Quick answer: Vijayadashami 2026 is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, India). Navaratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. Vijay Muhurat: Thiruvananthapuram 2:06 to 2:53 PM, Kochi 2:08 to 2:55 PM and Kozhikode 2:10 to 2:57 PM (local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method). Because the tithis overlap unusually in 2026, confirm Pooja Veppu and Vidyarambham timings with a Kerala almanac or your temple.

Kerala keeps Navaratri differently from most of India. There are no Ravana effigies and few pandals; instead the nine nights are centred on Goddess Saraswati and on learning. Books, pens, musical instruments and tools are placed before the Goddess for Pooja Veppu, left untouched through Maha Navami, and taken back on Vijayadashami morning, when thousands of young children write their first letters at Vidyarambham. For Malayalis everywhere, it is one of the most meaningful days of the year.

ObservanceDate (2026)
Navaratri beginsSunday 11 October
Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami (Pooja Veppu, Ayudha Puja)Monday 19 October (confirm Pooja Veppu evening locally)
Vijayadashami (all-India)Tuesday 20 October
Dashami tithi12:50 PM IST 20 Oct to 2:11 PM IST 21 Oct
DeepavaliSunday 8 November

Dates are from Drik Panchang for India. Two features of 2026 matter for Kerala. First, Ashtami and Navami share a single day, Monday 19 October; since Pooja Veppu is traditionally done on the evening when Ashtami prevails, the exact evening should be confirmed with a Kerala almanac or your temple. Second, the Dashami tithi begins only at 12:50 PM IST on Tuesday 20 October and runs until 2:11 PM IST on Wednesday 21 October. Vidyarambham is a morning ritual, so some temples may hold Pooja Eduppu and Vidyarambham on the morning of Wednesday 21 October. Follow the date announced by your temple.

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Vijay Muhurat 2026 for Kerala cities

The Vijay Muhurat is the most auspicious window of Vijayadashami afternoon, traditionally used for beginning new work, journeys and important purchases. Timings for Tuesday 20 October 2026, in local time (IST), calculated by the Drik Panchang method:

CityVijay Muhurat (20 Oct 2026)
Thiruvananthapuram2:06 to 2:53 PM
Kochi2:08 to 2:55 PM
Kozhikode2:10 to 2:57 PM

In Kerala, Vidyarambham is usually done in the morning according to the temple's or family's muhurtham rather than in this afternoon window. For other towns such as Thrissur, Kottayam or Kannur, check a panchang set for that town.

Pooja Veppu, Ayudha Puja and Pooja Eduppu

Pooja Veppu: placing the books

On the Ashtami evening, families place their books, notebooks, pens, musical instruments and the tools of their trade before an image of Saraswati at home, in the family shrine or at a local temple. Students hand over their textbooks; musicians place their veena or mridangam; craftsmen place their implements. From then on, nobody reads, writes or works with them: the knowledge is said to rest with the Goddess.

Maha Navami: Ayudha Puja

Maha Navami is a day of rest from study and work. Ayudha Puja is performed for tools, vehicles and machines, which are cleaned, decorated with sandal paste and flowers, and worshipped. In 2026 Maha Navami falls on Monday 19 October.

Pooja Eduppu and Vidyarambham

On Vijayadashami morning, after a puja, the books and tools are taken back (Pooja Eduppu), and everyone reads, writes or plays a little as an auspicious fresh start. Adults often begin a new art, language or course on this day.

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For young children, usually between two and five years old, this is the day of Vidyarambham, the formal initiation into letters. A priest, teacher, writer or respected elder holds the child and guides a finger to write 'Hari Sree' and the first letters of the alphabet in a plate of raw rice, and the letters are traced on the tongue with a gold ring. Temples, cultural centres and many homes conduct Vidyarambham, and people of many backgrounds take part.

Where Kerala celebrates Navaratri

  • Thiruvananthapuram: the capital's Navaratri tradition goes back to the Travancore royal family. Each year idols of Saraswati and other deities are brought in procession from the Padmanabhapuram area to Thiruvananthapuram, and worshipped at the Navaratri Mandapam near the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, where a Navaratri music festival featuring compositions of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal is held. Dates and programmes are announced each year.
  • Panachikkad Dakshina Mookambika temple, Kottayam: one of Kerala's best-known Saraswati temples, very popular for Vidyarambham.
  • Thunchan Parambu, Tirur: the birthplace of Thunchathu Ezhuthachan, revered as the father of Malayalam, where children are brought to write their first letters on Vijayadashami.
  • Kollur Mookambika, Karnataka: just across the border, a major pilgrimage destination for Malayali families during Navaratri.

These places see very large crowds at Navaratri. Registration, timings and arrangements change from year to year, so check each temple's or centre's official announcements before going.

In many homes the nine evenings are marked with lamps, Lalitha Sahasranamam or Devi Mahatmyam recitation and simple offerings. Some families, especially those with Tamil or Konkani roots, set up a Bommakolu doll display similar to Golu. The festival is primarily one of learning and the arts: dance and music schools hold Navaratri recitals, and many students choose Vijayadashami to begin lessons with their teachers.

For Malayali families abroad

  • Use a panchang calculated for your own city. Do not convert Kerala's timings into your local time zone.
  • Many Kerala temples and Malayali associations in the Gulf, the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and Singapore organise Pooja Veppu and Vidyarambham. Check their 2026 announcements, especially since the Vidyarambham morning may differ in 2026.
  • At home, place children's school books and your laptop before a picture of Saraswati with a lamp, and take them back on Vijayadashami morning before school or work.
  • For a first Vidyarambham at home, a grandparent can guide the child on a video call while a parent holds the plate of rice.

For the meaning of Dussehra and its stories, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 pillar guide, and for the Navaratri traditions of neighbouring states, our Navarathri 2026 Tamil Nadu guide and Mysore Dasara 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Vijayadashami 2026 in Kerala?

The all-India Vijayadashami is Tuesday 20 October 2026, according to Drik Panchang. The Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October, and Kerala temples fix the day for Pooja Eduppu and Vidyarambham by their own almanac, so confirm the date with your temple.

When is Vidyarambham 2026?

Vidyarambham is performed on Vijayadashami morning. Because Dashami tithi begins only at 12:50 PM IST on Tuesday 20 October and is still running at sunrise on Wednesday 21 October, some Kerala temples may hold Vidyarambham on the morning of 21 October. Check the date and timing announced by the temple or centre you plan to visit.

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When is Pooja Veppu in 2026?

Books and tools are placed for Pooja Veppu on the evening when Ashtami tithi prevails. In 2026 Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October, so the Pooja Veppu evening should be confirmed with a Kerala almanac (panchangam) or your temple.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Thiruvananthapuram on 20 October 2026?

2:06 to 2:53 PM local time (IST), calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Kochi is 2:08 to 2:55 PM and Kozhikode 2:10 to 2:57 PM.

What happens at Vidyarambham?

A priest, teacher or elder holds the child on their lap and guides the child's finger to write the first letters, traditionally 'Hari Sree' and the Malayalam alphabet, in a plate of rice. The letters are often also written on the child's tongue with a gold ring.

Can Malayali families abroad do Vidyarambham at home?

Yes. Many families do it at home with an elder or a family priest, and many temples abroad organise Vidyarambham. Use a panchang for your own city, and do not convert Kerala's timings into your local time zone.

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 Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode are calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Because Ashtami and Navami fall on the same day and Dashami begins after midday in 2026, Kerala temples may fix Pooja Veppu and Vidyarambham differently from the all-India dates; please follow your temple or a Kerala almanac. We have not listed Vidyarambham timings, registrations or procession schedules because these are announced each year. Temple timings change, so check the temple's official website.