Quick answer: Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 in Winnipeg is on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The Vijay Muhurat for Winnipeg is 2:57 PM – 3:39 PM local time (UTC-5), 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 Winnipeg timings on this page were calculated for the city's own sunrise and sunset using the Drik Panchang method, in local time. Manitoba now stays on daylight time all year, so Winnipeg is on UTC-5 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 Winnipeg 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.

Winnipeg's Hindu community has grown steadily since the 1960s, when the first families from India and the Caribbean settled in Manitoba, and it has expanded quickly in recent years with students and skilled workers from Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Bengal. Navratri and Dussehra here are smaller in scale than in Toronto or Vancouver, but they are warm, close-knit celebrations that fill temple halls and community venues across the city.

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Dussehra 2026 dates and timings for Winnipeg

ObservanceWinnipeg (local time, UTC-5)
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, 2:20 AM
Dashami tithi endsWed 21 Oct, 3:41 AM
Vijay Muhurat (calculated by the Drik Panchang method)2:57 PM – 3:39 PM
Aparahna (afternoon puja window)2:15 PM – 4:21 PM
Sunset6:27 PM

In Winnipeg 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. Ravan Dahan, where held, traditionally takes place after sunset.

Hindu temples in Winnipeg for Navratri & Dussehra

These temples and organisations are established in Winnipeg and its surroundings. Programmes vary from year to year, so check each one's official website for current details.

  • Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre (Hindu Society of Manitoba), Ellice Avenue: the West End temple of the Hindu Society of Manitoba, which was founded in 1970 and is the city's longest-established Hindu organisation, observing the major festivals of the year.
  • Hindu Temple and Dr. Raj Pandey Hindu Centre (Hindu Society of Manitoba), St. Anne's Road: the Society's second temple and hall in south Winnipeg, serving the growing community in St. Vital and the southern suburbs.
  • Durga Devi Mandir, Jamison Avenue: a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga in north-east Winnipeg, a natural focus for the nine nights of the Goddess.
  • BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Red River Drive (Howden, just south of Winnipeg): the Swaminarayan mandir opened in 2021, serving the city's Gujarati community and visitors from across Manitoba.
  • ISKCON Winnipeg, Weston: the Hare Krishna community's temple in a converted former church on Logan Avenue, where Vijayadashami is remembered as the day of Lord Rama's victory.
  • Bichitra Bengali Association of Manitoba, Winnipeg: a long-running Bengali cultural association, a good first contact for families looking for Bengali festival celebrations.

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 Winnipeg celebrates Navratri and Dussehra

Garba and dandiya nights

Winnipeg's Gujarati community has grown fast, and garba and dandiya raas are the liveliest part of Navratri in the city. 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. Since most Navratri nights fall on weekdays and October evenings in Manitoba are already chilly, the biggest events are usually held indoors on weekends, in temple halls, community clubs and banquet venues.

Durga Puja

Bengali families in Winnipeg come together for Durga Puja much as they do in larger cities, if on a more intimate scale. 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.

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South Indian Navaratri traditions

Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayali families in Winnipeg keep their own Navaratri customs at home and in temple programmes. 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, Punjabi and Indo-Caribbean families mark Dussehra with Rama's victory over Ravana. In Winnipeg this usually means Ramayana readings, Ram katha, bhajans and children's Ramlila skits at temples and community events. Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are far less common than in India, and any effigy burning depends on approval from the City of Winnipeg's fire and burning rules.

Dussehra puja at home

Because 20 October is a working Tuesday, many Winnipeg 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 (2:57 PM – 3:39 PM) or at least within the Aparahna (2:15 PM – 4:21 PM), worship Goddess Aparajita and offer prayers to the Shami tree. Shami trees do not grow outdoors in Manitoba, so a few Shami leaves, a potted plant 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 Winnipeg

  • Weekday timing: Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October are school and work days in Manitoba. Many temples move their main programmes to the weekend before or after, so check their calendars.
  • Clock check: Manitoba no longer changes its clocks, so Winnipeg stays on UTC-5. If you compare with relatives in Ontario or the US Midwest, remember their clocks may differ from what you expect.
  • Fireworks and effigies: rules on fireworks and open burning are set by the City of Winnipeg and surrounding municipalities, and permits are usually required. Only attend effigy burnings run by organisers with the proper approvals.
  • Getting there: parking at temples fills quickly on festival evenings. Carpool, arrive early, or check Winnipeg Transit routes for city venues; the BAPS mandir south of the city is best reached by car.
  • Weather: late October evenings in Winnipeg can be near freezing, sometimes with early snow, so bring a warm layer and allow extra driving time.
  • Sunset: sunset in Winnipeg on 20 October is at 6:27 PM, a useful guide if you plan an evening aarti or a small family celebration.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dussehra 2026 in Winnipeg?

Tuesday 20 October 2026. Navratri begins on Sunday 11 October, and Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October. In Winnipeg the Dashami tithi runs from Tue 20 Oct, 2:20 AM to Wed 21 Oct, 3:41 AM local time, so it covers the whole afternoon of the 20th.

What is the Vijay Muhurat in Winnipeg on Dussehra 2026?

2:57 PM – 3:39 PM local time (UTC-5) on Tuesday 20 October 2026, calculated by the Drik Panchang method for Winnipeg. It falls inside the Aparahna (2:15 PM – 4:21 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 Winnipeg time. Use the Winnipeg timings on this page or your temple's calendar.

When is Bijoya Dashami and Sindoor Khela in Winnipeg?

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

Which temples in Winnipeg celebrate Navratri and Dussehra?

The Hindu Society of Manitoba's two temples (on Ellice Avenue and St. Anne's Road), the Durga Devi Mandir on Jamison Avenue, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir on Red River Drive just south of the city, and ISKCON Winnipeg in Weston are among the places Hindus gather. Check each one's website for its 2026 programme.

Is there Ravan Dahan in Winnipeg?

Large open-air Ravan Dahan events are uncommon in Winnipeg, and any effigy burning needs approval under City of Winnipeg fire and burning rules. Temples and community groups usually announce Navratri garba, Durga Puja, Ramlila and Ravan Dahan programmes a few weeks ahead — check their websites/social pages.