru district administration. We have not listed event venues, organisers or timings for Mangaluru, Hubballi or elsewhere because these are announced locally. Temple timings change, so check the temple's official website.