🕉️ OCTOBER 2026 HINDU FESTIVALS CALENDAR
Complete NRI Guide - USA, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE
Verified 2026 dates + community events + city-wise moonrise timings
Authoritative October 2026 Hindu festivals calendar for NRIs worldwide. All dates verified against standard 2026 Panchang. City-specific timings should be verified with a location-based Panchang app closer to each festival.
📅 October 2026 Verified Festival Dates
| Date | Day | Festival | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 6 | Tuesday | Indira Ekadashi | Pitru Paksha Ekadashi |
| Oct 10 | Saturday | Sarva Pitru Amavasya | Mahalaya - concluding Pitru Paksha |
| Oct 11 | Sunday | Sharadiya Navratri BEGINS | Ghatasthapana - Day 1 |
| Oct 18 | Sunday | Durga Ashtami | Sandhi Puja |
| Oct 19 | Monday | Maha Navami / Ayudha Puja | Saraswati Puja (South India) |
| Oct 20 | Tuesday | Vijayadashami / Dussehra | Ravan Dahan + Ramlila |
| Oct 22 | Thursday | Papankusha Ekadashi | Vishnu Vrat |
| Oct 25 | Sunday | Sharad Purnima / Kojagara Puja | Lakshmi's night + Kheer tradition |
| Oct 26 | Monday | Valmiki Jayanti | Ramayana composer's birth |
| Oct 29 | Thursday | Karwa Chauth | Married women's nirjala fast |
🇺🇸 October 2026 NRI Community Events - USA
Navratri (Oct 11-19)
- New Jersey/NYC - major Gujarati garba events; Bengali Durga Puja pandals
- Dallas-Fort Worth - HTGC + BAPS temples; garba across suburbs
- Bay Area (SF, San Jose) - Fremont Radha Krishna Temple; South Bay Bengali community
- Chicago area - HTGC Naperville + community pandals
- Atlanta - Hindu Temple of Atlanta + Bengali community
- Houston - Sri Meenakshi Temple + community garba
Dussehra Ravan Dahan (Oct 20)
- Edison NJ (Robert Lord Field) - largest US Ravan Dahan
- Iselin NJ - community Ravan Dahan
- Grapevine TX - major DFW event
- Aurora IL - community celebrations
- Fremont CA - Bay Area event
- Southern California - Malibu Hindu Temple events
Karwa Chauth (Oct 29)
- Community observances at BAPS, HTS, ISKCON temples in all major NRI hubs
- Sargi ordering from Indian sweet shops (book 3-4 days in advance)
- Women's community WhatsApp groups organize apartment-building circles
- Video-call moon-sighting popular for couples separated by time zones
🇨🇦 Canada Community Events
- Toronto (Brampton, Mississauga, Scarborough) - major Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra events
- Vancouver (Surrey) - Punjabi + South Asian community events
- Calgary, Edmonton - HSS + community organizations
- BAPS Toronto - Navratri + Dussehra + Karwa Chauth pujas
🇬🇧 UK Community Events
- Wembley (BAPS Neasden Temple) - major London Navratri, Dussehra, Karwa Chauth
- Southall - traditional Ramlila + Ravan Dahan tradition
- Leicester - Belgrave community events
- Birmingham - Sri Venkateswara Temple + community
- Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff - regional celebrations
🇦🇪 UAE Community Events
- Dubai (Bur Dubai Krishna Temple) - main Hindu community events
- Abu Dhabi (BAPS Hindu Temple) - major festival celebrations
- Sharjah - community organizations
🇦🇺 Australia Community Events
- Sydney (Parramatta) - Sri Venkateswara Temple + community
- Melbourne (Point Cook) - HSS + BAPS events
- Brisbane - Sri Selva Vinayakar Temple
- Perth, Adelaide - regional celebrations
🌍 NRI-Specific October 2026 Considerations
For Working NRI Professionals
- Request floating festival days from employer (many US companies offer)
- Navratri weekend visits to community events (Oct 11-12, 17-18)
- Diwali is Nov 6-8 (Pancha Diwali Dhanteras Oct 27) - plan ahead
- Karwa Chauth on Oct 29 is a Thursday - many women take PTO
- Weekend Ramlila performances vs weekday Dussehra Oct 20
For NRI Families with Children
- Introduce children to Devi Navadurga stories during Navratri
- Ravan story for Dussehra (Amar Chitra Katha, Chandamama)
- Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha reading for older daughters
- Community events introduce cultural roots
- Garba dance is fun for all ages
For NRI Women's Health
- Navratri 9-day fasting - consult doctor if diabetic/pregnant/nursing
- Modified fast (fruits + water) widely accepted
- Karwa Chauth nirjala fast - similar considerations
- Break fasts gently + hydrate well
🗓️ November 2026 - Kartika Month Preview (Upcoming)
October's festivals lead directly into Kartika month - the sacred month of Deepam + Diwali. Key November 2026 dates:
- Nov 6 (Fri) - Dhanteras / Kartika Amavasya begins
- Nov 6 or 7 - Diwali / Lakshmi Puja (traditional)
- Nov 8 (Sun) - Govardhan Puja / Annakut
- Nov 9 (Mon) - Bhai Dooj
- Karthika Somvar (every Monday of Kartika)
- Karthika Deepalu / Deepam traditions
- Tulasi Vivah later in November
- Kartika Purnima end of month
📱 Verify with Panchang Apps
For location-specific muhurta (moonrise, puja timings, sunrise, tithi endings), always verify with these authoritative Panchang applications:
- Drik Panchang - most widely referenced
- ePanchang - detailed daily Panchang
- mPanchang - user-friendly interface
- Enter your exact city + date; the app calculates location-specific timings
Related NRIGlobe Coverage
- Karwa Chauth 2026 Complete NRI Guide
- Diwali 2026 Travel Guide for NRIs
- Navratri 2026 for NRIs (USA UK Canada Australia)
- Dussehra 2026 Ravan Dahan Events by City
- Karthika Masam 2026 NRI Guide
Editorial Note
Hindu festival dates + timings can vary by 1 day based on location, sunrise calculation, and specific Panchang tradition. This calendar reflects widely accepted 2026 dates verified against multiple standard Panchang sources. For city-specific muhurta on the day of observance, always verify with a location-based Panchang app.
Last verified: 30 September 2026