Diwali 2026: Date, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat & 5-Day Calendar

Diwali comes late this year. After falling on October 20 in 2025, the festival of lights arrives on Sunday, November 8, 2026 — about 19 days later, because an extra (adhik) month was added to the Hindu calendar between mid-May and mid-June. That pushes the whole five-day festival into the first fortnight of November, and it is the reason the e-commerce festive sales have also shifted later this season.

The late date means there are still five weeks to plan. Here is the complete five-day calendar, the Lakshmi Puja window for New Delhi, the reason a couple of dates differ between calendars, and a practical home puja checklist.

When Is Diwali 2026?

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, with Lakshmi Puja performed in the evening of that day. The festival is tied to Kartika Amavasya, the new-moon night that ends the month of Kartika in the Purnimanta calendar used across North India (Ashwin in the Amanta calendar).

In 2026 the Amavasya tithi begins at about 11:27 AM on Sunday, November 8 and ends at about 12:31 PM on Monday, November 9. Because it is in force through the whole of the evening on the 8th — and not the 9th — the Lakshmi Puja date is unambiguous this year, which is not always the case.

Diwali 2026 Five-Day Calendar

Why Govardhan Puja is two days after Diwali

Normally Govardhan Puja falls the morning after Diwali. This year it does not. Amavasya runs until about 12:31 PM on November 9, so the Shukla Pratipada tithi that Govardhan Puja needs at sunrise only arrives on November 10. That is also why Bhai Dooj, which follows on Dwitiya, lands on November 11.

A few calendars list Govardhan Puja on November 9 and Bhai Dooj on November 10. Those listings simply count the next calendar day. If your family observes either ritual, confirm the date against your own panchang or priest.

Why Choti Diwali is a day before Diwali

Most calendars place Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday, November 7. A few sites list it on the same day as Diwali; that comes from the way the Chaturdashi tithi overlaps the early hours of the 8th. For the oil bath before sunrise, the 7th is the widely published date.

Lakshmi Puja Muhurat 2026

Lakshmi Puja is performed in Pradosh Kaal — the period after sunset when Amavasya is present — and ideally during Sthir Lagna, a fixed rising sign, which for the evening is Vrishabha (Taurus).

These times are for New Delhi. Sunset shifts by city: Mumbai is roughly 7 minutes later and Kolkata is considerably earlier, so the puja window moves with it. Published calendars differ by a few minutes in places, so treat the figures as indicative and use a city-specific panchang such as Drik Panchang for the exact window where you live.

Dhanteras 2026: What to Know

Dhanteras falls on Friday, November 6, on Trayodashi of the Krishna Paksha. It opens the festival and is the day households buy something new — traditionally gold, silver or a steel or brass utensil — and light a lamp at the entrance in the evening in honour of Yama and in worship of Lakshmi and Kubera. It is also associated with Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, which is why it is observed as National Ayurveda Day in India.

The Trayodashi tithi and the purchase window follow the same rule as other festival muhurats: they are set by local sunrise and sunset. Jewellers usually publish their own city timings a few days ahead, so there is no need to fix a time now.

Naraka Chaturdashi and Kali Chaudas

Choti Diwali on Saturday, November 7 commemorates the defeat of the demon Naraka by Krishna. The distinctive ritual is the abhyanga snan — an oil massage and bath before sunrise, often with a herbal paste — followed by lamps lit at dusk. In Bengal and parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan the same night is associated with Kali, and Kali Puja is performed at midnight on the Amavasya night, which is why the Nishita Kaal window above matters for those families.

A Simple Lakshmi Puja Checklist

1. Clean the house in the days before, and keep the entrance and puja space tidy. Draw rangoli at the door.
2. Bathe and dress in fresh clothes before the muhurat. Face east or north while worshipping.
3. Spread a clean red or yellow cloth on a raised platform and place the images or idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha. Ganesha is worshipped first.
4. Set up a kalash with water, a coin, supari and mango leaves, topped with a coconut.
5. Offer flowers, roli, rice, sweets and fruit, and light a ghee or oil lamp. Many families also worship account books, tools and new purchases.
6. Recite the aarti and mantras you follow, then light lamps across the home and at the entrance.

Procedure and mantras vary widely by region and family tradition. This is a general outline, not a prescription; follow the practice of your own household or priest.

Diwali Across India

In North India, Diwali celebrates the return of Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years in exile, and the lamps (diyas) mark that homecoming. In Gujarat and western India the day before the new year is the main Lakshmi Puja, and Govardhan Puja starts the Vikram Samvat year. In Bengal, Odisha and Assam the night belongs to Kali. In the south, Naraka Chaturdashi is the main day, observed with the early-morning oil bath and a family breakfast of sweets. Jain communities observe Diwali as the day Mahavira attained nirvana, and many Sikhs mark Bandi Chhor Divas on the same date.

Planning Around the Date

Diwali falling on a Sunday gives a natural long weekend for many people, with Dhanteras on Friday and Choti Diwali on Saturday. Offices and schools that take Monday off for Govardhan Puja or for the Amavasya overlap can stretch the break further; regional holidays differ, so check your employer's or school's list. For this month's closures, see the bank holidays October 2026 guide.

For shoppers, the festive-sale window runs in the weeks ahead; see our guide to the Amazon Great Indian Festival and Flipkart Big Billion Days 2026. Travellers can find autumn destinations in our best places to visit in India in October 2026, and the run-up to Dussehra is covered in the Navratri 2026 calendar.

Conclusion

The dates worth putting in the calendar now are Dhanteras on Friday, November 6, Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, November 8 (5:54 PM to 7:50 PM in Delhi) and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday, November 11. Watch out for the one quirk of 2026: Govardhan Puja is two days after Diwali, not one.

Panchang dates and muhurats are compiled from published almanac data and are indicative for India as a whole. Tithi and muhurat timings vary by city and tradition; for local timings refer to an authoritative source such as Drik Panchang or your family priest.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Diwali in 2026?

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, with Lakshmi Puja performed in the evening. It is about 19 days later than in 2025 because an adhik (extra) month was added to the Hindu calendar between mid-May and mid-June.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on Diwali 2026?

For New Delhi, the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on Sunday, November 8, 2026 runs from about 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM, within Pradosh Kaal. Timings shift with local sunset, so check a city-specific panchang for the exact window.

When is Dhanteras 2026?

Dhanteras falls on Friday, November 6, 2026, two days before Diwali. It is the traditional day for buying gold, silver or utensils and lighting a lamp at the entrance in the evening.

When is Choti Diwali in 2026?

Choti Diwali, or Naraka Chaturdashi, is widely listed on Saturday, November 7, 2026, with the early-morning oil bath before sunrise. A few calendars list it on November 8 because of how the Chaturdashi tithi overlaps the early hours of that day.

Why is Govardhan Puja on November 10 in 2026?

Amavasya runs until about 12:31 PM on November 9, so the Pratipada tithi that Govardhan Puja needs at sunrise only arrives on November 10. Bhai Dooj therefore falls on Wednesday, November 11. Some calendars list November 9 and 10; confirm with your family panchang.

Why is Diwali late in 2026?

The Hindu lunisolar calendar added an extra (adhik) month between mid-May and mid-June 2026, which pushes all the festivals after it later than in 2025, including Navratri, Dussehra and Diwali.