When is Diwali in 2026? The date for Diwali in 2026 is Sunday, the 8th of November, 2026. Lakshmi Puja takes place after sunset on the day of Diwali. The festival of Diwali extends for five days, and it starts from the second day of the Hindu calendar month, Kartik.The first day of the festival falls on Friday, 6th November 2026. Known as Dhanteras, this day marks special prayers to Goddess Lakshmi. The last day of the festival, Bhai Dooj will be celebrated on Wednesday, the 11th of November, 2026. The Diwali start date, timings, and duration of the pujas, as per Drik Panchang, are given below.
Quick answer: Diwali 2026 at a glance
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) date: Sunday, 8 November 2026
- Festival start date: Friday, 6 November 2026 (Dhanteras, Day 1)
- Festival end date: Wednesday, 11 November 2026 (Bhai Dooj, Day 5)
- Amavasya tithi: 11:27 AM on 8 November to 12:31 PM on 9 November (IST)
- Lakshmi Puja muhurat, New Delhi: 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST
- Lakshmi Puja muhurat, Kolkata: 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM IST
All times are in IST unless stated, and they shift with your city’s sunset. The tables further down give city-wise windows for India and for families in the UK, UAE and USA.
When Does Diwali Start in 2026? (Start and End Date)
Diwali 2026 starts on Friday, 6 November with Dhanteras and ends on Wednesday, 11 November with Bhai Dooj. Many readers ask when did Diwali start in 2026 and which day counts as the first day. The answer is Dhanteras, the thirteenth tithi (Trayodashi) of the dark fortnight of Kartik.
The new moon tithi is still running at sunrise on 9th November, 2026. Devotees will celebrate Govardhan Puja on 10th November, 2026. Thus, there will be no major Diwali festival on 9th November, 2026, in the Drik Panchang Almanac for India.
This year, the festival arrived late. Diwali fell on 20 October in 2025 and will arrive on 29 October in 2027. Reason 6 of this article explains the reason for celebration of Diwali on 8th November in 2026.
Reading a panchang correctly, tithi by tithi, is a foundational skill in any serious online Vedic astrology course, and a year like 2026 shows why: the same festival can sit on two different dates depending on which rule a calendar applies.
Diwali 2026 Calendar: Five-Day Dates from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj
Here is the Diwali 2026 calendar for India, following Drik Panchang.
| Day | Festival | Date (India) | Tithi | What is observed |
| 1 | Dhanteras (Dhantrayodashi) | Friday, 6 November | Kartik Krishna Trayodashi | Worship of Lakshmi, Kubera and Dhanvantari; Yama Deepam |
| 2 | Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) | Sunday, 8 November (morning); Kali Chaudas on the night of Saturday, 7 November | Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi | Pre-dawn oil bath (abhyanga snan); Hanuman Puja and Kali Chaudas the night before |
| 3 | Diwali, Lakshmi Puja | Sunday, 8 November (evening) | Kartik Amavasya | Lakshmi-Ganesha Puja, diyas, rangoli; Kali Puja in Bengal |
| 4 | Govardhan Puja (Annakut) | Tuesday, 10 November | Kartik Shukla Pratipada | Annakut offering; Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas) |
| 5 | Bhai Dooj (Yama Dwitiya) | Wednesday, 11 November | Kartik Shukla Dwitiya | Sisters apply tilak to brothers |
Dhanteras 2026. The puja is an evening ritual performed in Pradosh Kaal. In Delhi the Dhanteras puja muhurat runs from about 6:02 PM to 7:58 PM. The Trayodashi tithi begins around 10:31 AM on 6 November, so the evening of the 6th carries the puja.
Naraka Chaturdashi 2026. Chaturdashi begins around 10:47 AM on 7 November and ends at 11:27 AM on 8 November. Because devotees must take the oil bath before sunrise while Chaturdashi remains active, they perform the abhyanga snan on the morning of 8 November. Kali Chaudas, a midnight observance, falls on the night of 7 November. This is why some websites show Choti Diwali on 7 November and others on 8 November. Both are correct for different rituals.
Govardhan Puja 2026. Govardhan Puja follows Kartik Shukla Pratipada at sunrise. Amavasya ends at 12:31 PM on 9 November, so Pratipada prevails at sunrise only on 10 November. Some calendars list 9 November. Drik Panchang lists 10 November for India.
Bhai Dooj 2026. Dwitiya tithi begins in the afternoon of 10 November and prevails at sunrise on 11 November, which makes Wednesday, 11 November the day for tilak.
Dates outside India. Drik Panchang’s calendars for the USA, UK and UAE show Govardhan Puja one day earlier, on Monday, 9 November, and the USA keeps Narak Chaturdashi on Saturday, 7 November. Lakshmi Puja itself stays on Sunday, 8 November in all of these countries. If you live abroad, confirm the smaller observances with your local temple.
Does Diwali Begin on Dhanteras or Naraka Chaturdashi?
Diwali begins on Dhanteras. Naraka Chaturdashi is Day 2, and Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya is Day 3.
The regional practices confuse things more. Tamil Nadu tradition places Deepavali celebrations on Naraka Chaturdashi, departing from the rest of India, which celebrates on the following Amavasya. Thus, in 2026, both Tamil and Telugu people will take the oil bath on 8th November, and the people of North India will worship Lakshmi on the same day. People in Bengal mark Kali Puja on November 8th, right after celebrating Bhoot Chaturdashi.
If you want to understand why a tithi can straddle two calendar days, a structured Vedic astrology diploma course builds on the five limbs of the panchang: tithi, vara (weekday), nakshatra, yoga and karana.
Diwali 2026 Amavasya Tithi: Start and End Time
The Amavasya tithi for Diwali 2026 begins at 11:27 AM on Sunday, 8 November and ends at 12:31 PM on Monday, 9 November (IST, Drik Panchang). That is a tithi of about 25 hours.
A tithi is the time it takes for the moon to gain 12 degrees with respect to the sun. Amavasya is the 30th tithi, the one which ends at the conjunction of the sun and the moon. This ranges from 19 to 26 hours. Thus, the same tithi can begin at 11:27 AM and continue the next day.
Amavasya in the Hindu month of Kartik is Diwali in the North Indian (Purnimanta) Calendar. Under the Amanta calendar used in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and southern India, this same month hosts Ashvin Amavasya.
Is Diwali 2026 on One Day or Two Days?
Diwali in 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8th. Amavasya occurs on two dates in 2026. Drik Panchang cites this rule from the Dharma Sindhu and Nirnaya Sindhu. Because Amavasya prevails during Pradosh Kaal, families should perform Lakshmi Puja on the evening of November 8th. Amavasya begins on November 8th at 11:27 am and ends on November 9th.does not qualify.
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Lakshmi Puja Muhurat 2026
The Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November, in Pradosh Kaal with Vrishabha lagna. In New Delhi, the muhurat is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST. It moves with local sunset in every other city.
How the muhurat is calculated
The best Lakshmi Puja time is the overlap of two windows:
- Pradosh Kaal: begins at local sunset and lasts about 2 hours 24 minutes. In Delhi on 8 November it runs from 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM.
- Sthir lagna: a fixed rising sign. The four fixed signs are Vrishabha, Simha, Vrishchika and Kumbha. On Diwali evening, Vrishabha lagna falls inside Pradosh Kaal.
Tradition describes Lakshmi as chanchala, restless by nature. Drik Panchang teaches that a puja done in a sthir lagna invites her to stay in the home, which is why this overlap is the preferred window for householders. Drik Panchang also advises against using Choghadiya muhurats for Lakshmi Puja, calling them good only for travelling.
Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 by city (India)
| City | Lakshmi Puja muhurat | Pradosh Kaal |
| New Delhi | 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM | 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM |
| Kolkata | 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM | 4:56 PM to 7:29 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:27 PM to 8:27 PM | 6:02 PM to 8:34 PM |
| Pune | 6:24 PM to 8:24 PM | 5:59 PM to 8:31 PM |
| Bengaluru | 6:17 PM to 8:20 PM | 5:51 PM to 8:20 PM |
| Hyderabad | 6:07 PM to 8:08 PM | 5:42 PM to 8:13 PM |
Kolkata’s window opens earliest because the sun sets earliest in the east. Mumbai’s opens last of these six. Choose your own city on a named panchang rather than borrowing another city’s minutes.
Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 for NRIs (USA, UK, UAE)
All times are local to each city on 8 November 2026.
| City | Lakshmi Puja muhurat | Pradosh Kaal |
| London (UK) | 4:35 PM to 6:12 PM | 4:22 PM to 7:19 PM |
| Dubai (UAE) | 5:58 PM to 7:56 PM | 5:35 PM to 8:10 PM |
| New York (USA) | 5:04 PM to 6:52 PM | 4:44 PM to 7:31 PM |
| San Jose, California (USA) | 5:23 PM to 7:14 PM | 5:02 PM to 7:46 PM |
London and New York have early winter sunsets in November, so their muhurats begin in the late afternoon. Do not convert the Delhi time to your clock. Base your muhurat on when the sun sets in your city, not on India’s sunset.
Other windows you may see
- Mahanishita Kaal: the midnight window. In Kolkata it runs from 10:55 PM to 11:46 PM. Drik Panchang describes it as suited to tantrik practice and recommends Pradosh for ordinary households. Bengali families also observe Kali Puja on this night.
- Shop and office puja: some calendars place business puja in Kumbha lagna during the afternoon, which Drik Panchang lists as 1:08 PM to 2:49 PM in Bengaluru. Others keep the account-book puja with the evening Lakshmi Puja. Follow your family or community custom.
Planning the full festival season? The Navratri-to-Dussehra stretch leads into this one, and our guide to Dussehra 2026 and the Vijayadashami muhurat shows the same tithi logic applied a few weeks earlier.
Which Day Is Maa Laxmi Day?
For most people, Maa Laxmi day is Diwali night. It occurs on 8 November 2026. For people in North, West and Central India, Lakshmi Puja on Kartik Amavasya is the most important day of worship of Lakshmi. Cultural beliefs state that Lakshmi wanders on this day. Hence, families clean their houses. They also light diyas on the threshold. They open doors and windows of the house.
Several other calendar days also honor her.:
- Fridays: Venus, governing prosperity and comfort, rules Friday (Shukravar) and makes it a traditional day for households to worship Lakshmi. In 2026, Dhanteras itself falls on a Friday, 6 November.
- Dhanteras: Drik Panchang notes that Lakshmi emerged from the ocean during the churning of the Milky Sea (Samudra Manthan) on the day of Dhantrayodashi. People worship her together with Kubera on this day.
- Kojagari Lakshmi Puja: Regional tradition in Bengal, Odisha, and Assam reserves Sharad Purnima, the full moon night of Ashvin, for Lakshmi worship. In 2026 this fell on Sunday, 25 October.
- Varalakshmi Vratam: South Indian families observe this vow during the month of Shravana.
If you are asking which day to worship Lakshmi for the best result, the tradition’s answer is the evening of 8 November, inside the Pradosh window for your city.
Why Does the Diwali Date Change Every Year?
The Diwali date changes every year because Diwali follows the Hindu lunisolar calendar, not the Gregorian one. It hinges on Kartik Amavasya, a new moon phase that never aligns with the same Gregorian date each year.
Twelve lunar months add up to about 354 days, roughly 11 days shorter than a solar year. Left alone, Diwali would drift earlier every year and eventually fall in the wrong season. The calendar corrects this by adding a leap month, Adhik Maas, roughly every three years.
2026 had an Adhik Maas. It was Adhik Jyeshtha, which ran from 17 May to 15 June 2026. The added month pushed subsequent lunar months back, forcing festivals like Raksha Bandhan and Diwali about 20 days later on the calendar. The result is a Diwali on 8 November, toward the late end of the usual mid-October to mid-November range.
| Year | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) date |
| 2025 | Monday, 20 October |
| 2026 | Sunday, 8 November |
| 2027 | Friday, 29 October |
Why do different websites show different dates? Panchangs apply different rules to different observances:
- Lakshmi Puja follows Pradosh Kaal and Amavasya at sunset.
- Narak Chaturdashi follows the tithi at pre-dawn, for the oil bath.
- Kali Chaudas follows the tithi at midnight.
- Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj follow the udaya tithi, the tithi prevailing at sunrise.
A website that applies the same rule to all the festivals will take a different view than one that applies the right rule to all. Drik Panchang, using Drik Ganit (observational) calculations, serves as the main reference here. Although other calendars may vary by a day for minor observances, all major Panchangs reviewed agree on an 8 November Lakshmi Puja.
The Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas) falls on 10 November 2026, the day after Amavasya ends. In the Gujarati calendar, this marks the start of Vikram Samvat 2083.
What Makes Maa Lakshmi Angry? (Mistakes to Avoid on Diwali)
Certain habits and lapses, tradition says, displease Lakshmi and make her leave a household. These are tradition’s teachings and are not predictions about a household’s wealth and finances.
Devotees know Lakshmi as restless (chanchala), seeking out only clean and warm households. These are the teachings of conduct that tradition says please Lakshmi.
- Uncleanliness. Devotees believe Lakshmi shuns dirty homes, unwashed clothes, and cluttered entrances. The tradition also extends cleanliness to the mind: hatred and resentment count as impurity. To welcome her, devotees thoroughly clean their houses and draw colorful rangoli at their entrances.
- Disrespecting women, elders, parents, teachers and priests.Avoid placing puja materials on the ground, missing the Pradosh window, or rushing through the rituals.
- Anger, quarrels and harsh speech. Lakshmi resides where warmth, affection, and peace prevail. A home full of arguments is not that home. Avoid quarrels on Diwali night in particular.
- Laziness and neglected routine. Several traditional texts list sleeping past sunrise and failing to light morning and evening lamps as habits that displease her.
- A dark, closed entrance on Diwali night. The custom is to open the doors and windows and light diyas on the threshold, so Lakshmi can find the way in.
- Careless puja. Placing puja materials directly on the ground, missing the Pradosh muhurat, or performing the puja in a hurry are all treated as mistakes. Use a plate or a clean cloth for puja items.
- Disrespecting sacred texts and the puja itself. Treating the ritual as a mere formality shows a lapse in devotion.
None of this requires expensive puja items. Cleanliness, courtesy, a lit lamp and a puja done within the correct window are the core of the tradition.
FAQs
What is the date of Diwali in 2026?
Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November 2026, the night of Kartik Amavasya.
Which day is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali is on a Sunday in 2026. The festival runs from Friday, 6 November (Dhanteras) to Wednesday, 11 November (Bhai Dooj).
How many days is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali is a five-day festival, spread across six calendar dates from 6 to 11 November in 2026.
When is Govardhan Puja in 2026?
Govardhan Puja 2026 is on Tuesday, 10 November in India. Drik Panchang lists Monday, 9 November for the USA, UK and UAE.
When is Bhai Dooj in 2026?
Bhai Dooj 2026 is on Wednesday, 11 November, on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya.
Which day is Maa Laxmi Day?
The main Maa Laxmi Day is Diwali night, Sunday, 8 November 2026. Traditional practices also honor her on Fridays and Dhanteras (Friday, 6 November).
What is the muhurat for Lakshmi Puja?
The Lakshmi Puja muhurat on 8 November 2026 is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST in New Delhi and 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM IST in Kolkata. It falls in Pradosh Kaal with Vrishabha lagna and shifts with each city’s sunset.
Conclusion
The Professional Occult science courses at Academy of Vedic Vidya teaches you how to read the panchang, calculate tithi and muhurat, and apply them to a birth chart, step by step, with the guidance of an experienced instructor.
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