दीवाली 2026 — पाँचों दिन की तारीख़ और लक्ष्मी पूजा मुहूर्त
यह लेख अंग्रेज़ी में है।
Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday 8 November 2026. Here is how the date is decided, the pradosh kaal and sthir lagna windows for Delhi, and the dates for Dhanteras, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj.
Diwali is not one day but five, running from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj. The main night — Lakshmi Puja — falls on the Amavasya of Kartik (Ashwin in the amanta calendar used in the south and west), and in 2026 that is Sunday 8 November.
The five days in 2026
| Day | Date | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| Dhanteras (Dhanatrayodashi) | Friday 6 November | Dhanvantari and Lakshmi; buying metal and utensils |
| Narak Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali) | 7–8 November | Victory over Narakasura; lamps for Yama |
| Lakshmi Puja (Diwali) | Sunday 8 November | Lakshmi and Ganesh puja at dusk |
| Govardhan Puja / Annakut | Tuesday 10 November | Krishna lifting Govardhan |
| Bhai Dooj | Wednesday 11 November | Sisters and brothers |
Dates are for New Delhi. Monday 9 November sits between Diwali and Govardhan Puja this year because Amavasya runs until about 12:30 pm that day.
How the Diwali date is fixed
Lakshmi Puja is performed in pradosh kaal — the period of about two hours and twenty-four minutes after sunset — on the day when Amavasya is running at pradosh.
In 2026 the Amavasya tithi begins at about 11:28 am on 8 November and ends at about 12:31 pm on 9 November (Delhi). On the evening of 8 November, Amavasya is running through pradosh. On the evening of 9 November it has already ended. So Diwali is the 8th.
Lakshmi Puja muhurat, 8 November (New Delhi)
- Sunset: 5:31 pm
- Pradosh kaal: 5:31 pm to about 7:55 pm
- Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna: about 5:55 pm to 7:51 pm
Vrishabha is a sthir (fixed) lagna. The tradition holds that Lakshmi invited during a fixed lagna stays, so the most favoured window is where pradosh and Vrishabha overlap: about 5:55 pm to 7:51 pm in Delhi.
The sunset and the lagna shift with longitude. Mumbai is roughly 30 minutes later than Delhi, Kolkata about 35 minutes earlier. The panchang gives your city's sunset, and a local panchang or your purohit will give the exact lagna.
Business families who perform Chopda Pujan (new account books) often also use the Simha (Leo) lagna around midnight — the nishita kaal — which is the other fixed lagna of the night.
Dhanteras, 6 November
Dhanteras is kept on the day Trayodashi is running at pradosh, which in 2026 is Friday 6 November. It is the traditional day to buy gold, silver, brass or steel utensils, and to light a Yama deepak facing south at the door in the evening.
If buying gold, the day matters less than the purity mark: look for the BIS hallmark and the HUID code.
Why two planets are retrograde this Diwali
In 2026, Venus (Shukra) is retrograde from about 3 October to 14 November, and Mercury (Budh) from about 24 October to 14 November. Both cover Diwali.
Some astrologers advise against signing major contracts or making large luxury purchases while Venus is retrograde. That is a matter of individual charts, not a reason to change the festival: Lakshmi Puja is fixed by the tithi, and the tradition does not move it for retrogrades. Read more in our piece on Mercury and Venus retrograde in 2026.
A simple Lakshmi Puja at home
- Clean the house and the doorway; make a rangoli and light diyas at the entrance.
- Place Ganesh on the left and Lakshmi on the right on a clean red or yellow cloth, facing east or north.
- Keep a kalash of water with mango leaves and a coconut, a few coins, rice, kumkum, flowers and sweets.
- Worship Ganesh first, then Lakshmi. Recite the Shri Suktam or simply Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah 108 times.
- Offer aarti, and keep one diya burning through the night if you can do so safely.
Kuber, and in business homes the account books and the cash box, are worshipped alongside.
Common questions
Is Diwali on the 8th everywhere in India? Yes. The Amavasya runs through pradosh on 8 November across India, so the date is the same even though the exact timings differ.
What about Kali Puja in Bengal? Kali Puja is performed at midnight on the Amavasya, which is also the night of 8 November in 2026.
Can I do Lakshmi Puja after the Vrishabha window? Yes. Pradosh kaal as a whole is auspicious, and the tradition treats sincere worship at any time that night as complete. The fixed lagna is a preference, not a condition.
Planning a griha pravesh or a purchase around Diwali? The shubh muhurat finder checks the days either side.
ज्योतिषवाणी संपादकीय टीम द्वारा शास्त्रीय स्रोतों से लिखा गया। अपनी कुंडली के विश्लेषण के लिए ज्योतिषी से बात करें।
