Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2020
Victory of Rama over Ravana; Shami and Aparajita worship on Ashvin Shukla Dashami.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)06:01
- Aparahna muhurat12:50 – 15:06
- Fasting window (tithi)07:41 → 2020-10-26 · 09:01
- Parana (tithi ends)09:012020-10-26
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 2020
- Makar Sankranti — 15 January 2020
- Vasant Panchami — 30 January 2020
- Maha Shivaratri — 21 February 2020
- Holika Dahan — 9 March 2020
- Holi — 10 March 2020
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 25 March 2020
- Ram Navami — 2 April 2020
- Akshaya Tritiya — 26 April 2020
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 23 June 2020
- Guru Purnima — 5 July 2020
- Nag Panchami — 25 July 2020
- Raksha Bandhan — 3 August 2020
- Krishna Janmashtami — 11 August 2020
- Hartalika Teej — 21 August 2020
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 22 August 2020
- Anant Chaturdashi — 1 September 2020
- Pitru Paksha begins — 2 October 2020
- Sharad Navratri begins — 17 October 2020
- Durga Ashtami — 24 October 2020
- Maha Navami — 25 October 2020
- Karwa Chauth — 4 November 2020
- Dhanteras — 13 November 2020
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 14 November 2020
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 14 November 2020
- Govardhan Puja — 16 November 2020
- Bhai Dooj — 16 November 2020
- Chhath Puja — 20 November 2020
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 30 November 2020
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 30 November 2020
- Hindu Festivals 2020 →