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Dussehra is on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, on Aso Sud Dasham. The day starts with fafda-jalebi, homes and businesses do Shastra Puja and vehicle puja, and the evening ends with Ravan Dahan. This year the city has two big Ravan Dahan events, one at Jawahar Maidan and one at Chitra Marketing Yard.
Ravan Dahan at Jawahar Maidan
The Sindhi Samaj has been holding Ravan Dahan at Jawahar Maidan for 45 years now, through its Navratri Dussehra Mahotsav Samiti. It is the oldest Ravan Dahan in the city and also the one with the biggest crowd. Ravan Dahan here is at 7 PM, after fireworks and a cultural programme, so the ground starts filling up well before that.
Shobha Yatra Route
Before the dahan, a Shobha Yatra starts at noon from Sant Swaroopdas Gurudas Road near the DSP office. It passes through Sant Kanwarram Chowk, Madhav Darshan, Atabhai Chowk, Sardarnagar, Rupani Circle and Ghogha Circle, and reaches Jawahar Maidan in the evening. If you live along this route, you can join the yatra or watch it pass by.
Ravan Dahan at Chitra Marketing Yard
At the Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Marketing Yard in Chitra, on the Bhavnagar-Rajkot Road, Bajrang Vikas Samiti is holding its Vijayadashami Mahotsav for the 13th year. The event has been held here every year for the last 12 years, and many families from nearby villages come here instead of going into the city. The yard is big and open, which makes it easier for families with small children. Traffic on the Rajkot Road gets heavy in the evening, so it helps to leave a little early.
Why Ravan Dahan Is Done on Dussehra
In the Ramayan, Ravan took Sita away to Lanka, and Ram bhagwan fought a long war to bring her back. Kumbhakaran and Meghnad fought on Ravan’s side and were killed before him, and Ravan himself was defeated on the tenth day. That day is Vijayadashami. Burning all three effigies on Dussehra is a reminder that sach ni jeet thay chhe, truth always wins in the end.
Shastra Puja on Dussehra
Shastra means the tools a person works with. In earlier days, kings and soldiers did puja of their weapons on Dussehra, and today the same tradition is followed with the tools of every trade. Shopkeepers do puja of their weighing scale and chopda, tailors of their sewing machine, mechanics of their tools, and factories and workshops of their machines. Offices keep their computers and account books for puja, and students keep their books and pens.
Many people in the city go to Gayatri Mandir for Shastra Puja, while many families and businesses do it at home or at their workplace. The puja is kept simple. A red cloth goes on the bajot with a photo of Ram bhagwan or Mataji, and the tools are placed in front. Then come kanku-chokha, flowers, a diya and agarbatti, followed by aarti and prasad. Many business owners also start new work or new deals on this day.
Vehicle Puja on Dussehra
Dussehra is one of the biggest days of the year for buying a vehicle, and showrooms in the city stay busy with deliveries all day. Families also wash their scooters, bikes and cars in the morning and do their puja. A swastik is made in kanku, a marigold garland and a nadachhadi are tied, and a coconut is broken in front of the vehicle.
Happy Dussehra!
Dhiraj Patel is a seasoned writer for Bhavnagar.city, passionately exploring the city’s culture, history, and lifestyle. With a deep understanding of Bhavnagar’s heritage, he crafts engaging, well-researched content that resonates with locals and visitors alike. Dhiraj’s expertise and firsthand experiences ensure his articles are both informative and trustworthy.