Diwali 2026 Date in India: Five Days of Diwali, Puja Muhurat and Planning

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November in India. Lakshmi Puja, the main Diwali puja, is performed that evening during Pradosh Kaal, when the Kartik Amavasya (new moon) is in effect. The five days of Diwali 2026 begin with Dhanteras on Friday, 6 November and end with Bhai Dooj on Wednesday, 11 November.

The Diwali period is not one identical ritual everywhere: its sequence, names, and puja timing vary by region and household. The following schedule is a useful starting point.

5 days of Diwali 2026: date-by-date schedule

Date	Day / observance	Common focus
Friday, 6 November	Day 1: Dhanteras	Cleaning, preparing the home, evening lamps, and in many families buying useful household or devotional items.
Saturday, 7 November	Day 2: Narak Chaturdashi / Chhoti Diwali / Kali Chaudas	Regional traditions differ; some observe the main Narak Chaturdashi bath and rituals on the morning of 8 November.
Sunday, 8 November	Day 3: Diwali / Lakshmi Puja	Lamps, Lakshmi–Ganesha puja, family gathering, and renewal.
Monday, 9 November	Gap day in many calendars	Amavasya ends around midday; Mumbai and some regional calendars observe Govardhan Puja this evening.
Tuesday, 10 November	Day 4: Govardhan Puja / Annakut	Krishna worship and food offerings; Bali Pratipada and the Gujarati new year in western India.
Wednesday, 11 November	Day 5: Bhai Dooj	A sibling-focused family observance.

Because Amavasya ends around midday on 9 November and Pratipada continues into 10 November, the “five days of Diwali” stretch across six calendar days in 2026. The dates were checked against Drik Panchang’s India 2026 festival calendar (New Delhi). Mumbai listings place Govardhan Puja on 9 November.

Diwali puja 2026: Lakshmi Puja muhurat

Detail	2026
Lakshmi Puja date	Sunday, 8 November
Puja period	Pradosh Kaal, after sunset
Pradosh Kaal in Delhi (approximate)	About 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Amavasya tithi	Covers the evening of 8 November, ends around midday on 9 November

Muhurat is local: do not use a puja time calculated for another city. Panchang publishers can differ by several minutes even for the same city, so confirm the final window with the panchang your family or temple follows.

A simple Lakshmi Puja plan

Clean the puja space, arrange a lamp, water, flowers, and any customary offering, and use a short prayer with attention rather than trying to reproduce an elaborate ceremony from memory. Worship Ganesha first, then Lakshmi with the Lakshmi Mantra, and close with the Om Jai Lakshmi Mata aarti. If your household has a priest, temple, or established family method, follow that. The Diwali Lakshmi Puja guide gives a step-by-step home vidhi and samagri list.

The Diwali story and significance explains why the festival carries several connected stories and meanings. For Lakshmi devotion beyond the festival, see powerful Lakshmi mantras.

Planning checklist for Diwali 2026

• Late October: finish deep cleaning and repairs; Karwa Chauth falls on 29 October for those who observe it.
• 6 November (Dhanteras): light the first lamps; read why Dhanteras is celebrated.
• 8 November (Diwali): set up the altar before sunset and confirm your local Lakshmi Puja muhurat.
• 9–10 November: prepare the Annakut offering; the Govardhan Puja story explains its meaning.
• 11 November: Bhai Dooj tilak and family meal.
• 13–16 November: Chhath Puja 2026, with the main Sandhya Arghya on 15 November.

Important regional differences

In some regions, the day called Narak Chaturdashi, the new-year observance, Govardhan Puja, or Bali Pratipada may be emphasized differently. The Diwali amavasya date is widely shared, but the precise Lakshmi Puja window depends on local sunset and pradosh conditions. Confirm with the panchang used in your city or by your temple.

See the autumn Hindu festivals 2026 guide and the complete Hindu festival calendar 2026 for the surrounding festival season.