# Dussehra in Chandigarh 2026: Date, Ramlila Grounds and Ravan Dahan

- Link: https://chdlife.com/dussehra-celebration-chandigarh-tricity/
- Published: 2026-09-18T21:01:01+05:30
- Author: Rahul Goyal

✍️ _By [Rahul Goyal](https://chdlife.com/author/rahul/) · Chandigarh Life · Updated
22 October 2026_

**Quick answer:** Dussehra (Vijayadashami) 2026 was on **Tuesday, 20 October**, 
a gazetted holiday on the Chandigarh Administration’s 2026 list. The biggest burning
this year was a 106-ft Ravan at Sector 46, with the UT Administrator as chief guest.
Dussehra 2027 is on Saturday, 9 October. The city has no single Dussehra ground:
each Ramlila committee burns its own Ravan, Meghnath and Kumbhkaran, and Wikipedia
says the effigies are burnt in the evening, at the close of the Ramlila season. 
The Chandigarh Estate Office lists grounds named for Ramleela or Dussehra in Sectors
27, 30, 40, 41, 43, 46 and 47. For the Panchkula ground, see [Dussehra in Panchkula](https://chdlife.com/dussehra-in-panchkula/).

Every 2026 festival date, with its weekday and whether it is a holiday in Chandigarh,
is in our [Chandigarh festival calendar](https://chdlife.com/chandigarh-festival-calendar/).

| At a glance |  | 
| Date | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 (Vijayadashami) | 
| Holiday | Gazetted holiday, Schedule-I of the Chandigarh Administration’s 2026 list | 
| Vijay Muhurat | 2:00 PM to 2:46 PM, calculated for Chandigarh | 
| Dashami tithi | Begins 12:50 PM on 20 October, ends 2:11 PM on 21 October, calculated for Chandigarh | 
| Ravan Dahan time | Set by each committee; an evening event, at the close of the Ramlila | 
| Navratri | Sunday, 11 October to Tuesday, 20 October 2026 | 
| Traffic helplines | Chandigarh 1073 · Panchkula Traffic Police 0172-2561900 | 
| Next year | Saturday, 9 October 2027 |

## Is Dussehra on 20 or 21 October in Chandigarh?

Tuesday, 20 October. The Chandigarh Administration’s 2026 holiday list and Drik 
Panchang both give the 20th. Drik Panchang’s Dashami tithi begins at 12:50 PM that
day and runs to 2:11 PM on 21 October, so it was in force on the evening of the 
20th and over by the evening of the 21st. Maha Navami was on Tuesday, 20 October
on the Bengal rule and in the central government list, while Drik Panchang’s North
Indian rule puts it on Monday, 19 October.

The 21st turns up in one place: Drik Panchang lists a separate Bengal observance
of Vijayadashami on that day. If you follow a Bengali association’s programme, ask
that committee for its own dates. Our [Durga Puja guide](https://chdlife.com/durga-puja-ashtami-navami-chandigarh/)
and [Kalibari Mandir guide](https://chdlife.com/kalibari-mandir-chandigarh/) list
what we could confirm.

## How Dussehra 2026 went in Chandigarh

Dussehra fell on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. The biggest burning in the city was at
Sector 46, where the Shri Sanatan Dharma Dasehra Committee held its 29th Dussehra
Mahotsav at the Sabzi Mandi Ground. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand
Kataria was the chief guest. The committee burnt a 106-ft Ravan, billed as the tallest
in the city, along with Meghnath, Kumbhkaran and a separate effigy of drugs as an
anti-drug message, as [The Tribune](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/at-221-fttricitys-tallest-ravana-effigy-to-be-consigned-to-flames-in-panchkula)
and [The India Post](https://theindiapost.com/106-foot-ravana-burned-to-ashes-in-sector-46-governor-kataria-attends-29th-dussehra-mahotsav/)
reported. The India Post put the crowd at over one lakh; that is the paper’s estimate,
not a count.

[Amar Ujala](https://www.amarujala.com/punjab/chandigarh-punjab/dussehra-in-chandigarh-mohali-today-ravan-dahan-at-49-locations-2026-10-20)
counted Ravan Dahan at 42 places in Chandigarh and 7 in Mohali, and reported traffic
restrictions from 5 to 7 PM around the Sector 17 Parade Ground, Sector 34 and the
Sector 46 ground. In Panchkula, a 221-ft Ravan, billed as the tallest in the tricity,
was burnt at the Shalimar Ground in Sector 5; see [Dussehra in Panchkula](https://chdlife.com/dussehra-in-panchkula/).
We filmed the evening at Sector 46 and Sector 30; the videos are below.

## How Dussehra works in the city

Chandigarh’s Dussehra is a neighbourhood affair. Committees stage a Ramlila through
Navratri and end it with Ravan Dahan on Dussehra. Wikipedia’s page on Ramlila in
Chandigarh says the shows run from Amavasya to the Dashami tithi of Ashwin, and 
that a body called the Chandigarh Kendriya Ramleela Mahasabha links the city’s Ramlilas
through a three-day competition between them.

The same page puts the count at almost 60 places, 40 of them registered, but that
comes from a 2016 press report and the number moves from year to year, so read it
as a rough size and not a current count. It names three committees as the oldest,
each drawing more than 10,000 people (a 2014 report): the Navyug Ramlila and Dussehra
Committee in Sector 7, the Garhwal Ramleela Mandal at the Bijli Board in Sector 
28, and the Chandigarh Ramleela Committee in Sector 22-B. Navyug was founded in 
1979. Committee-by-committee detail is in our [Ram Leela in Chandigarh](https://chdlife.com/ram-leela-chandigarh-tricity/)
guide.

## Ramleela and Dussehra grounds in the Estate Office list

The Chandigarh Estate Office publishes a list of reserve land and open grounds that
can be booked for marriage, religious and social functions. These entries carry 
a Ramleela or Dussehra name:

| Sector | Name in the list | 
| 27 | Ram Lila Ground | 
| 30 | Dussehra Ground, near RBI Colony | 
| 40 | Ramleela Ground, near the Community Center | 
| 41 | Ramleela/Dusshera Ground | 
| 43 | Dusshera Ground | 
| 46 | Sabzi Mandi Ground/Dusshera Ground | 
| 47 | Ramleela Ground, adjoining Ram Mandir |

It is a booking list. It does not say which committee uses a ground or on which 
nights, so it tells you where to look and not what is on. For Sector 46, Google 
Maps has a playground called Dussehra Ground 46, in Sector 46D (160047), which is
the name to type into the search box. Ask the committee for its schedule.

### Sector 46 in 2025

The best-known Chandigarh ground is Sector 46, where the Shri Sanatan Dharma Dasehra
Committee burns the effigies. In 2025 its chairman, Jatinder Bhatia, said the three
effigies would be lit remotely from the stage, with a burning “Sone ki Lanka” and
eco-friendly aerial fireworks, and that the celebration draws close to a lakh visitors,
as reported by [The Tribune](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/in-chandigarh-tallest-effigy-at-sector-46-dasehra-site/).
The Punjab Governor and UT Administrator was the chief guest. Its 2026 celebration,
with a 106-ft Ravan, is described above.

## Panchkula, Mohali and Zirakpur

Panchkula’s Dussehra ground is the Dusshera Ground in Sector 5, and it has its own
page: [Dussehra in Panchkula 2026](https://chdlife.com/dussehra-in-panchkula/). 
Its Ravan is usually billed as the tallest in the tricity; that page sets out what
has been reported about its height, and what is confirmed. In Mohali we posted a
Ravan Dahan video from Sector 79 in October 2025 (below). Our [Mohali Diwali Mela](https://chdlife.com/mohali-diwali-mela/)
page gives the Dussehra Ground in Sector 79 as that mela’s venue. From Zirakpur 
we posted a women’s Ram Leela video in September 2024. We have not verified organisers
or timings in either place, so ask locally.

## 🎥 Watch: On Chandigarh Life

From our channel: Ravan Dahan at Sector 46 and Sector 30 on Dussehra 2026, a Ravan
effigy in Chandigarh before Dussehra (1 October 2025), Ravan Dahan at Sector 79 
Mohali (October 2025) and at several places across the tricity (October 2024).

## Traffic and getting there

The Chandigarh Traffic Police website lists a traffic helpline on 1073. Panchkula
Traffic Police asks people with a traffic problem or complaint to call 0172-2561900,
and runs a Facebook page at facebook.com/cppanchkula. Ask about diversions and parking
before you leave. On Dussehra 2026, traffic was restricted from 5 to 7 PM around
the three busiest grounds, so expect a similar plan in 2027.

## Before and after Dussehra

 * **Sunday, 11 October:** Navratri began and so did [Agrasen Jayanti](https://chdlife.com/agrasen-jayanti-chandigarh/).
   See [the best places to visit for Navratri](https://chdlife.com/best-places-to-visit-for-navratri-in-chandigarh/),
   [dandiya and garba nights](https://chdlife.com/dandiya-garba-nights-chandigarh/),
   and the temples at [Mansa Devi](https://chdlife.com/mansa-devi-temple-navratri-panchkula/)
   and [Chandi Mata](https://chdlife.com/chandi-mata-mandir-panchkula/).
 * **Monday, 19 and Tuesday, 20 October:** Ashtami on the 19th and Navami on the
   19th or 20th, depending on the calendar, in our [Durga Puja guide](https://chdlife.com/durga-puja-ashtami-navami-chandigarh/).
 * **Thursday, 29 October:** [Karwa Chauth](https://chdlife.com/karwa-chauth-chandigarh/).
 * **Friday, 6 November:** [Dhanteras](https://chdlife.com/dhanteras-chandigarh/),
   then [Diwali](https://chdlife.com/diwali-in-chandigarh/) on Sunday, 8 November,
   with [Diwali events in Chandigarh](https://chdlife.com/diwali-events-in-chandigarh/).
 * Every other date is in the [Chandigarh festival calendar](https://chdlife.com/chandigarh-festival-calendar/).

## FAQs

### When is Dussehra 2026 in Chandigarh?

It was on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, a gazetted holiday on the Chandigarh Administration
list. Dussehra 2027 is on Saturday, 9 October.

### Is Dussehra a holiday in Chandigarh in 2026?

Yes. Dussehra was on Schedule-I, the gazetted holidays, of the Chandigarh Administration’s
2026 holiday list, on Tuesday, 20 October.

### What time is Ravan Dahan in Chandigarh?

Each Ramlila committee sets its own time. Wikipedia says the effigies are burnt 
in the evening, at the close of the Ramlila season, and in 2026 the Dashami tithi
was in force from 12:50 PM on 20 October, calculated for Chandigarh. Ask the committee
near you.

### What is the Vijay Muhurat on Dussehra 2026 in Chandigarh?

2:00 PM to 2:46 PM on 20 October 2026, calculated for Chandigarh by Drik Panchang.

### Where are the Ramleela and Dussehra grounds in Chandigarh?

The Chandigarh Estate Office lists grounds named for Ramleela or Dussehra in Sectors
27, 30, 40, 41, 43, 46 and 47. It is a booking list, so check with the committee
which ground it uses.

### Where is Ravan Dahan in Panchkula?

At the Dusshera Ground in Sector 5, Panchkula. See our guide to [Dussehra in Panchkula](https://chdlife.com/dussehra-in-panchkula/).

### Which number do I call for traffic information on Dussehra night?

The Chandigarh Traffic Police website lists the helpline 1073. Panchkula Police 
lists 0172-2561900 for traffic problems or complaints.

### When is Dussehra in 2027?

Saturday, 9 October 2027, calculated for Chandigarh.

## Sources

Dussehra 2026 reports: [The Tribune](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/at-221-fttricitys-tallest-ravana-effigy-to-be-consigned-to-flames-in-panchkula),
20 October 2026 (the Sector 46 and Panchkula effigies and the chief guest); [The India Post](https://theindiapost.com/106-foot-ravana-burned-to-ashes-in-sector-46-governor-kataria-attends-29th-dussehra-mahotsav/),
20 October 2026 (the Sector 46 celebration and its crowd estimate); [Amar Ujala](https://www.amarujala.com/punjab/chandigarh-punjab/dussehra-in-chandigarh-mohali-today-ravan-dahan-at-49-locations-2026-10-20),
20 October 2026 (the number of Ravan Dahan sites and the traffic restrictions).

Sector 46 in 2025: [The Tribune](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/in-chandigarh-tallest-effigy-at-sector-46-dasehra-site/),
2 October 2025, quoting the committee chairman.

 * [Chandigarh Administration Home Department holiday notification for 2026](https://chandigarh.gov.in/files/updation2025/home25-17488-3012.pdf)
 * [Drik Panchang, Vijayadashami 2026 for Chandigarh](https://www.drikpanchang.com/festivals/vijayadashami/vijayadashami-date-time.html?geoname-id=1274746&year=2026)
 * [Drik Panchang, Vijayadashami 2027 for Chandigarh](https://www.drikpanchang.com/festivals/vijayadashami/vijayadashami-date-time.html?geoname-id=1274746&year=2027)
 * [Drik Panchang, Shardiya Navratri 2026 for Chandigarh](https://www.drikpanchang.com/navratri/ashwin-shardiya-navratri-dates.html?geoname-id=1274746&year=2026)
 * [Wikipedia, Ramlila in Chandigarh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramlila_in_Chandigarh)
 * [Wikipedia, Navyug Ramlila and Dussehra Committee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navyug_Ramlila_and_Dussehra_Committee)
 * [Wikipedia, Vijayadashami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayadashami)
 * [Chandigarh Estate Office, list of reserve land and open grounds](https://estateoffice.chd.gov.in/mylayout/documents/Listofreserveland.pdf)
 * [Google Maps, Dussehra Ground 46](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dussehra+Ground+46/@30.7029152,76.7634189,17z)
 * [Chandigarh Traffic Police](https://chandigarhtrafficpolice.gov.in/)
 * [Panchkula Police, traffic overview](https://panchkula.haryanapolice.gov.in/overview-traffic_htm)

The facts added to this page on 20 September 2026 were checked against the sources
above.
