Dussehra in Dharamshala 2026 at the Police Ground: Ravan Dahan, Mela, Fireworks and Music Nights

Short answer: Dussehra in Dharamshala 2026 is on Tuesday 20 October. The district-level Dussehra mela runs from 18 to 24 October 2026 at the Police Ground (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Police Ground) in Jawahar Nagar, lower Dharamshala. The Lanka and Akshay effigies are burnt on 19 October, and Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran go up in flames on 20 October, with fireworks as the main attraction. As of 18 October, no singer line-up for the 2026 Dussehra has been published, so check local news on the day.

Every October the parade ground below the town turns into a fairground. Tall bamboo effigies go up on one side, giant wheels and food stalls on the other, and on Vijayadashami night a sea of phones points at the sky as Ravan burns. This guide covers the Dharamshala Dussehra 2026 dates, the Ravan dahan schedule, where the ground is, what we know (and do not know) about music nights, and how it compares with the far bigger Kullu Dussehra.

Planning the whole season? See our festivals and events calendar, the Ramlila in Dharamshala guide and Dharamshala in October and November.

Dharamshala Dussehra 2026: Quick Facts

When is Dussehra in Dharamshala 2026? (Dussehra kab hai?)

Dussehra 2026 is on Tuesday 20 October 2026, according to Drik Panchang and Amar Ujala. Navratri runs from 11 to 19 October, and Vijayadashami follows on the tenth day. So if you are searching "Dussehra in Dharamshala kab hai", the answer is 20 October 2026 (Tuesday).

The Dharamshala mela is longer than the festival itself. The district administration has fixed it for 18 to 24 October 2026, a full week of stalls and rides, with the two effigy-burning nights on 19 and 20 October. A 15 October report from the ground also described 19 and 20 October as the main mela days, so expect the biggest crowds then.

Where is the Police Ground in Dharamshala?

The Police Ground, officially the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Police Ground, is at Police Line, Jawahar Nagar, in lower Dharamshala (coordinates 32°10'35"N 76°18'28"E, as listed by the Kangra district administration, which also uses it as a helipad). It is the town's main parade ground, the same open field that hosts the district Republic Day and Himachal Day functions.

It is in the lower town, not up in McLeod Ganj. Dharamshala town to McLeod Ganj is about 9 km, roughly 30 minutes by taxi, so if you are staying up the hill, plan your ride down and, more importantly, your ride back after the fireworks. Our taxi page can help you book a return in advance. The HPCA cricket ground is also in Jawahar Nagar, so see the Dharamshala stadium timings if you want to add it to the same trip.

One quirk worth knowing: according to Divya Himachal, the permanent stage at the Police Ground has been incomplete for about 15 years. Big events, including the district Dussehra, use rented tents and a temporary stage. Do not expect a grand amphitheatre; expect a big open field, a makeshift stage and a lot of atmosphere.

What happens each day at the Dussehra mela?

The ground is split in two. According to Amar Ujala, half the ground is tendered out for the mela (stalls, swings and rides) and half is kept for the Dussehra programmes. Last year the tender fetched about Rs 15 lakh, and whether a laser show like last year's returns depends on how much this year's tender brings in. Officials have called it "possible", not confirmed.

18 October (Sunday): mela opens. Stalls, food and rides start. Traders have been setting up since 15 October, after heavy rain that day left the ground muddy, so wear shoes you do not mind getting dirty.

19 October (Monday): Lanka and Akshay burn. The first effigy night: the Lanka (the golden city of Ravan) and Akshay Kumar (Ravan's son, killed by Hanuman in the Ramayana) effigies are set alight. A good night to go if you want the spectacle with a slightly smaller crowd.

20 October (Tuesday, Vijayadashami): Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran. The big night. The three main effigies, Ravan with his brother Kumbhkaran and son Meghnad, are burnt, and fireworks are the main attraction. The exact time has not been announced; by tradition the burning happens after sunset.

21 to 24 October: mela continues. Stalls and rides carry on until the 24th, usually calmer and better for families with small children.

Who builds the effigies?

This year about 25 artisans from Haryana, working for the contractor Mangal Sain & Sons on a Rs 4 lakh contract, built all five effigies: Lanka, Akshay, Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran. They used dry bamboo brought from Haryana. No official heights have been published, so treat any figure you see on social media with caution.

SDM Dharamshala Mohit Ratn has been quoted on the preparations for the district-level mela.

Are there music nights at Dharamshala Dussehra? Which singers are coming?

Cultural evenings are a long tradition at the district Dussehra. In 2015 the Dussehra Utsav Samiti, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner of Kangra, held cultural evenings, and the 2016 district Dussehra mela at the Police Ground featured folk and band performances.

But for 2026, no singer line-up has been published as of 18 October, and we could not find Dussehra-specific singer names for 2023, 2024 or 2025 either. If someone tells you a big star is performing at the Dussehra, ask where they read it. Check Amar Ujala, Divya Himachal or the district administration, Kangra on the day.

The "star nights" people remember are the Kangra Valley Carnival

The big-name star nights at the Police Ground belong to the Kangra Valley Carnival, a separate event, not the Dussehra mela. The 2026 carnival is announced for 24-31 December: see our Kangra Valley Carnival 2026 guide. Two examples:

• Kangra Valley Carnival 2024: the star night featured Punjabi singer Rashmeet Kaur, Pahari folk singer Ishant Bhardwaj, RJ Shanky and Anuj Sharma, with Satinder Sartaaj and the Kerala band Thaikkudam Bridge billed for the following night (ETV Bharat).
• Kangra Valley Carnival 2025: Punjabi singer Garry Sandhu and Ishant Bhardwaj performed (ETV Bharat).

So if you are searching "Dharamshala Dussehra star night singers", the honest answer is that the famous star nights are carnival nights. Any Dussehra stage programme will be announced locally.

Is there Ramlila in Dharamshala during Navratri?

Yes. An 18-year-old Ramlila at the Dari Mela Ground, Dharamshala, began on 12 October 2026 and runs through Navratri, building up to Dussehra. It is a lovely, local way to see the story that ends with the effigies burning. Read our Ramlila in Dharamshala guide for more.

Tips for visiting the Dharamshala Dussehra mela

• Go on 19 October if you hate crowds, and 20 October if you want the full show. Both are effigy nights.
• Arrive before sunset. The burning traditionally starts after dark, but the best spots near the effigy area fill early.
• Carry a jacket. October nights in Dharamshala are about 12 to 15 C, and the open ground gets cold once the sun goes.
• Wear sturdy shoes. The ground was muddy after rain on 15 October; more rain would make it worse.
• Keep a safe distance from the effigies. Fireworks and burning bamboo throw sparks; follow police and volunteer instructions.
• Bring cash for rides and stalls. There is no published entry fee, but rides and stalls are paid.
• Parking and traffic: no diversion plan has been published yet. Expect congestion around Police Line and Jawahar Nagar on 19 and 20 October and check with Kangra police or your hotel on the day. Taking a taxi is easier than driving yourself.
• Book your return ride. If you are staying in McLeod Ganj, Bhagsu or Dharamkot, arrange a taxi back before the fireworks end.

Dharamshala Dussehra vs Kullu Dussehra: what is the difference?

They are very different festivals.

• Dharamshala (Kangra district) Dussehra follows the North Indian pattern: Ramlila, Ravan dahan on Vijayadashami, fireworks and a week-long mela at the Police Ground.
• Kullu Dussehra is Himachal's most famous and much bigger. In 2026 it runs from 21 to 27 October (it starts the day after Dharamshala’s Ravan dahan) at Dhalpur Maidan in Kullu, where village deities are carried in processions.

If you want to see both, you can catch Ravan dahan in Dharamshala on 20 October and plan Kullu for the days after. For other fairs across the district, see our guide to melas and fairs in Dharamshala and Kangra.

Where to stay for Dussehra in Dharamshala

For easy access to the Police Ground, stay in lower Dharamshala, the part of town where the ground is. If you prefer the cafés, monasteries and cooler air of McLeod Ganj, it is about 9 km up the hill, roughly 30 minutes by taxi, so plan your return late on 20 October.

Browse rooms on our Dharamshala hotels page or read where to stay in Dharamshala for a breakdown by area. Staying on into November? Diwali in Dharamshala follows soon after.

What is confirmed and what is not

Confirmed (from district and news reports): Dussehra on 20 October 2026; mela 18 to 24 October at the Police Ground; Lanka and Akshay burnt on 19 October; Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran on 20 October; fireworks; five effigies built by about 25 Haryana artisans.

Not confirmed (check locally): the exact Ravan dahan time, parking and traffic diversions, any entry charges beyond rides and stalls, effigy heights, crowd numbers, the laser show, and any singers or stage programme.

*Last checked 18 October 2026. We will update this page if the district administration announces timings or a cultural programme.*