Dashain 2026 in the USA: Ghatasthapana, Tika Dates and the Full Festival Calendar for Nepali Families
When is Dashain 2026 in America? Ghatasthapana falls October 11 and Vijaya Dashami tika on October 20 under US calendar calculations — different from Nepal. Her
By Nepalese Events Australia Editorial
Published: 2026-09-30T06:00:00.000000Z
Category: Festivals
The single most-searched question for Nepali families in America every autumn: which date is Dashain here? Because tithi calculations depend on local sunrise, US Dashain dates don't always match Nepal's — and 2026 is a year where the difference actually matters.
Dashain 2026 dates for the United States
US-d Nepali calendar calculations place the Dashain cycle this year as:
• Ghatasthapana: October 11, 2026
• Fulpati: October 18
• Maha Ashtami: October 19
• Maha Nawami: October 20 (morning)
• Vijaya Dashami / Tika: October 20, 2026
• Kojagrat Purnima: October 24
The Embassy of Nepal in Washington DC lists its official Dashain holiday observance as October 20–21, which aligns with the US-calculated tika date. Note that Nepal's own calendar places tika on a different date this year — if you're taking tika from family over call, decide early whether you're following the US date or the Nepal date; both are widely practised in the diaspora and neither is "wrong."
Why the dates differ
Tithi (lunar day) boundaries are calculated from sunrise in your location. When the tithi boundary falls between Nepal's sunrise and America's sunrise, the festival shifts by a day. That's why the same Dashain can legitimately be October 19 in Kathmandu and October 20 in New York. Our Nepal–US time converter shows the current offset; the Nepali festival calendar s the Nepal-side tithi dates.
What each day actually means
Ghatasthapana opens the festival: a clay vessel (ghata) is consecrated and jamara — barley or maize shoots — is planted to grow through the nine days of Navaratri. In US households this is usually done in a quiet corner of the kitchen or prayer room rather than a dedicated Dashain ghar.
Fulpati (day seven) is when the fulpati — a basket of sacred flowers and leaves — is traditionally carried into the home; in Nepal it arrives in Kathmandu by procession from Gorkha, while American families typically mark it with a simpler home observance.
Maha Ashtami and Maha Nawami (days eight and nine) are the goddess-worship days — Kali and Durga pujas, and in Nepal the main animal-sacrifice days. Most diaspora families observe them with vegetarian offerings, vehicle blessings on Nawami, and the tools-of-trade worship (vishwakarma puja) that's become popular among Nepali tradespeople overseas.
Vijaya Dashami is tika day: elders apply the red tika and jamara to younger family members with blessings. It's the day that drives the calendar question — families coordinate calls so grandparents in Kathmandu can perform the blessing over the phone, which is why the US-vs-Nepal date difference matters practically.
The festival closes with Kojagrat Purnima, the full-moon night on which Laxmi is said to visit wakeful households.
Where to celebrate across the US
October is packed with community Dashain events this year:
• DT Fest 2026 — October 11, Ashburn, Virginia. The largest announced Dashain-Tihar gathering this season, 10,000+ attendees expected. Full details.
• Grand Dashain Mela — October 10, Richmond, California. Free entry, all-day programme. Details.
• Albany Dashain Celebration — October 17, Latham, NY. Member-priced community event. Details.
• Dashain-Tihar Dhamaka Tour — 20-city concert tour through November 7. Full schedule.
Planning tip
Tika day in the US falls on Tuesday, October 20 — a workday for most families. Several community celebrations cluster on the weekends before and after (October 10–11 and October 17–18) precisely for that reason. If you can't take tika on the weekday, the weekend events are the practical alternative.
We're ing every announced US Dashain and Tihar programme on the USA news desk, including the Olympia Hindu Temple's November Tihar schedule and Albany's November 7 Tihar celebration.
Read more Nepali community news and stories. Browse upcoming Nepali events across Australia.
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