Quick answer: Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, November 8. Per the New Delhi panchang, the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM, and Amavasya runs from 11:27 AM on November 8 to 12:31 PM on November 9. Dhanteras is Friday, November 6, Choti Diwali is the evening of November 7, Govardhan Puja is November 10 and Bhai Dooj is November 11. Timings vary by city, so check your local panchang.
With Karwa Chauth here, every family group chat now has the same question: when exactly is Diwali this year? Here are the dates and timings.
Diwali 2026 date and muhurat
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, according to Brut, which cites the Drik Panchang New Delhi calendar. Hindu Festival Hub gives the same date and puja window. For New Delhi:
- Lakshmi Puja muhurat: 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM (1 hour 56 minutes).
- Pradosh Kaal: 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM.
- Amavasya tithi: begins 11:27 AM on November 8 and ends 12:31 PM on November 9.
Other cities follow local sunset, so the window shifts by a few minutes. Your family priest or a local panchang will give the exact time.
The five days of Diwali 2026
| Day | Festival | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dhanteras | Friday, November 6 |
| 2 | Choti Diwali (evening) / Naraka Chaturdashi | Saturday, November 7 (abhyang snan before sunrise on November 8) |
| 3 | Lakshmi Puja / Diwali | Sunday, November 8 |
| 4 | Govardhan Puja / Annakut | Tuesday, November 10 |
| 5 | Bhai Dooj | Wednesday, November 11 |
Because Amavasya runs into the afternoon of November 9, Govardhan Puja moves to November 10 this year. Some regional calendars mark Naraka Chaturdashi and Bhai Dooj a day apart from this list, so check what your family follows.
Why it matters if you're hosting
Diwali on a Sunday is good news for gatherings: Saturday and Sunday are both free for most people, and Dhanteras lands on a Friday evening.
- Send Diwali party invites this week. With a weekend Diwali, the Friday and Saturday evenings before it fill up fast.
- Plan puja first, party second. In Delhi the muhurat ends at 7:50 PM, so invite guests for 8 PM if your puja is at home.
- Budget for Dhanteras. If you're buying gold or silver on November 6, it's worth seeing how gold prices are moving this wedding season.
- Wedding season starts right after. Many families fix dates soon after Diwali. See the November and December 2026 wedding dates.
A 10-day countdown
Diwali is about ten days away, so here's a simple order to do things in:
- This weekend: deep-clean and declutter, and book any electrician or painter now, before they're fully booked.
- By November 2: send party invitations and confirm who's visiting on which day.
- By November 5: buy diyas, rangoli colours, flowers, sweets and gift hampers.
- November 6 (Dhanteras): make any planned gold, silver or utensil purchase.
- November 8: set up the puja corner in the afternoon so you're ready well before the muhurat.
People Also Asked
Explore common questions related to this blog.
Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, November 8.
In New Delhi, 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM on November 8, per Drik Panchang. Check a local panchang for your city.
Dhanteras is on Friday, November 6, 2026.
