Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Toronto is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Toronto is 2:50 PM – 3:33 PM local time (EDT, UTC-4), calculated by the Drik Panchang method. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami fall together on Monday 19 October 2026.

Editor's note (5 October 2026): The Toronto timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local Eastern Daylight Time (Ontario is still on daylight saving time on 20 October). India's Dashami tithi runs from 12:50 PM IST on 20 October to 2:11 PM IST on 21 October; the Toronto equivalents are shown below. We do not list 2026 event schedules, venues or ticket details, because temples and community groups announce these themselves. Please check their official websites and social pages before you go.

Toronto and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area are home to the largest Hindu community in Canada. Families with roots in Gujarat, Punjab, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana live alongside large Sri Lankan Tamil and Indo-Caribbean Hindu communities from Guyana and Trinidad, and Navratri here brings together garba, Durga Puja, Golu, Bathukamma and Ramayana traditions in temple halls, community centres and banquet venues from Etobicoke and Scarborough to Richmond Hill, Markham, Mississauga and Brampton.

Advertisement

Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Toronto

ObservanceToronto (local time, EDT)
Navratri begins (Ghatasthapana)Sunday 11 October 2026
Durga Ashtami and Maha NavamiMonday 19 October 2026
Dussehra / VijayadashamiTuesday 20 October 2026
Dashami tithi beginsTue 20 Oct, 3:20 AM
Dashami tithi endsWed 21 Oct, 4:41 AM
Vijay Muhurat (Drik Panchang method)2:50 PM – 3:33 PM
Aparahna (afternoon puja window)2:06 PM – 4:16 PM
Sunset6:26 PM

In Toronto the Dashami tithi begins in the early hours of Tuesday and lasts through the whole afternoon, so the Aparahna and Dashami overlap fully and there is no ambiguity about the date: Vijayadashami is Tuesday 20 October. The Vijay Muhurat, the eleventh of the fifteen daytime muhurtas, sits comfortably within both the Aparahna and the Dashami tithi. Nearby GTA cities such as Mississauga, Brampton and Markham will have timings within a minute or two of Toronto's. Ravan Dahan, where held, traditionally takes place after sunset.

Hindu temples in Toronto for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples are established in Toronto and the wider GTA. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website for current details.

  • BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Etobicoke: the hand-carved stone and marble mandir in north-west Toronto, one of the largest traditional Hindu temples in Canada, with shrines including Rama-Sita, Radha-Krishna and Shiva-Parvati.
  • Sridurka Hindu Temple, North York: a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga, serving devotees of North Indian, South Indian, Sri Lankan and Caribbean traditions, and a natural focus for Navratri.
  • Hare Krishna Temple (ISKCON Toronto), Avenue Road: the Hare Krishna centre in a converted Gothic Revival church in midtown, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
  • Sri Varasiththi Vinaayagar Hindu Temple, Scarborough: a black granite temple built in the South Indian tradition, serving the city's large Sri Lankan Tamil community.
  • Vishnu Mandir, Richmond Hill: a long-established temple founded by Hindus from Guyana and Trinidad, also home to a museum of Indian civilisation and cultural programmes.
  • Richmond Hill Hindu Temple, Richmond Hill: a South Indian-style temple on Bayview Avenue, one of the older large temples in the GTA.
  • Devi Mandir, Pickering: a temple dedicated to the Divine Mother east of Toronto, well suited to the nine nights of the Goddess.
  • Toronto Kalibari, Mississauga: a Bengali Kali temple whose community holds one of the GTA's long-running Durga Pujas.

Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.

How Toronto celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

The GTA's Gujarati community is large, and garba and dandiya raas are the most visible part of Navratri across the region. Typical evenings start with an aarti to Amba Mata, followed by hours of circular garba and dandiya with live music or a DJ, with families dressed in chaniya choli and kediyu. Because most Navratri nights fall on weekdays, many of the biggest events are held on weekends in temple halls, convention centres and community venues.

Durga Puja

Bengali associations in the GTA have held Durga Puja for decades. A typical puja includes the dhak, pushpanjali on Ashtami, Sandhi Puja, bhog, cultural programmes and, at the end, Bijoya Dashami with Sindoor Khela and farewell to the Goddess. In India the Bengal-tradition Bijoya Dashami falls on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, Kolkata), but diaspora pujas follow their own committee's schedule, often fitted around weekends.

Advertisement

Toronto has one of the largest Tamil populations outside South Asia, and Scarborough and Markham temples mark Navaratri with special abhishekams, Lalitha Sahasranamam chanting and Saraswati Puja. Many homes set up a Golu (Bommai Kolu) of dolls on stepped shelves and invite friends for kumkum, songs and sundal. Telangana families celebrate Bathukamma with flower stacks and circle songs. On Navami, Ayudha Puja honours tools, books, instruments and vehicles, and on Vijayadashami many children begin learning with Vidyarambham.

Ramayana traditions and Ravan Dahan

North Indian and Indo-Caribbean families mark Dussehra with Rama's victory over Ravana. In Toronto this usually means Ramayana readings, Ram katha, children's Ramlila performances and, where local rules allow, an effigy burning held by a temple or community group. Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are far less common than in India, and any burning depends on permits from the municipal fire service.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Toronto families keep a short home puja and join community celebrations at the weekend. A simple vidhi:

  • Prepare: clean the puja space, bathe, and place images of Durga, Rama and Saraswati with a lamp, flowers, kumkum, rice and sweets.
  • Aparajita and Shami puja: in the afternoon, ideally during the Vijay Muhurat (2:50 PM – 3:33 PM) or at least within the Aparahna (2:06 PM – 4:16 PM), worship Goddess Aparajita and offer prayers to the Shami tree. If you have no Shami tree, a few Shami leaves or a drawing of the tree is a traditional substitute.
  • Ayudha (Shastra) puja: clean and honour the tools of your work, such as laptops, books, instruments and car keys, with kumkum, flowers and a lamp.
  • Vidyarambham: help young children write their first letters, often 'Om' or the alphabet, in a plate of rice, with a prayer to Saraswati.
  • Close: perform aarti, share prasad and exchange greetings. Some families exchange Shami or Apta leaves as 'gold', a custom from Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Practical tips for Dussehra in Toronto

  • Weekday timing: Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days in Ontario. Many temples move their main programmes to the weekend before or after, so check their calendars.
  • Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks and open burning are set by the City of Toronto and each GTA municipality, and permits are usually required. Only attend effigy burnings run by organisers with the proper approvals.
  • Getting there: parking at the larger temples fills quickly on festival evenings. Carpool, arrive early, or use the TTC, GO Transit or regional transit where the venue is near a route.
  • Weather: late October evenings in Toronto can be cold and wet, so bring a warm layer for outdoor events and garba queues.
  • Sunset: sunset in Toronto on 20 October is at 6:26 PM, a useful guide if you plan an evening aarti or a small family Ravan Dahan.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Toronto?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In Toronto the Dashami tithi runs from Tue 20 Oct, 3:20 AM to Wed 21 Oct, 4:41 AM local time, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Toronto on Dussehra 2026?

2:50 PM – 3:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Toronto. It falls inside the Aparahna (2:06 PM – 4:16 PM), and the whole window is within the Dashami tithi.

Can I use the Vijay Muhurat published for India?

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

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in Toronto?

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

Which temples in Toronto celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Etobicoke, the Sridurka Hindu Temple in North York, the Hare Krishna Temple on Avenue Road, the Sri Varasiththi Vinaayagar Hindu Temple in Scarborough, and the Vishnu Mandir and Richmond Hill Hindu Temple north of the city are among the places that mark the festival. Check each one's website for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in Toronto?

Some temples and community groups in the GTA hold Ramlila or Ravan Dahan programmes, usually on a weekend near Dussehra and subject to municipal fire and safety rules. Temples and community groups usually announce these a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages.