Dussehra 2026 in London, Ontario: Date, Vijay Muhurat, Temples and Navratri Celebrations

Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in London, Ontario is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat is 2:57 PM – 3:41 PM local time, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October 2026.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): Local times on this page were calculated for London, Ontario (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-4 on 20 October) from the Drik Panchang Dashami tithi of 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October, using local sunrise and sunset. The Vijay Muhurat is the 11th of the 15 daytime muhurtas, the method Drik Panchang uses. We do not list 2026 event schedules, ticket prices or performance times, because temples and community groups announce these themselves.

London, the Forest City of southwestern Ontario, has a Hindu community that has grown steadily around its university, college and hospitals, with families from Gujarat, Punjab, Bengal, South India and Sri Lanka alongside an established Indo-Caribbean community. Navratri brings Devi puja, bhajans and garba to the city's mandir and community halls, and Vijayadashami, the tenth day, celebrates Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and the Goddess Durga's victory over Mahishasura. It is one of the most auspicious days of the year to begin something new.

Dussehra 2026 dates and times for London, Ontario

All times are London, Ontario local time. Ontario is still on daylight saving time on 20 October, so clocks are at UTC-4. Because Dashami begins in the early hours of Tuesday and lasts until early Wednesday, the entire Aparahna and the Vijay Muhurat on 20 October fall within Dashami, and calendars agree on Tuesday 20 October for London. Nearby St. Thomas, Strathroy and Woodstock will be within a minute or two of these times.

Please do not convert India's Dussehra muhurat into Ontario time. Muhurat windows depend on sunrise and sunset where you are, which is why this page gives times worked out for London itself. Note too that London, Ontario sits several minutes west of Toronto, so its muhurat times are a little later than the GTA's.

Hindu temples in London, Ontario for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and community organisations are established in London and usually mark Navratri, Durga Puja or Vijayadashami. We list names and areas only; check each group's own website or social pages for timings and programmes.

• Hindu Cultural Centre (HCC London) (east London, near Clarke Road): founded in 1971, the city's long-standing mandir, with daily worship, bhajans, kirtan, aarti, havan and pujas to Ganesha, Hanuman, Lakshmi-Narayan and Durga, plus youth and heritage classes.
• Shirdi Sai Baba Temple (Shirdi Sai Seva Samiti London) (London): a volunteer-run centre devoted to Shirdi Sai Baba, where devotees gather for weekly aarti and bhajans.
• Utsav Bengali Association (London): the Bengali cultural association that brought a community Durga Puja to London, with pratima, anjali, bhog and cultural programmes.

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. Families wanting a larger temple for Vijayadashami sometimes travel to Kitchener-Waterloo or the Greater Toronto Area, where there are many more mandirs.

How London, Ontario celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya

Gujarati families and their friends make garba and dandiya raas one of the liveliest parts of Navratri in London. Evenings typically start with aarti to the Goddess, followed by circles of garba around a decorated mata ni mandvi or lamp and then faster dandiya with sticks. Events take place in temple halls, school gyms and rented event venues, and the biggest nights are usually on weekends.

Durga Puja and Bijoya Dashami

London's Bengali community celebrates Durga Puja with a pratima of the Goddess, dhak drumming, anjali, bhog and cultural evenings, open to Londoners of every background. In India, the Bengali-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Diaspora committees often adjust their days to fit weekends and venue bookings, so follow your committee's own schedule.

Ramlila, Ram katha and Ravan Dahan

For North Indian, Punjabi Hindu and Indo-Caribbean Hindu families, Dussehra is above all the day of Lord Rama's victory. Community programmes typically include Ramayana readings, Ram katha, bhajans, short scenes from the Ramlila performed by children, and sometimes a small symbolic Ravan Dahan. Indo-Caribbean devotees also mark Navratri with Devi puja and the reading of sacred texts. Where an effigy is burnt, it is usually small and organised with the permission of the local authorities.

Golu, Bathukamma and Ayudha Puja

South Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil households bring their own traditions. Tamil, Telugu and Kannada families often set up a Golu (Bommai Kolu or Bombe Habba) of dolls on steps and invite friends over during Navratri. Telugu families celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks, songs and circle dances. Malayali, Tamil and Kannada families observe Ayudha Puja on Navami, honouring tools, books and vehicles, and Vidyarambham on Vijayadashami, when young children write their first letters, often in rice, guided by an elder or priest.

Dussehra puja at home

Even on a busy Tuesday you can mark Vijayadashami at home. The ideal time for the main rituals is the Vijay Muhurat (2:57 PM – 3:41 PM) or, failing that, anywhere in the Aparahna (2:14 PM – 4:24 PM). Ravan Dahan and community celebrations are usually after sunset, which is at 6:34 PM in London.

• Aparajita puja: worship Goddess Aparajita, the unconquered form of Devi, with flowers, kumkum, rice and a lamp, and pray for victory over obstacles.
• Shami puja: if you have a Shami plant, or a picture of one, offer water, rice and flowers. In Maharashtra and Karnataka traditions, Apta or Shami leaves are exchanged as 'gold' with family and friends.
• Ayudha / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, vehicles, laptops and books, apply kumkum and offer a flower. Many families do this on Navami, Monday 19 October.
• Vidyarambham: let a young child write 'Om' or the first letters of the alphabet in a plate of rice, guided by a parent or grandparent.
• Simple vidhi: light a lamp, invoke Lord Ganesha, offer prayers to Durga and Lord Rama, recite the Ram Raksha Stotra or Durga Saptashati verses if you know them, do aarti and share sweets.

Families who sowed barley (jaware or khetri) at Ghatasthapana usually take the shoots after the Navratri puja is complete and give them as blessings. For the full meaning of the festival and a detailed puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in London, Ontario

• Weekday festival: 20 and 21 October 2026 are ordinary school and work days in Ontario. Plan a short evening puja and look out for weekend programmes at your mandir or community group.
• Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks and open burning are set by the City of London and local authorities. Check the current city rules before using fireworks, and leave effigy burning to organisers with permits.
• Parking and transit: temple and hall car parks fill quickly on festival evenings. Carpool, arrive early, use London Transit where you can and follow the directions of volunteers.
• Students: if you are studying in London and away from family, temple and community celebrations are a good way to mark the festival; many welcome newcomers.
• Weather: October evenings in southwestern Ontario can be cool and wet. Bring a warm layer over festive clothes for outdoor events.
• Clock check: Ontario stays on daylight time until early November, so the times on this page are already in the local clock you will see on 20 October.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in London, Ontario?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. In London's local time, the Dashami tithi runs from 3:20 AM on Tuesday 20 October to 4:41 AM on Wednesday 21 October, so the whole afternoon of the 20th falls within Dashami.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in London, Ontario on Dussehra 2026?

2:57 PM – 3:41 PM local time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. The wider Aparahna window is 2:14 PM – 4:24 PM.

Can I convert India's Dussehra muhurat into London, Ontario time?

No. Muhurat windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, so India's times cannot simply be converted. Use the London, Ontario times on this page or follow your mandir's calendar.

Where can I celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in London, Ontario?

The Hindu Cultural Centre in east London is the city's long-established mandir, the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple (Shirdi Sai Seva Samiti London) holds regular satsang, and the Utsav Bengali Association organises the city's Durga Puja. Check each group's website or social pages for 2026 details.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in 2026?

In India, the Bengali-tradition Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Durga Puja committees in Ontario set their own schedules, so follow your committee.

Is Dussehra a holiday in Ontario?

No. Tuesday 20 October 2026 is a regular school and work day, so many families do a short puja in the afternoon or evening and join community programmes on the nearest weekend.

Related guides

• Dussehra 2026 Canada, province by province
• Dussehra 2026 in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Dussehra 2026 in Hamilton
• Dussehra 2026 in Windsor
• Dussehra 2026 in Toronto
• Dussehra 2026 in Brampton
• Navratri 2026 in Canada, city by city
• Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026: complete guide
• Diwali 2026 Canada: Lakshmi Puja muhurat city by city