Diwali 2026: Date, 5-Day Festival Calendar & Puja Vidhi

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, when Lakshmi Puja is performed after sunset on Kartik Amavasya. Diwali is not a single day but the third and biggest day of a five-day festival that runs from Dhanteras on Friday, November 6 through Bhai Dooj on Tuesday, November 10, 2026 — all dates confirmed against Drik Panchang's New Delhi panchang for this year.

Diwali 2026: Five-Day Calendar at a Glance

Each day of Diwali has its own deity, ritual, and significance. The dates below are confirmed for India (New Delhi reference) and match Daanyam's own festival calendar for 2026.

Why Does Diwali Last Five Days?

Diwali is the biggest festival on the Hindu calendar, and different regions and traditions layer several distinct observances around the main Lakshmi Puja night. Each day carries its own katha (legend) and ritual, which is why families often use the term “Diwali” loosely for the entire five-day period even though the Lakshmi Puja itself is only one evening — Sunday, November 8 this year.

Day 1: Dhanteras (Friday, November 6)

Dhanteras — short for Dhantrayodashi, the Trayodashi (13th) tithi of Krishna Paksha in Kartik — opens the festival. Legend holds that Goddess Lakshmi emerged from the churning of the cosmic ocean on this day, so she is worshipped alongside Lord Kubera, the treasurer of the gods. The day is also Dhanvantari Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the god of Ayurveda, and many households light a Yama Deepam (lamp for Yamaraj) at the door to ward off untimely death. Buying gold, silver, or new utensils on Dhanteras is considered to invite prosperity for the year ahead; per Drik Panchang, the Pradosh Kaal puja window for New Delhi this year is roughly 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM.

Day 2: Choti Diwali / Naraka Chaturdashi (Saturday, November 7)

Also called Roop Chaturdashi or Roop Chaudas, this day commemorates Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura, who had imprisoned thousands of women. The key ritual is Abhyang Snan — a ritual oil bath taken before sunrise, while Chaturdashi tithi is still active and the moon is up. In some regions this day is treated as the same civil day as Diwali itself; in 2026 the tithi calculations keep it distinct, a day before the main Lakshmi Puja.

Day 3: Diwali / Lakshmi Puja (Sunday, November 8)

This is Diwali proper — the night of Kartik Amavasya (new moon) when Goddess Lakshmi is invited into freshly cleaned, lamp-lit homes. The Puja is performed during Pradosh Kaal, the twilight period beginning at sunset, and ideally while Vrishabha Lagna (a fixed ascendant) prevails, since a “sthir” or fixed lagna is believed to keep Lakshmi's blessings from leaving the home. For New Delhi, Drik Panchang lists the main Pradosh Kaal muhurat as roughly 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM on November 8 — timings shift by 20–40 minutes for other Indian cities, so it's worth checking a city-specific muhurat before you begin.

These Pradosh Kaal windows are sourced from Drik Panchang for November 8, 2026, and represent the traditional sunset-to-Vrishabha-Lagna window used for Lakshmi Puja; Choghadiya-based “auspicious hours” earlier in the day are better suited to travel or shopping than to the main puja.

Day 4: Govardhan Puja (Monday, November 9)

On Pratipada tithi, the day after Lakshmi Puja, Krishna's lifting of Govardhan Hill to shelter the people of Vraj from Indra's wrath is remembered with Annakut — literally “mountain of food” — where dozens of vegetarian dishes are prepared and offered. In Maharashtra the same day is Bali Pratipada, marking Vishnu's Vamana avatar subduing King Bali; in Gujarat it frequently coincides with the Gujarati New Year.

Day 5: Bhai Dooj (Tuesday, November 10)

The festival closes on Dwitiya tithi with Bhai Dooj, also called Bhau Beej or Yama Dwitiya. Sisters apply tilak on their brothers' foreheads and pray for their long life, echoing the legend of Yamaraj visiting his sister Yamuna's home. Drik Panchang lists the Aparahna tilak window for New Delhi as roughly 1:10 PM to 3:19 PM on November 10.

Is Diwali on the Same Date Everywhere in India?

The civil date — November 8 — is shared across India for Lakshmi Puja, since Amavasya tithi is calculated for sunset-to-sunset. What differs by city is the exact clock time of the Pradosh Kaal muhurat, because that depends on local sunset, which shifts with longitude. Mumbai's window opens later in clock time than Kolkata's, for instance, even though both are worshipping on the same tithi.

What Is the Story Behind Diwali?

Diwali's central legend, most popular in North India, is Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana after 14 years of exile and his victory over Ravana — the city is said to have lit rows of clay lamps (diyas) to welcome him home, giving the festival its name (“Deepavali,” a row of lamps). In western and southern India, the Krishna-Narakasura legend from Choti Diwali and the Lakshmi-emerging-from-the-ocean story from Dhanteras are equally central. Bengal and parts of the East instead worship Goddess Kali on Amavasya night (Kali Puja), on the very tithi that coincides with Lakshmi Puja elsewhere.

Diwali Puja Vidhi: A Simple Lakshmi Puja at Home

Every household has its own family tradition, but the widely followed Shodashopachar (16-step) Lakshmi Puja can be simplified into the following core steps for Sunday evening, November 8:

1. Clean and light the home before sunset; place diyas at the entrance and windows to welcome Lakshmi.
2. Draw a rangoli near the main door and place a kalash (water pot) with a coconut and mango leaves at the entrance.
3. Set up a raised platform with idols or images of Lakshmi and Ganesha, dressed in red or yellow cloth.
4. Light a ghee diya and incense; begin with an invocation to Ganesha before Lakshmi puja.
5. Offer akshat (unbroken rice), flowers, sweets, and fruits to the deities.
6. Recite the Lakshmi mantra or Lakshmi Chalisa, followed by Aarti once Pradosh Kaal begins.
7. Open account books (Chopda Pujan) if observing the business New Year tradition.
8. Distribute prasad and sweets to family, and keep the diyas lit through the night.

Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namaha

— Lakshmi Beej Mantra, chanted during Diwali Lakshmi Puja

What Should You Avoid on Diwali Night?

Traditional guidance discourages performing Lakshmi Puja during Choghadiya muhurat slots, since those windows are considered suited for travel rather than fixed worship — Pradosh Kaal combined with a stable (sthir) lagna is preferred instead. Many households also avoid buying iron or steel on Dhanteras, reserving those purchases for gold, silver, brass, or new utensils, which are seen as inviting Lakshmi's presence rather than Shani's.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Choti Diwali the same day as Diwali in 2026?

No. In 2026, Choti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi) falls on Saturday, November 7, one day before the main Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, November 8. The two can occasionally fall on the same civil day depending on how the Chaturdashi and Amavasya tithis align with sunrise, but this year they are distinct.

Why is Govardhan Puja sometimes the day after Diwali and sometimes the same day?

Govardhan Puja is tied to Pratipada tithi. When Pratipada begins late in the day, celebrations can shift to the following day; when it starts earlier, Govardhan Puja can coincide with Diwali evening itself. For 2026, Pratipada tithi begins after midnight on November 9, so Govardhan Puja is observed on Monday, November 9 — the day after Lakshmi Puja.

Do I need to fast on Diwali?

A day-long fast on Lakshmi Puja day, broken only after the evening puja, is a common but optional practice among devotees of Goddess Lakshmi. It is not mandatory — most households simply focus on cleaning, decorating, and performing the evening puja together.

Plan Your Diwali 2026 Puja

Whether you are timing the Lakshmi Puja muhurat for your exact city, checking the wider festival calendar, or looking for a way to mark the festival's spirit of giving, Daanyam has the tools to help.