Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Sydney is on Wednesday 21 October 2026, one day after India. The Vijay Muhurat for Sydney is 2:51 PM – 3:43 PM AEDT, calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October 2026.

Sydney is home to one of the largest Hindu communities in Australia, with families from North and South India, Gujarat, Bengal, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Fiji. That diversity shows during Navratri and Dussehra: garba and dandiya nights in the west, Golu displays in Tamil and Telugu homes, Durga Puja run by Bengali associations, and Vijayadashami puja at temples across the city. This guide gives you the local dates and times and points you to the temples to follow.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Sydney times on this page were calculated for Sydney (Australia/Sydney, UTC+11, daylight saving time) from the Drik Panchang Dashami tithi of 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat uses the Drik Panchang method (the 11th of 15 daytime muhurtas). We do not list event schedules, venues or ticket details, because temples and community groups announce these themselves each year.

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Dussehra 2026 Sydney: dates and timings

ObservanceSydney (AEDT, UTC+11)
Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana)Sunday 11 October 2026
Durga Ashtami and Maha NavamiMonday 19 October in India; Sydney temples may list their own days, so follow your temple
Dussehra / VijayadashamiWednesday 21 October 2026
Dashami tithi beginsTue 20 Oct, 6:20 PM
Dashami tithi endsWed 21 Oct, 7:41 PM
Vijay Muhurat (Drik Panchang method)2:51 PM – 3:43 PM
Aparahna (afternoon window)1:58 PM – 4:35 PM
Sunset, 21 October7:12 PM

Why Wednesday? In India, the Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM IST on Tuesday 20 October, so it covers the Indian afternoon and Dussehra is on the 20th. Sydney is five and a half hours ahead of India while on daylight saving time, so the same moment is 6:20 PM on Tuesday in Sydney, after the Aparahna has ended. On Wednesday, Dashami runs through the whole Sydney afternoon, so Vijayadashami is observed on Wednesday 21 October. The Vijay Muhurat falls comfortably inside the Dashami tithi.

Do not convert India's muhurat times into Sydney time. Muhurats depend on local sunrise and sunset, which is why Sydney has its own window.

Hindu temples in Sydney for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are well established in and around Sydney. Most mark Navratri with special pujas, and many hold a Vijayadashami observance.

  • Sri Venkateswara Temple: Helensburgh, on Sydney's southern fringe
  • Sydney Shri Durga Temple: Regents Park
  • Sydney Murugan Temple: Mays Hill
  • Sri Mandir: Auburn
  • Shri Shiva Mandir: Minto
  • BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir: Rosehill
  • Vedanta Centre of Sydney (Ramakrishna Math and Mission): Ermington
  • Bengali Association of NSW: community organisation known for its Durga Puja

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages. Timings change, so confirm before you travel.

How Sydney celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

Gujarati and North Indian community groups in western Sydney hire halls and school grounds for garba and dandiya nights through Navratri, often concentrated on weekends. A typical night starts with aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of circle dancing to live or recorded music, with families in chaniya choli and kediyu. Many groups ask you to book in advance.

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Durga Puja

Sydney's Bengali community has celebrated Durga Puja for decades, and several associations and puja committees now organise their own pujas across the city. Expect the idol of Durga with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik, the beat of the dhak, anjali in the morning, bhog, and cultural programmes in the evening. In India, Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela fall on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Sydney committees follow their own schedule, often shifting the main days to a weekend, so check your puja committee's announcements.

Golu, Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja

Tamil, Telugu and Kannada families set up Golu (Bommai Kolu, Bombe Habba) steps of dolls at home and visit each other's displays in the evenings with sundal and thamboolam. On the ninth day, books, instruments and tools are placed before Saraswati for Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja, and on Vijayadashami they are taken back with a blessing. Sri Lankan Tamil families mark Navarathri at temples such as the Sydney Murugan Temple and the Sydney Shri Durga Temple. Telugu women in Sydney also often celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks, songs and circle dances.

Ramlila and Ravan Dahan

Ramlila performances and Ravan Dahan, the burning of a Ravana effigy, are the North Indian heart of Dussehra. In Sydney they are usually community events, sometimes with a smaller effigy and a short dramatisation of the Ramayana. Because Wednesday 21 October is a working day, many groups hold them on a nearby weekend. Any open fire, fireworks or effigy burning needs permission from local councils and fire authorities, so organisers set the format each year.

Dussehra puja at home in Sydney

You can mark Vijayadashami at home on Wednesday 21 October even if you cannot reach a temple.

  • Aparajita and Shami puja: worship Goddess Aparajita and the Shami tree (or a Shami leaf or twig) during the Vijay Muhurat, 2:51 PM – 3:43 PM, or anywhere in the Aparahna, 1:58 PM – 4:35 PM. Shami leaves are exchanged as 'gold' with family and friends in many traditions.
  • Ayudha Puja / Shastra puja: clean and decorate tools, vehicles, laptops, books and musical instruments, apply kumkum and turmeric, and offer flowers and a lamp.
  • Vidyarambham: Vijayadashami is a favourite day for young children to begin learning. The child traces letters or 'Om' in rice or sand, guided by a parent or elder.
  • Simple vidhi: light a diya, offer flowers, fruit and sweets to Durga or Rama, chant a Durga stotram or Rama naam, take a small step outside the house (seemollanghan) to symbolise victory, and seek the blessings of elders.
  • Begin something new: the day is traditionally auspicious for new ventures, purchases and journeys.

For the full story, meaning and a detailed puja procedure, see our Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 complete guide.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Sydney

  • It's a weekday: Wednesday 21 October is a normal school and work day in New South Wales. If you can, take a short break during the Aparahna for the Shami puja, and keep the longer family puja for the evening while Dashami still lasts.
  • Weekend events: most garba, Durga Puja and Ravan Dahan events are held on weekends, so the date of an event may differ from the tithi date.
  • Getting there: temple car parks fill quickly on festival days. Public transport, car-pooling or arriving early helps, especially for temples in Parramatta and the west.
  • Fire safety: fireworks and effigy burning are controlled by NSW authorities and local councils. Check current rules and fire restrictions in your area, and do not burn effigies at home.
  • Clocks: Sydney is on daylight saving time (AEDT, UTC+11) in October. All times on this page already allow for this.
  • Follow your temple: if your temple's calendar differs from this page, go with your temple.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Sydney?

Wednesday 21 October 2026. In India Vijayadashami is on Tuesday 20 October, but in Sydney the Dashami tithi only begins at 6:20 PM on Tuesday (AEDT), after that afternoon's Aparahna, so the festival moves to Wednesday.

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What is the Vijay Muhurat in Sydney on Dussehra 2026?

2:51 PM – 3:43 PM AEDT on Wednesday 21 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Sydney. The wider Aparahna window is 1:58 PM – 4:35 PM, and the Dashami tithi lasts until 7:41 PM that evening.

Why is Dussehra a day later in Sydney than in India?

Tithis begin at the same moment worldwide, but Sydney's clock is well ahead of India's. The Dashami that starts at 12:50 PM IST on 20 October begins at 6:20 PM in Sydney, after the afternoon window has passed, so Wednesday is the day when Dashami covers the Sydney afternoon.

Can I use India's Vijay Muhurat in Sydney?

No. Muhurat windows depend on local sunrise and sunset, so India's times cannot simply be converted into AEDT. Use the Sydney times on this page or your temple's panchang.

When is Durga Puja and Sindoor Khela in Sydney?

In India, Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela are on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata). Sydney's Durga Puja committees set their own schedules, often around the weekend, so follow your puja committee's announcements.

Where can I celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in Sydney?

Temples such as Sri Venkateswara Temple (Helensburgh), Sydney Shri Durga Temple (Regents Park), Sydney Murugan Temple (Mays Hill), Sri Mandir (Auburn), Shri Shiva Mandir (Minto) and BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Rosehill) usually mark the festival. Check their websites or social pages for 2026 programmes.