West Bengal: Vijaya Dashami 2026 and Durga Visarjan - Date, Rituals, Sindoor Khela and Significance

Vijaya Dashami 2026 in West Bengal will be observed on Wednesday, October 21, marking the final day of Durga Puja. The West Bengal Government's official Puja calendar lists October 17 as Maha Shashthi, October 18 as Maha Saptami, October 19 as Maha Ashtami, October 20 as Maha Navami and October 21 as Vijaya Dashami.

For Bengalis, Vijaya Dashami is not simply the end of a festival. It is an emotional farewell to Maa Durga, who is believed to return to her divine abode after spending several days on Earth with her children. The day combines worship, farewell rituals, Sindoor Khela, cultural traditions and the grand Durga Visarjan processions that bring the five-day Durga Puja celebration to a close.

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Vijaya Dashami 2026 Date in West Bengal

Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Festival: Vijaya Dashami / Bijoya Dashami
Occasion: Final day of Durga Puja
Major rituals: Devi Boron, Sindoor Khela, farewell prayers and Durga Visarjan

West Bengal officially observes Dashami as the concluding day of Durga Puja. The state's tourism department describes the festival as the homecoming of Goddess Durga to her maternal home, followed by the immersion of her idol after Bijoya Dashami.

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What Is the Significance of Vijaya Dashami?

Durga Puja commemorates Goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura, representing the triumph of good over evil. In Bengal's cultural tradition, however, the festival also carries the emotional theme of a daughter's visit to her parental home.

Maa Durga is worshipped along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya. After several days of celebrations, Dashami marks the time when the Goddess and her children bid farewell.

This is why the atmosphere on Vijaya Dashami can be both festive and emotional.

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Vijaya Dashami Rituals in Bengal

The morning begins with prayers and farewell rituals for Maa Durga. One of the important traditions is Devi Boron, in which women perform ceremonial farewell rituals for the Goddess before she leaves the pandal.

Devotees offer sweets, betel leaves and other traditional items to Maa Durga while seeking her blessings for health, happiness and prosperity.

The rituals may vary between household pujas, community pujas and different family traditions, but the central sentiment remains the same: farewell to the Goddess with devotion and the hope of her return next year.

Sindoor Khela: A Special Dashami Tradition

One of the most recognisable Vijaya Dashami traditions in Bengal is Sindoor Khela. Traditionally, married women participate in the ritual after offering prayers to Goddess Durga. They apply sindoor to the forehead and feet of the Goddess and then apply it to one another. The ritual is associated with wishes for marital happiness, prosperity and the well-being of families. Women dressed in traditional white-and-red sarees, the sound of dhaak, and the festive atmosphere around the Durga idol have become iconic images of Bengali Vijaya Dashami.

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Durga Visarjan: The Emotional Farewell

After the farewell rituals, Goddess Durga's idol is taken out of the pandal in a Visarjan procession. Devotees accompany the idol while chanting “Bolo Durga Mai Ki Jai” and “Asche Bochor Abar Hobe”, expressing the hope that the Goddess will return the following year.

In Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal, idols are taken to designated rivers, ghats and other water bodies for immersion. The state's tourism department notes that the immersion is accompanied by devotional chants, the sound of dhaak and processions as devotees bid farewell to the Divine Mother.

What Happens After Durga Visarjan?

Once the immersion is completed, families and communities begin Bijoya greetings. People visit relatives and friends, exchange sweets and seek blessings from elders. Traditional Bengali sweets such as sandesh and mishti doi often become part of Bijoya gatherings, while many families continue the custom of visiting loved ones and sharing good wishes.

For West Bengal, Vijaya Dashami is both a conclusion and a promise, the conclusion of Durga Puja celebrations and a promise that Maa Durga will return again the following year.

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Durga Puja 2026: Bengali Panchang Dates

Durga Puja Day	Date	Bengali Date	Major Rituals
Maha Shashthi	October 16, 2026	Ashwin 29	Kalparambha, Bodhon, Amantran, Adhivas, Bilva Nimantran
Maha Saptami	October 17–18, 2026	Ashwin 30–Kartik 1	Nabapatrika Puja, Kolabou Puja
Maha Ashtami	October 19, 2026	Kartik 2	Maha Ashtami, Kumari Puja, Sandhi Puja
Maha Navami	October 20, 2026	Kartik 3	Maha Navami, Durga Balidan, Navami Homa
Vijaya Dashami	October 21, 2026	Kartik 4	Durga Visarjan, Sindoor Utsav