🏹 Vijayadashami (Dussehra) Puja Vidhi — step by step
This is the household vidhi — closing Navratri in the morning, weapon/Shami puja in the afternoon (Vijay Muhurat), watching Ravan Dahan in the evening.
How to do Vijayadashami (Dussehra) — the steps
- Bathe in the morning and do the final puja of Maa Durga — lamp, flowers, bhog, aarti; families that break the Navratri fast on Dashami feed the girls (kanya bhojan) and then break the fast.
- Sprinkle the kalash water through the whole house; cut the jawara and offer it to the Goddess, then place it in the caps/behind the ears of the men of the family and in the plaits of sisters and daughters — it is the Goddess's blessing.
- In the afternoon Vijay Muhurat (time above) do the weapon/tool puja: clean the household tools, vehicles, books and pens, the shop's scales and ledgers; offer roli-akshat-flowers and show the lamp. This is 'Ayudha Puja' — honouring the means of one's livelihood.
- Shami puja: offer water, roli, akshat and flowers to a Shami (khejri) or Aparajita plant near the house; pray — 'Shami shamayate papam, Shami shatru-vinashini'. Keep one Shami leaf in the safe (place of wealth).
- Aparajita puja: in the north-east corner of the house or in the open, draw a square and worship Goddess Aparajita (with Jaya and Vijaya) — the Goddess of victory.
- Sighting the Neelkanth bird (Indian roller) is considered auspicious on this day — villages have the custom of looking for it in the morning.
- In the evening watch the Ravan Dahan at the Ramlila ground; on returning touch the feet of elders and receive the curd-rice-jawara tilak — elders bless the young with 'Vijaya' and a protective tilak.
- Immerse the kalash, jawara and idol on Dashami before sunset or as per family custom — in a river or pond, or in a pot/plant at home. Break a coconut and distribute prasad.
- Start any new work, learning (vidyarambh) or new purchase in the Vijay Muhurat — it is the best time.
Puja samagri checklist
The Navratri samagri will already be at home; check these items separately for Dussehra.
- Roli, akshat, kumkum, turmeric, mauli
- Flowers, marigold garland
- Lamp, ghee, incense, camphor
- Shami (khejri) or Aparajita leaves/plant
- Curd and rice (for the tilak) — jawara already sown
- Coconut, sweets (jalebi-fafda or homemade), paan
- Weapons/tools/vehicle/books — cleaned and placed at the puja spot
- Gangajal, copper lota
- New clothes (wearing new clothes on this day is traditionally auspicious)
- Bow-and-arrow / Ravana effigy items for children (if that is the custom)
Dussehra food and prasad
The Navratri fast ends on Dussehra, so homes cook a full spread on this day — those breaking the fast should eat light first.
- Jalebi and fafda (the signature of Dussehra in Gujarat-Maharashtra-Rajasthan), paan
- Uttar Pradesh-Bihar: poori-kachori, pumpkin/potato sabzi, kheer, dahi-bada; some families also cook non-vegetarian food on Dussehra (Kshatriya tradition) — your own family's way
- Bengal: sweets (mishti) on Dashami, coconut naru, ghugni; after immersion 'Shubho Bijoya' greetings and exchange of sweets
- South: payasam, vada, pulihora — the Ayudha Puja prasad
- Women breaking the fast should take fruit and curd first, then heavier food gradually
Rules — do's and don'ts
✅ Do
- Begin new work, purchases and vidyarambh in the Vijay Muhurat (afternoon) — it is an abujh muhurat
- Worship weapons, tools, vehicles and books — honouring the means of livelihood
- Keep a Shami leaf in the safe; share the jawara among elders and children
- Touch the feet of elders and receive the 'Vijaya' blessing
- Immerse the Navratri idol and kalash respectfully, never in a dirty drain — a pot at home is fine
❌ Don't
- Do not leave children alone in the crowd and fireworks of Ravan Dahan
- No playing with weapons or celebratory firing in the name of weapon puja
- Do not throw jawara or puja material in the garbage
- Do not eat heavy, fried food immediately after breaking the fast
- Do not put out the Navratri akhand jyoti before the Dashami puja
Vrat katha
After Sita's abduction during the exile, Shri Rama marched on Lanka. Before the war he worshipped Shakti for nine days, and on the tenth day slew the arrogant Ravana — which is why effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhak… Read the full katha →
Frequently asked questions
When is Dussehra in {Y}?
The date shown at the top is this year's Vijayadashami — Ashwin Shukla Dashami, from panchang calculations; the afternoon Vijay Muhurat is shown there too.
What is the Vijay Muhurat and why is it special?
The afternoon window on Dashami when Shri Rama set out for battle — roughly 48 minutes, shown above for Delhi. New work, a vehicle, griha pravesh and vidyarambh are auspicious in it without any separate muhurat.
Is the Navratri fast broken on Dussehra?
Many families break it on Navami after the havan and Kanya Pujan, and many on Dashami morning after puja — both are valid. Follow your family's custom.
Why is the Shami tree worshipped?
In the Mahabharata the Pandavas hid their weapons on a Shami tree and took them down on Vijayadashami to win; Shami is also regarded as the tree of Shani and Agni — keeping its leaf in the safe is believed to bring stability of wealth.
Can we buy new things on Dussehra?
Yes — it is one of the three-and-a-half abujh muhurats; vehicles, gold, a house, electronics, new books and pens are all auspicious. Even better in the Vijay Muhurat.
🏠 Vijayadashami (Dussehra) 2026 — date, muhurat, full page · All vrat & festivals