Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. That is the main day — Lakshmi Puja. The festival runs for five days, from Friday, 6 November to Wednesday, 11 November.
And here is some good news: because the main day is a Sunday, most families can celebrate together without rushing home from work or school.
When is Diwali in 2026? Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November. The five-day festival runs from Dhanteras (6 November) to Bhai Dooj (11 November). The evening of 8 November, just after sunset, is the most auspicious time for Lakshmi Puja. Dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar.
The five days of Diwali 2026, with dates
| Day | Date (2026) | Name | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friday, 6 November | Dhanteras | People buy gold, silver, or new utensils — it is considered lucky. Families pray to Dhanvantari (god of health) and Goddess Lakshmi. |
| 2 | Saturday, 7 November | Choti Diwali (small Diwali) | Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura is remembered. Many take a ritual oil bath before sunrise. (Some panchangs mark Naraka Chaturdashi on the morning of Sunday, 8 November instead.) |
| 3 | Sunday, 8 November | Diwali / Lakshmi Puja | The main day. Lakshmi-Ganesha puja in the evening, rows of diyas, rangoli, sweets, and fireworks. |
| 4 | Tuesday, 10 November | Govardhan Puja | Honours Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill to protect villagers. Temples prepare the annakut — a mountain of food offered to God. |
| 5 | Wednesday, 11 November | Bhai Dooj | Sisters pray for their brothers’ long life and put a tilak on their forehead. Brothers give gifts in return. |
Dates are as per Drik Panchang. Timings can shift slightly by city, so check your local panchang for exact muhurat.
Why do we celebrate Diwali? The story in simple words
Long ago, Prince Rama of Ayodhya was sent away from his kingdom for 14 years. His wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana went with him into the forest. During that time, the demon king Ravana kidnapped Sita and carried her away to his island kingdom, Lanka.
Rama searched everywhere for her. With the help of Hanuman and an army of monkeys and bears — yes, that is really how the story goes — he built a bridge across the sea, reached Lanka, fought Ravana, and defeated him. Then he brought Sita home.
When Rama returned to Ayodhya after 14 long years, the people were overjoyed. They lit rows of small oil lamps — diyas — along every street to welcome him home and to show that good had beaten evil, and light had beaten darkness. That night of lamps is the Diwali we celebrate.
Two more stories belong to the festival. In South India, Diwali mainly celebrates Lord Krishna killing the demon Narakasura, who had troubled the world. And on Diwali night, many pray to Goddess Lakshmi because she is said to have emerged during the churning of the cosmic ocean — so the night invites her blessings of wealth and prosperity into the home.
Dhanteras: when India goes shopping
The festival does not start with lamps. It starts with shopping.
Dhanteras, the first day, is one of the biggest buying days of the year in India. Gold and silver top the list — a small coin, a bangle, sometimes just a spoon. People also buy new utensils for the kitchen, and many families pick this day to buy cars, phones, or home appliances. Shops stay open late. Jewellers do their best business of the year.
The idea is simple: buying something new on Dhanteras is believed to bring more wealth into the house. Even people who buy nothing all year make an exception on this day. Whether you believe the custom or not, the markets tell their own story — crowded, bright, and buzzing till midnight.
How India celebrates — one festival, many colours
Diwali looks a little different in every part of India.
In North India, the heart of the festival is Lakshmi Puja and the story of Rama’s return, with grand fireworks at night. In South India, Naraka Chaturdashi — with its early-morning oil bath — is the biggest day in many families. In Gujarat and parts of West India, Diwali also marks the new year (Bestu Varas), and businessmen worship their new account books in the Chopda Pujan ceremony. In Bengal, the same night is Kali Puja, dedicated to Goddess Kali.
Some things are the same everywhere: earthen diyas glowing in rows, colourful rangoli patterns at the doorstep, new clothes, boxes of mithai exchanged with neighbours, and families sitting together late into the night — often over a friendly game of cards.
In many cities the festival is quietly changing. More diyas, fewer crackers. Cleaner air. And kinder to the street dogs who shake at every loud bang.
When to do the Lakshmi Puja
The puja happens on the evening of Sunday, 8 November, in the Pradosh Kaal — that is the twilight time just after sunset. Most calculations place it roughly between 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM, but the exact window changes from city to city. Check a panchang made for your own city.
The basic steps, in plain words:
- Clean the house in the morning and draw a rangoli at the entrance.
- In the evening, place idols or pictures of Lakshmi and Ganesha on a clean altar with flowers.
- Light diyas at the door and around the house — a lit, welcoming home is the whole point.
- Offer flowers, sweets, and a coin to the Goddess, then do the aarti with the whole family.
- Keep one diya burning through the night.
Stay safe with diyas and crackers
Diwali is fun, but every year hospitals see burn injuries that could have been avoided. A few simple rules, collected from doctors and fire departments:
- Only adults should light crackers. Children enjoy from a safe distance, under supervision.
- Wear cotton clothes. Synthetic cloth catches fire fast — this is the single most repeated warning from doctors.
- Never try to light a cracker again if it fails the first time. Leave it alone.
- Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby when bursting crackers.
- Place diyas on flat, steady surfaces, away from curtains, decorations, and spots where they can be knocked over.
- Do not overload electric sockets with decorative lights. Check old light strings for damage.
- If someone gets burned: cool the skin under clean running water for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not put ice, toothpaste, or ghee on a burn. For deep burns, or any eye injury, go to a hospital right away.
One small thing that makes 2026 special
Diwali is fixed by the moon, not by our calendar. It always falls on Amavasya — the new-moon night — of the Kartik month. In 2026, that moonless night lands on a Sunday. No taking leave, no half-day rush. The whole family can sit for the puja together.
Here is a detail for families with relatives abroad: this year the main date matches in the USA too — Sunday, 8 November. But two of the later days shift by a day there because of time zones, so if your cousin in America says “Govardhan on Monday,” you are both right.
Frequently asked questions
Is Diwali on 7 or 8 November 2026?
Diwali and Lakshmi Puja are on Sunday, 8 November 2026, everywhere in India. Saturday, 7 November is Choti Diwali. The confusion comes from Naraka Chaturdashi, which some panchangs mark on the morning of the 8th.
What is the muhurat for Lakshmi Puja 2026?
The evening of 8 November, just after sunset (Pradosh Kaal), roughly 6:00 to 8:30 PM. The exact window differs by city — check your local panchang.
When is Bhai Dooj 2026?
Wednesday, 11 November 2026.
Why does the Diwali date change every year?
Because Diwali follows the Hindu lunar calendar. It is always the new-moon night (Amavasya) of the Kartik month, and that night falls on a different English date each year.
Mark the calendar: Sunday, 8 November. Start with Dhanteras shopping on Friday the 6th, light your diyas on Sunday evening, keep one burning all night, and if you are bursting crackers, keep that bucket of water ready. Shubh Deepavali.
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