The question in every Telugu household this year: is Dasara on 20 October or 21 October? Some calendars show the 20th, some the 21st, and Telangana has a holiday on both days. The direct answer: Vijayadashami (Dasara) is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. The Telangana and Andhra Pradesh government holiday lists both give the 20th. Below, in plain terms, is why the 21st keeps coming up and when to do the Jammi puja.
Dasara 2026 key dates
- Sharannavaratri begins (Kalasha Sthapana): Sunday, 11 October
- Ashtami tithi: 8:28 AM on 18 October to 10:51 AM on 19 October
- Navami tithi: 10:51 AM on 19 October to 12:50 PM on 20 October
- Vijayadashami / Dasara: Tuesday, 20 October. Aparahna for the Jammi puja: 1:11 – 3:31 PM in Hyderabad, 1:02 – 3:22 PM in Vijayawada
- Telangana government holidays: 20 October (Vijayadashami) and 21 October (the following day)
Durgashtami and Mahanavami dates vary between panchangams and regions. The Andhra Pradesh government list, for example, gives Durgashtami as 18 October. Follow the date your local temple keeps. The full day is in the panchangam for 20 October.
Why the confusion: Dashami runs across two days
A tithi does not change at midnight like a calendar date. This year Dashami tithi starts at 12:50 PM on 20 October and ends at 2:11 PM on 21 October, so both days touch Dashami. Most festivals are fixed by the tithi present at sunrise, and by that rule the morning of the 21st is Dashami. That is why some calendars print the 21st.
Vijayadashami uses a different rule: the Aparahna
The core rites of Vijayadashami, the Jammi (Shami) puja, Aparajita Devi puja and Seemollanghanam, are prescribed for the Aparahna: divide the daytime into five equal parts and it is the fourth. The day on which Dashami covers the Aparahna is Vijayadashami.
- 20 October: Aparahna in Hyderabad is 1:11 – 3:31 PM. Dashami began at 12:50 PM, so the whole window is Dashami.
- 21 October: Dashami ends at 2:11 PM, so only part of the Aparahna is Dashami.
A second marker settles it. Shravana nakshatra, held to be especially auspicious for Vijayadashami, lasts until 6:02 PM on 20 October. Dashami and Shravana meet only on the afternoon of the 20th. That is why the panchangam and both Telugu state governments say 20 October.
Ayudha Puja and Mahanavami
Navami tithi runs from 10:51 AM on 19 October to 12:50 PM on 20 October. Many Telugu families do the Mahanavami puja on the 19th. If you do Ayudha Puja on the morning of the 20th, try to finish the puja for vehicles, tools and books before 12:50 PM. The Jammi puja follows the same afternoon, so this year the two observances share a day.
What to do on Dasara
- Conclude the Navaratri puja in the morning and do the kalasha udvasana as your family does.
- In the Aparahna, worship the Jammi tree, recite "Shami shamayate papam" and collect Jammi leaves.
- Offer the leaves to elders as "gold" and take their blessings; in Telangana, meet friends and family with Alai Balai.
- Seeing a Palapitta (Indian roller) in the evening is considered a good omen.
- It is an auspicious day to begin learning or new work; many families hold Aksharabhyasam today.
For prayer, recite the Sri Durga Ashtottara Shatanamavali or the Lalitha Ashtottara Shatanamavali. The nine days and their goddesses are on the Sharannavaratri 2026 page.
A closing note
We have kept the panchangam reasoning simple. If your family tradition or local temple follows a different date, go with that. Wishing everyone a happy Dasara and Vijayadashami. The Vijayadashami festival page lists the date for every year.