Dussehra 2026 in Garland: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate
TL;DR
- 🎆 Dussehra 2026 falls on October 20 — the Garland/DFW South Asian community celebrates Vijayadashami through temple events, Ravan Dahan ceremonies, and community gatherings.
- 🛕 DFW Hindu Temple (Ekta Mandir) hosts Navratri festival with daily Garba and Dandiya evenings, concluding with Dussehra and Ravan Dahan.
- 💃 Radha Krishna Temple in Allen, TX runs Navratri Garba from September 21 to October 1, with daily poojas and cultural programs.
- 🎊 DFW Gujarati Samaj, established 1991, hosts major Navratri garba celebrations with celebrity performers from Gujarat.
- 📅 Karva Chauth (October 29) and Diwali (November 8) follow closely after Dussehra in a dense autumn festival run.
Dussehra and Navratri in the DFW Community
Garland sits at the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro's South Asian residential belt, and the DFW area's Indian community has built one of the most active Navratri and Dussehra celebration infrastructures anywhere in the United States. Navratri 2026 begins October 11, running nine nights to Dussehra on October 20, when Ravan Dahan marks Rama's victory over Ravana.
DFW Hindu Temple (Ekta Mandir) hosts its Navratri festival with Garba and Dandiya dancing each evening. In prior years, evening programs have run from 8 PM to midnight, extending to 2 AM on weekends. The event draws participants from across the DFW metro, making it one of the region's flagship Navratri gatherings. The festival culminates with Dussehra and the Ravan Dahan ceremony on October 20.
Radha Krishna Temple in Allen, TX — easily accessible from Garland — runs Navratri Garba from September 21 to October 1, featuring daily poojas, cultural programs, and the same Dussehra-Ravan Dahan close. The temple's Navratri program has grown into a significant multi-day event attracting families from across North Texas.
The Gujarati Samaj and the Garba Tradition
No discussion of Navratri in DFW is complete without DFW Gujarati Samaj. Established in 1991, the Samaj hosts major Navratri garba celebrations with celebrity performers from Gujarat, bringing the authentic musical tradition of Gujarati garba to the North Texas community. The Samaj's Navratri events are among the most culturally specific in the region — drawing both longtime Gujarati families and the broader South Asian community who come for the music.
For Garland residents, the DFW Gujarati Samaj events are typically a key calendar commitment during Navratri. The combination of celebrity Gujarati performers, competitive raas-garba formats, and the community atmosphere of an event organized specifically by and for the Gujarati diaspora creates a distinct experience alongside the broader multi-community temple events.
Insider Tip: DFW has multiple high-quality Navratri garba options happening simultaneously — DFW Hindu Temple, Radha Krishna Temple, DFW Gujarati Samaj events, and several other community organisations all run programs through the nine nights. Deciding which events to attend requires advance planning. Garland residents are well-positioned geographically to reach any of these venues, and buying tickets in advance for the events you prioritise is essential — popular nights sell out. Monitor community social channels and the India Association of North Texas (IANT) announcements for aggregated event listings.
After Dussehra: Karva Chauth to Diwali
Dussehra on October 20 is the culmination of Navratri, but the festival season does not end there. Karva Chauth on October 29 is one of the most personally observed festivals among DFW's North Indian community. The moon-viewing ritual — fasting women breaking the nirjala fast after sighting the rising moon — draws groups of women together in homes and occasionally at temple grounds for the shared moon-watching moment.
Dhanteras on November 6 opens the Diwali stretch, and Diwali itself falls on November 8. In Garland and the broader DFW metro, Diwali has grown into a multi-venue public event — India Association of North Texas and various temple organisations run Diwali melas and cultural events that draw attendance well beyond the Indian-origin community.
The festival season from Navratri through Diwali is, by most measures, the most socially intensive stretch of the year for DFW's South Asian community.
FAQ
Q: When is Dussehra 2026 in Garland? A: October 20, 2026 — Vijayadashami, the tenth day of Navratri. DFW Hindu Temple and Radha Krishna Temple both hold Ravan Dahan events on this date.
Q: Where can I find garba events in the Garland/DFW area for Navratri? A: DFW Hindu Temple (Ekta Mandir), Radha Krishna Temple in Allen, DFW Gujarati Samaj events, and India Association of North Texas (IANT) announcements are the key sources. Multiple events run simultaneously through the nine nights.
Q: When does Navratri 2026 start? A: Navratri 2026 begins October 11 and runs through Dussehra on October 20.
Q: When is Diwali 2026? A: Diwali falls on November 8, 2026, with Dhanteras on November 6.
Q: When is Karva Chauth 2026? A: October 29, 2026. The DFW North Indian community observes the day with fasting and communal moon-viewing.
The India Association of North Texas (IANT), founded in 1962 and based in Richardson, serves as the umbrella pan-Indian organisation for the DFW region — IANT announcements and event calendars aggregate much of what the broader community produces, making it a useful reference point for Garland residents navigating the autumn festival season.
Bottom Line
Garland sits inside one of America's most active South Asian festival zones — the DFW metro's Navratri and Dussehra scene draws on the DFW Hindu Temple, Radha Krishna Temple, DFW Gujarati Samaj, and the India Association of North Texas to produce a festival season that runs at full intensity from October 11 through November 8. Dussehra on October 20 is the season's dramatic peak, followed by Karva Chauth and Diwali. Visit the Desi.Net Garland page for the full community directory and event listings.