If you've been searching for the exact Dashain 2026 dates to book leave, flights, or a video call home — they're now confirmed. Dashain 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to Sunday 25 October, with Vijaya Dashami (the main tika day) falling on Wednesday 21 October.
Dashain 2026 — Full 15-Day Schedule
- →Ghatasthapana — Sunday 11 October 2026 (25 Ashwin 2083 BS) — jamara (barley seeds) are planted
- →Phulpati — Saturday 17 October 2026 — flowers and sacred plants brought into the home
- →Maha Ashtami — Sunday 18 October 2026 — sacred to Goddess Durga
- →Maha Navami — Tuesday 20 October 2026 — the most sacred day of worship
- →Vijaya Dashami (Tika day) — Wednesday 21 October 2026 (4 Kartik 2083 BS) — auspicious tika time around 11:53 AM Nepal time
- →Ekadashi — Thursday 22 October 2026 — receiving tika from elders
- →Kojagrat Purnima — Sunday 25 October 2026 — the full moon night marking the end of the festival
The tika muhurat (auspicious time) can shift slightly depending on the source and location — treat 11:53 AM Nepal time as a reliable guide, but confirm the exact minute with a Hamro Patro or Nepali Patro app closer to the date if precise timing matters for your family's ritual.
What This Means for Nepalis in Australia
A confirmed date means you can actually plan around it — this year, that planning is easier than usual:
- →Book leave now — Vijaya Dashami falls on a Wednesday, so many will request Thursday–Friday off too for a long weekend with family or community events
- →Video call timing is good this year — Nepal's daylight saving doesn't change, but Australia's does: clocks go forward on 4 October, so by tika day the 11:53 AM Nepal time slot lands at a very workable 5:08 PM AEDT (NSW/VIC/ACT/TAS), 4:38 PM ACDT (SA), 4:08 PM AEST (QLD, no daylight saving), or 2:08 PM AWST (WA, no daylight saving) — no need for a 1 AM alarm
- →Send parcels now — Australia Post international parcels to Nepal take 2–4 weeks, so mid-September is the right time to send gifts or clothing to arrive before Vijaya Dashami
- →Send money 2–3 weeks out — Wise, Remitly, or Western Union transfers give family time to buy what they need locally before the big day
- →Watch for community event dates — Nepali associations in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Canberra typically announce their Dashain gathering a few weeks out, usually on the weekend closest to 21 October
Read the full guide — where to buy buff and tika essentials, community events by city, and how to do tika over video call
Open the full Dashain 2026 guide →