Diwali 2026 Date and Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: City Timings, 5 Days

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November. Lakshmi Puja is done that evening, and the main muhurat for New Delhi is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM, as listed from Drik Panchang. Timings shift by city because they depend on local sunset, so Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai each have a different window.

This year the calendar has two unusual points. Choti Diwali and Diwali fall on the same day, and Govardhan Puja comes two days after Diwali instead of the next morning. Below are the full dates for all five days, city-wise puja timings and a simple puja checklist.

Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat at a glance

Lakshmi Puja is done on the evening when Amavasya is present during Pradosh Kaal, the period that starts at sunset. On 8 November, Amavasya begins in the late morning and runs through the evening, so the evening of the 8th is the correct day.

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Why the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM

Panchangs such as Drik Panchang pick the Lakshmi Puja muhurat by looking for the overlap of two periods. The first is Pradosh Kaal, which begins at sunset. The second is Vrishabha Kaal, the time when the fixed sign Vrishabha (Taurus) is rising.

A fixed lagna is preferred because it is believed to help Lakshmi stay in the home. In New Delhi on 8 November, the overlap of these two periods comes to 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM. Families who cannot do the puja in this window usually still perform it within Pradosh Kaal.

Some business families, especially those doing Chopda Pujan or the worship of new account books, prefer a late-night muhurat in Nishita Kaal. Ask your family priest which tradition you follow.

Note that the muhurat is calculated for a specific place. If you are travelling for Diwali, use the timings for the city where you will actually do the puja, not your home city.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 in major cities

The times below are approximate and are based on calculations published by HinduTone using the same Pradosh Kaal and Vrishabha lagna method. Other panchangs may differ by a few minutes, so confirm your own city on Drik Panchang or with your local priest.

Cities in the east, such as Kolkata, see sunset earlier, so their muhurat starts earlier. Western cities such as Mumbai have later sunsets and later timings.

Five days of Diwali 2026 with dates

Day 1: Dhanteras, 6 November

Dhanteras marks the start of the festival. Families worship Dhanvantari and Lakshmi, and many buy gold, silver, utensils or a new household item on this day as a sign of good fortune. In the evening, a lamp is lit for Yama, facing south, outside the home.

Day 2: Narak Chaturdashi, 8 November

Narak Chaturdashi, also called Choti Diwali, marks Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura. In 2026 it falls on the same day as Diwali. The Chaturdashi tithi is present at sunrise on 8 November, so the early morning oil bath (Abhyang Snan) is done that morning, and Lakshmi Puja follows in the evening once Amavasya has begun.

Some calendars list Choti Diwali on Saturday, 7 November. If your family follows a regional calendar, check it for the bath timing.

Day 3: Diwali, 8 November

The main day. Homes are cleaned and decorated with diyas and rangoli, and Lakshmi and Ganesh are worshipped in the evening muhurat. In West Bengal, Odisha and Assam, the Amavasya night is also observed as Kali Puja.

What happens on 9 November

Monday, 9 November sits between Diwali and Govardhan Puja. Amavasya is still running in the morning and ends at about 12:33 PM. There is no major festival fixed to this day in most North Indian calendars, so many families use it to visit relatives and exchange sweets.

Calendars do not all agree on this gap. A few listings place Govardhan Puja on 9 November and Bhai Dooj on 10 November. Panchangs that follow the sunrise tithi rule, including the one cited here, give 10 and 11 November.

Day 4: Govardhan Puja, 10 November

Govardhan Puja remembers Krishna lifting Govardhan hill to shelter the people of Vrindavan. It is observed on Kartik Shukla Pratipada. Because Amavasya continues until about 12:33 PM on 9 November, Pratipada is present at sunrise only on 10 November, which is why Govardhan Puja and Annakut fall two days after Diwali this year.

Day 5: Bhai Dooj, 11 November

Bhai Dooj closes the festival. Sisters apply a tilak on their brothers’ foreheads and pray for their well-being, and brothers give gifts in return. Gifting has moved well beyond sweets and cash. Clothes, gadgets and accessories such as a pair of sunglasses from Rawbare are common choices now.

How to do Lakshmi Puja at home: a simple checklist

Practices vary by region and family. This is a basic order that most households follow.

1. Clean the house and the puja area during the day. Make a rangoli at the entrance.
2. Place a clean red or yellow cloth on a raised platform and set idols or images of Lakshmi and Ganesh on it.
3. Keep a kalash of water with mango leaves and a coconut, along with rice, kumkum, haldi, flowers, sweets, fruits and coins.
4. Light a ghee diya before the muhurat starts and keep it burning through the puja.
5. Begin with Ganesh puja, then worship Lakshmi with flowers, kumkum and offerings. Recite the mantras or aarti your family uses.
6. Perform the aarti, offer prasad and share it with everyone present.
7. Light diyas across the house, at windows and at the main door after the puja.

What if you miss the muhurat

The muhurat is the preferred time, not the only time. Many households that miss the Vrishabha window still complete Lakshmi Puja within Pradosh Kaal on the same evening, and some keep a second, smaller puja for later at night. The puja should be done on the evening of 8 November itself, since that is when Amavasya and Pradosh Kaal overlap.

Practical tips for Diwali week

• Plan purchases for Dhanteras on 6 November. Jewellery shops get crowded in the evening, so go earlier in the day if you can.
• Set a reminder for the muhurat. In most cities the window opens between about 5:20 PM and 6:30 PM, so finish cooking and dressing up before sunset.
• Keep the long weekend in mind. Diwali is on a Sunday, and Bhai Dooj is on the following Wednesday, so travel plans need to cover both dates.
• Follow local rules on firecrackers. Several cities and states set time limits or allow only green crackers. Check your city’s notice before buying.

Diwali weekend is also a big week for theatres, with Ramayana: Part 1 set for a festival release. Read our Ramayana Part 1 release date and cast guide, or see what else is playing in our list of new movies in theatres in October and November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Drik Panchang, HinduTone city-wise muhurat, PanchangBodh.