Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2016
Victory of Rama over Ravana; Shami and Aparajita worship on Ashvin Shukla Dashami.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:54
- Aparahna muhurat12:54 – 15:14
- Fasting window (tithi)2016-10-10 · 22:54 → 22:28
- Parana (tithi ends)22:28
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 2016
- Makar Sankranti — 15 January 2016
- Vasant Panchami — 13 February 2016
- Maha Shivaratri — 7 March 2016
- Holika Dahan — 22 March 2016
- Holi — 24 March 2016
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 8 April 2016
- Ram Navami — 15 April 2016
- Akshaya Tritiya — 9 May 2016
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 6 July 2016
- Guru Purnima — 19 July 2016
- Nag Panchami — 7 August 2016
- Raksha Bandhan — 18 August 2016
- Krishna Janmashtami — 24 August 2016
- Hartalika Teej — 4 September 2016
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 5 September 2016
- Anant Chaturdashi — 15 September 2016
- Pitru Paksha begins — 17 September 2016
- Sharad Navratri begins — 1 October 2016
- Durga Ashtami — 9 October 2016
- Maha Navami — 10 October 2016
- Karwa Chauth — 19 October 2016
- Dhanteras — 28 October 2016
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 29 October 2016
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 30 October 2016
- Govardhan Puja — 31 October 2016
- Bhai Dooj — 1 November 2016
- Chhath Puja — 6 November 2016
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 14 November 2016
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 14 November 2016
- Hindu Festivals 2016 →