Diwali 2026 Calendar: Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj Dates and Muhurat

Diwali 2026 runs from Dhanteras on Friday, 6 November to Bhai Dooj on Wednesday, 11 November, with Lakshmi Puja on the evening of Sunday, 8 November. This guide gives you every date in one place, the main muhurat windows for major cities, and a practical plan for what to do on each day, from shopping and cleaning to puja, Annakut and the sibling tilak.

Diwali 2026 Dates at a Glance

The dates below follow the Drik Panchang Diwali calendar for 2026, calculated for New Delhi. Most of India will observe the same dates, although some regional calendars and family traditions differ by a day.

Date	Day	Festival	Main observance
5 November 2026	Thursday	Govatsa Dwadashi / Vasu Baras	Worship of cows and calves, mainly in Maharashtra and Gujarat
6 November 2026	Friday	Dhanteras / Dhanvantari Trayodashi	Buying metal, gold or utensils; evening Lakshmi-Kubera puja; Yama Deepam
7 November 2026	Saturday	Kali Chaudas / Hanuman Puja	Protective rituals in Gujarat and parts of western India
8 November 2026	Sunday	Narak Chaturdashi (morning), Lakshmi Puja (evening)	Abhyang snan at dawn; main Diwali puja after sunset; Kali Puja in Bengal; Chopda Puja
9 November 2026	Monday	Diwali Snan / Deva Puja	Amavasya continues till midday; family visits
10 November 2026	Tuesday	Govardhan Puja / Annakut / Bali Pratipada	Annakut offering; Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas)
11 November 2026	Wednesday	Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej / Yama Dwitiya	Sisters apply tilak to brothers; Chitragupta Puja

Why Choti Diwali and Badi Diwali Fall on the Same Day in 2026

Hindu festivals follow the tithi (lunar day), not the calendar date, and a tithi can start and end at any hour. According to Drik Panchang for New Delhi, Chaturdashi tithi runs from 10:47 AM on 7 November to 11:27 AM on 8 November. Amavasya then begins at 11:27 AM on 8 November and ends at 12:31 PM on 9 November.

Two rules decide the dates:

• Narak Chaturdashi’s abhyang snan is done before sunrise while Chaturdashi is still running. On the morning of 8 November, Chaturdashi is still in force, so the ritual bath falls on Sunday.
• Lakshmi Puja is done in the evening (Pradosh Kaal) while Amavasya prevails. On the evening of 8 November, Amavasya is running, so the main puja is also on Sunday.

That is why the calendar shows Kali Chaudas on Saturday but Narak Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja together on Sunday. Many families will still light a few diyas on Saturday evening and call it Choti Diwali. Follow your family priest or community calendar if your tradition differs.

Lakshmi Puja 2026 Muhurat by City

The Drik Panchang Lakshmi Puja page gives the following Pradosh Kaal muhurat windows for Sunday, 8 November 2026:

City	Lakshmi Puja muhurat (8 Nov 2026)
New Delhi	5:54 PM to 7:50 PM
Mumbai	6:27 PM to 8:27 PM
Kolkata	5:20 PM to 7:18 PM
Bengaluru	6:17 PM to 8:20 PM

For New Delhi, Drik Panchang lists Pradosh Kaal as 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM and Vrishabha Kaal (a fixed lagna considered ideal) as 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM. It also lists a late-night Mahanishita Kaal window from 11:39 PM to 12:31 AM, which some families and Kali Puja observers prefer.

Different panchang publishers calculate slightly different windows, and a few websites show later times for the same day. The difference usually comes from the city chosen and the method used. If your family follows a particular panchang or temple, go by that, and treat the table above as a guide.

Day 1 and 2: Vasu Baras and Dhanteras (5-6 November)

Vasu Baras, Thursday 5 November

In Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat, Diwali begins with Vasu Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), when cows and calves are worshipped as a symbol of nourishment. If you do not keep this tradition, use Thursday as your last big cleaning day: the kitchen, balconies, the puja area and the entrance.

Dhanteras, Friday 6 November

Dhanteras is the day of Dhanvantari, associated with health, and of Lakshmi and Kubera, associated with wealth. Drik Panchang lists Trayodashi tithi from 10:30 AM on 6 November to 10:47 AM on 7 November, and the New Delhi Dhanteras puja muhurat as 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM (see the Dhanteras timings page for other cities).

What to do on Dhanteras:

• Buy something new for the home: a steel or brass utensil, a broom (considered auspicious in many homes), a silver coin, or gold if it fits your budget. Buy only what you had planned; festival discounts are designed to push impulse purchases.
• Light a Yama Deepam, a lamp placed facing south at the entrance in the evening, if your family follows this tradition.
• Do the evening puja in the muhurat window with a simple setup: a clean cloth, a Lakshmi-Ganesh image, a diya, flowers, rice and a sweet.

Since Dhanteras falls on a Friday, jewellery shops and markets will be busiest in the evening after office hours. Go in the afternoon if you can, and carry a list.

Day 3: Kali Chaudas, Saturday 7 November

In Gujarat and parts of western India, Kali Chaudas is observed with protective rituals, Hanuman puja and, in some families, offerings at crossroads to ward off negativity. Elsewhere, Saturday works well as a preparation day:

• Make rangoli designs or at least sketch them out, so Sunday morning is calm.
• Prepare puja items: diyas soaked in water the day before so they absorb less oil, wicks, ghee or oil, kumkum, haldi, rice, flowers, betel leaves, coins and batashe or khil.
• Finish sweets and namkeen that keep well, such as besan laddoo, shakkarpara and chakli.
• Test your electric lights before hanging them, and keep an extension board rated for the load.

Day 4: Narak Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja, Sunday 8 November

This is the busiest day of Diwali 2026, so plan the hours in advance.

Early morning: abhyang snan

Drik Panchang gives the New Delhi abhyang snan window as 5:41 AM to 6:38 AM on 8 November. Traditionally, family members apply oil (sesame oil is commonly used) and ubtan before bathing. In Tamil Nadu this is the main Deepavali morning, with new clothes, sweets and crackers after the bath.

Daytime: final preparations

• Draw the rangoli at the entrance and place small footprint marks (Lakshmi’s paglaa) leading inward, if that is your custom.
• Set up the puja area: a raised platform, red or yellow cloth, Lakshmi and Ganesh idols, kalash with water and mango leaves, account books for business owners.
• Traders and shop owners do Chopda Puja, worshipping new account books (or today, the laptop and ledger folder) for the coming year.

Evening: Lakshmi Puja

Start the puja within your city’s muhurat window. A simple order followed in many North Indian homes:

1. Light the main diya and invoke Ganesh first.
2. Worship the kalash, then Lakshmi, with kumkum, rice, flowers and sweets.
3. Recite the Lakshmi aarti or mantra your family follows.
4. Offer khil-batashe and sweets, then share prasad.
5. Light diyas around the house, at the entrance, windows, kitchen and the tulsi plant.

In West Bengal, Assam and Odisha, Kali Puja is performed on the same Amavasya night, usually later in the evening.

Safety on the big night

• Keep a bucket of water and sand near where diyas and crackers are used.
• Check your state or city’s rules on crackers and timings before buying; many cities restrict them or allow only green crackers.
• Keep pets indoors in a quiet room.
• Do not leave diyas burning near curtains or unattended.

Day 5: Monday 9 November

With Amavasya ending at 12:31 PM (New Delhi) and Pratipada beginning after that, Monday sits between the main puja and Govardhan Puja. Drik Panchang lists Diwali Snan and Deva Puja on this day. For most families it is a day for visiting relatives, exchanging sweets and resting. If you run a business, this is a good day to send thank-you messages to customers and suppliers.

Day 6: Govardhan Puja and Gujarati New Year, Tuesday 10 November

Govardhan Puja (also called Annakut) remembers Krishna lifting Govardhan hill to shelter the people of Vrindavan. Drik Panchang gives the New Delhi Pratahkala (morning) muhurat as 6:40 AM to 8:50 AM, with Pratipada tithi from 12:31 PM on 9 November to 2:00 PM on 10 November.

• Annakut: temples and many homes prepare a large variety of vegetarian dishes and offer them to Krishna before sharing them.
• Govardhan from cow dung or clay: in rural North India, families make a small Govardhan hill and walk around it.
• Bali Pratipada / Padwa: in Maharashtra, husbands and wives exchange gifts on Diwali Padwa.
• Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas): Gujaratis greet each other with “Nutan Varshabhinandan”, visit temples and relatives, and many businesses open the new year’s accounts.

Day 7: Bhai Dooj, Wednesday 11 November

Bhai Dooj (Bhau Beej in Maharashtra, Bhai Phonta in Bengal) celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. The legend is of Yama visiting his sister Yamuna, who welcomed him with a tilak and a meal. The tilak is traditionally applied during the Aparahna (afternoon) period; panchang sites place this in the early afternoon for New Delhi, so confirm the exact window for your city.

• Sisters apply tilak, perform aarti and feed their brothers a favourite dish.
• Brothers give a gift and a promise of support. Cash in an envelope is common; so are practical gifts.
• If you live apart, a video call at tilak time with sweets delivered in advance keeps the ritual meaningful.
• Chitragupta Puja is also observed on this day, especially by Kayastha families, with worship of pen, paper and account books.

A Simple Diwali 2026 Planner

When	Task
By 1 November	Book train or flight tickets home, finalise gift list, book house help or cleaning service
2-4 November	Deep cleaning, repairs, painting touch-ups, buy diyas and lights
5 November	Kitchen cleaning, start dry sweets and namkeen
6 November	Dhanteras shopping (afternoon), evening puja
7 November	Rangoli prep, puja samagri, soak diyas, test lights
8 November	Abhyang snan, rangoli, Lakshmi Puja in muhurat, diyas
9 November	Visits, sweet exchange, thank-you messages
10 November	Govardhan Puja / Annakut, New Year visits
11 November	Bhai Dooj tilak and family lunch

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Diwali in 2026?

The main Diwali, with Lakshmi Puja, is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The five-day festival runs from Dhanteras on Friday, 6 November to Bhai Dooj on Wednesday, 11 November.

When is Dhanteras 2026?

Dhanteras is on Friday, 6 November 2026. Drik Panchang lists the New Delhi puja muhurat as 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM.

Is Choti Diwali on 7 or 8 November 2026?

Drik Panchang places Narak Chaturdashi’s abhyang snan on the morning of 8 November, the same day as Lakshmi Puja, while Kali Chaudas is on 7 November. Many families still celebrate Choti Diwali on the evening of 7 November, so follow your local custom.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on Diwali 2026?

For New Delhi, Drik Panchang gives 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM on 8 November. Mumbai is 6:27 PM to 8:27 PM, Kolkata 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM and Bengaluru 6:17 PM to 8:20 PM. Check a panchang for your own city.

Why is there a gap day before Govardhan Puja in 2026?

Amavasya continues until about midday on 9 November, so Pratipada is not present at sunrise until 10 November. Govardhan Puja and the Gujarati New Year therefore fall on Tuesday.

When is Bhai Dooj 2026?

Bhai Dooj is on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, with the tilak traditionally done in the afternoon.

Plan Early, Celebrate Calmly

With Lakshmi Puja on a Sunday and Dhanteras on a Friday, Diwali 2026 gives most working families a long, busy weekend. Put the dates in your calendar now, check the muhurat for your own city a few days before, and spread the cleaning and cooking across the week so the evening of 8 November is about the puja and your family, not a last-minute rush. Shubh Deepavali.