Dussehra 2025 date and timings: Check Ravana Dahan muhurat, Vijayadashami puja vidhi, rituals and significance

Dussehra 2025: Dussehra also known as Vijayadashami, marks Lord Rama’s triumph over Ravana and Goddess Durga’s victory over Mahishasura. Check date and timings.

Dussehra 2025: Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami, signifies the triumph of good over evil, commemorating Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana and Goddess Durga’s conquest of Mahishasura. Celebrated at the conclusion of Navratri and Durga Puja, this important Hindu festival is observed with diverse rituals and customs. Here’s everything you need to know about its date, auspicious timings, and spiritual significance.

Dussehra 2025: Dussehra marks Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and Goddess Durga's conquest. (Source: Google Gemini)

When is Dussehra 2025? Date and timings

This year, the significant festival of Dussehra will be celebrated on Thursday, October 2. According to Drik Panchang, the auspicious timings to observe the occasion are as follows:

Vijay muhurat - 02:09 PM to 02:57 PM

Duration - 00 hours 48 minutes

Aparahna puja time - 01:21 PM to 03:45 PM

Duration - 02 hours 24 minutes

Dashami tithi begins - 07:01 PM on October 01

Dashami tithi ends - 07:10 PM on October 02

Shravana Nakshatra begins - 09:13 AM on October 02

Shravana Nakshatra ends - 09:34 AM on October 03

Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, celebrates Lord Rama's victory over Ravana.(Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times)

What is the significance of Dussehra

According to mythology, Ravana, the king of Lanka, abducted Sita, Lord Rama’s wife, during their 14-year exile. Lord Rama, along with Lakshmana, Hanuman, and the Vanar Sena, fought a fierce battle to rescue her. On the tenth day, Rama defeated Ravana, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. Across much of India, effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghnath are burned as part of the celebrations. Dussehra is followed by Diwali, the Festival of Lights.

Vijayadashami also commemorates Maa Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura. In West Bengal, the day is celebrated with Sindoor Khela and Dhunuchi dance. The immersion of Durga idols (Durga Visarjan) takes place through vibrant processions, marking the goddess’s return to her heavenly abode.

Dussehra 2025 puja vidhi and rituals

Dussehra is celebrated differently across India, but its essence remains the same: the victory of good over evil. In northern India, Ramlila performances depict Lord Rama’s struggle against Ravana, culminating in Ravana Dahan, symbolising triumph over evil. In the south and west, Ayudha Puja honours tools, vehicles, and knowledge, while in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, Shami Puja celebrates the Pandavas’ victory over the Kauravas. In eastern India, especially West Bengal, Dussehra coincides with the end of Durga Puja, marked by the immersion of grand Goddess Durga idols. These rituals collectively celebrate courage, virtue, and the ultimate triumph of good.