Dussehra / Vijayadashami 1996
Victory of Rama over Ravana; Shami and Aparajita worship on Ashvin Shukla Dashami.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:59
- Aparahna muhurat12:51 – 15:08
- Fasting window (tithi)08:25 → 1996-10-22 · 06:06
- Parana (tithi ends)06:061996-10-22
Festival days follow the classical attribution rules — udaya (sunrise), pradosha (evening), nishita (midnight), madhyahna or aparahna vyapini as each festival prescribes — computed for Kashi/Varanasi (IST). Regional observance can differ by a day in some years.
Read the Dussehra / Vijayadashami puja vidhi, vrat rules and kathaDussehra / Vijayadashami — Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Dussehra considered auspicious without a muhurat?
Vijayadashami is one of the three and a half fully auspicious muhurtas of the year. Anything begun on it is held to need no separate timing, though the aparahna window is preferred for Aparajita puja.
What is ayudha puja?
The worship of one's tools, instruments, books and vehicles — whatever one earns or learns with. They are cleaned, garlanded and left unused for the day.
Why are shami leaves exchanged on Dussehra?
The Pandavas hid their weapons in a shami tree during their year of concealment and recovered them on this day. The leaves stand for weapons regained and a victory that follows patience.
Other major festivals in 1996
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 1996
- Vasant Panchami — 24 January 1996
- Maha Shivaratri — 17 February 1996
- Holika Dahan — 4 March 1996
- Holi — 6 March 1996
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 20 March 1996
- Ram Navami — 28 March 1996
- Akshaya Tritiya — 20 April 1996
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 17 July 1996
- Guru Purnima — 30 July 1996
- Nag Panchami — 19 August 1996
- Raksha Bandhan — 28 August 1996
- Krishna Janmashtami — 4 September 1996
- Hartalika Teej — 16 September 1996
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 16 September 1996
- Anant Chaturdashi — 26 September 1996
- Pitru Paksha begins — 28 September 1996
- Sharad Navratri begins — 13 October 1996
- Durga Ashtami — 20 October 1996
- Maha Navami — 21 October 1996
- Karwa Chauth — 29 October 1996
- Dhanteras — 8 November 1996
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 10 November 1996
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 10 November 1996
- Govardhan Puja — 12 November 1996
- Bhai Dooj — 13 November 1996
- Chhath Puja — 16 November 1996
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 25 November 1996
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 25 November 1996
- Hindu Festivals 1996 →