India (north and west)
Five days from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj; Govardhan Puja on Tue 10 Nov in most cities per Drik Panchang.
One Deepawali, many calendars
On Sunday 8 November 2026, lamps are lit from Amritsar to Kathmandu to Toronto. Here is how the same night is kept in different places.
5:54 PMNew Delhi muhurat opens
Sun 8 NovIndia and USA
Tue 24 NovDev Deepawali
Deepawali (Diwali) 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November 2026. Lakshmi Puja muhurat in New Delhi is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST. The five days run from Dhanteras on 6 November to Bhai Dooj on 11 November, with Govardhan Puja on 10 November, and Dev Deepawali in Varanasi follows on 24 November. It is the first Diwali since UNESCO inscribed Deepavali as intangible cultural heritage in December 2025.
How the festival is kept
West Bengal, Odisha, Assam
The new-moon night belongs to Kali, with clay images, night-long worship and lamps; Bhai Phonta follows.
Gujarat
Diwali closes the year with Sharda Puja on the account books, and Bestu Varas, the New Year, falls on the Govardhan Puja day.
Tamil Nadu and the south
The south's main celebration is the pre-dawn oil bath and new clothes of Naraka Chaturdashi; in 2026 both north and south land on the same weekend.
Punjab and Sikhs everywhere
Sikhs remember Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior fort; the Golden Temple is lit and fireworks fill the Amritsar sky.
Jains
Jains mark the nirvana of Mahavira at Diwali, and many begin the new year the next day.
Nepal
Kag Tihar for crows, Kukur Tihar for dogs, Gai Tihar and Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan and Mha Puja, and Bhai Tika to finish.
USA, Canada, UK
Same main night as India, but use local sunset: the muhurat follows your own Pradosh Kaal. Govardhan Puja falls on Mon 9 Nov across the western hemisphere.
Celebrating away from home
For families abroad, the hardest part of Diwali is that it usually falls on a working day. In 2026 the main night is a Sunday, which makes it easier than usual to keep properly outside India.
Use your own sunset. The Indian muhurat is for Indian cities. Lakshmi Puja is done in Pradosh Kaal after your local sunset, so check a panchang set to your city rather than converting IST.
Plan the call. When it is 5:54 PM in Delhi it is early morning on the US west coast, so families split across time zones often do two pujas: one with the grandparents on video, one in their own evening.
Find the community. Temples, Indian associations and university groups hold Diwali melas on the weekends around the date, often with Annakut, rangoli and children's programmes.
Ship gifts early. International parcels to India and back need two to three weeks; send sweets that travel, like dry-fruit boxes, or order from a shop near the family.
A public holiday in many countries
The main day of Diwali is an official holiday in, among others:
- India
- Nepal
- Fiji
- Guyana
- Malaysia
- Mauritius
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
On 10 December 2025 UNESCO inscribed Deepavali on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, at the committee's twentieth session held at the Red Fort in New Delhi. It is India's sixteenth element on the list, recorded under social practices, rituals and festive events.
2026 dates (India)
| Date | Observance | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| DhanterasDhantrayodashi, Yama Deepam | Lakshmi–Kuber puja 6:02–7:57 PM IST (New Delhi). Trayodashi runs from 10:30 AM on 6 Nov to about 10:47 AM on 7 Nov. | |
| Choti DiwaliNaraka Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Hanuman Puja | Some panchangs place the Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath on the morning of 8 Nov; follow your family calendar. | |
| Diwali : Lakshmi PujaKali Puja in Bengal, Sharda Puja in Gujarat | Lakshmi–Ganesh puja 5:54–7:50 PM IST in New Delhi, inside Pradosh Kaal 5:31–8:09 PM. | |
| Govardhan PujaAnnakut, Bali Pratipada, Gujarati New Year | Drik Panchang lists 10 Nov for most Indian cities; some calendars and places outside India keep it on 9 Nov. | |
| Bhai DoojBhai Phonta, Bhau Beej, Bhai Tika | Kartik Shukla Dwitiya. The tilak is traditionally done in the afternoon (aparahna). | |
| Dev Deepawali, VaranasiKartik Purnima | Fifteen days after Diwali the ghats of Kashi are lined with lamps. A few listings give 25 Nov; Drik Panchang and most guides give 24 Nov. |
| City | Muhurat |
|---|---|
| New Delhi | 5:54 PM – 7:50 PM |
| Jaipur | 6:03 PM – 7:59 PM |
| Chennai | 6:07 PM – 8:09 PM |
| Pune | 6:24 PM – 8:24 PM |
Source: Drik Panchang (Pradosh Kaal with Vrishabha Kaal). Delhi Pradosh Kaal is 5:31–8:09 PM; the Mahanishita Kaal window for night puja is 11:39 PM to 12:31 AM.
The common ground
Clean the house, the office and the car
Cleaning before Diwali clears out the old year: it is a way of removing negativity and making room for Lakshmi. Do the deep work in the last week of October so the days just before 6 November are free for shopping and decorating.
Decorate with diyas, rangoli and flowers
Diyas on the windowsill and balcony, rangoli at the door and marigold toran over it are the classic three. Mix clay diyas with LED strings or electronic diyas where open flame is risky, and buy handmade, eco-friendly pieces from local potters and artisans.
Prepare the puja thali
Lay a clean cloth on a plate and arrange a diya, incense, flowers, fruit, dry fruits and sweets. Laddoos, barfi and kheer are the usual offerings, and the same sweets go round to family and neighbours afterwards.
Gifts for family
Think about the person, not the price: a puja set for parents, a small personalised piece of jewellery for a sibling, a warm blanket for grandparents, or something handcrafted and a box of local delicacies. The thought behind it is what is remembered.
Send wishes and e-cards
Send personal wishes to family, friends and colleagues a day or two before 8 November, and save the phone calls for Diwali evening after the puja.
Buy local, and share
Choosing local potters, florists, sweet-makers and craftspeople keeps the money in your own neighbourhood. Set aside a share of the festival budget for people who need it: sweets, clothes or diyas for families who cannot buy them.
Pictures
Wishes from readers in India and abroad
As the festival of lights brightens our homes and hearts, may this Diwali bring endless joy, prosperity and happiness to you and your loved ones. May the light of the diyas remove the darkness in your life and light your path with peace, wisdom and success.
May Goddess Lakshmi bless your home with wealth, health and happiness, and may Lord Ganesha remove every obstacle from your path. Let's remember what Diwali teaches us: light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.
May the days ahead be as colourful as the rangoli on your doorstep, as sweet as the laddoos shared with friends and family, and as radiant as the lights in the sky. Wishing you and your loved ones a Diwali full of love, light and peace.
Happy Deepawali 2026! May Lakshmi ji walk in through an open door, and may every diya you light on 8 November keep glowing all year.
शुभ दीपावली! आपके घर में सुख, समृद्धि और ढेर सारी रोशनी आए।
This year the whole world recognises the festival we grew up with. Wishing you a bright, safe and sweet Diwali 2026.
From Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj, may all five days bring you good health, good company and very good mithai.
Deepawali 2026: questions people ask
When is Diwali in 2026?
The main day of Diwali, the night of Lakshmi Puja, is Sunday 8 November 2026, on Kartik Amavasya. The festival opens with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November and closes with Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November.
What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Diwali 2026?
Drik Panchang gives 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST for New Delhi on 8 November, the Vrishabha Kaal inside Pradosh Kaal (5:31 PM to 8:09 PM). Jaipur is 6:03 to 7:59 PM, Chennai 6:07 to 8:09 PM and Pune 6:24 to 8:24 PM. Check a panchang for your own city.
Is Diwali 2026 on 8 or 9 November?
8 November. Amavasya also touches the sunrise of 9 November, but Lakshmi Puja is done in the evening, and the Amavasya that covers the evening puja window falls on the 8th.
When is Govardhan Puja in 2026?
Drik Panchang lists Tuesday 10 November for most Indian cities, because Pratipada only reaches sunrise on the 10th. Some calendars, some cities and most of the western hemisphere keep it on Monday 9 November.
When is Bhai Dooj in 2026?
Wednesday 11 November 2026, on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya.
When is Dev Deepawali 2026 in Varanasi?
Tuesday 24 November 2026, on Kartik Purnima, fifteen days after Diwali. A few listings give 25 November, so confirm locally before booking a boat.
Is Diwali a UNESCO heritage?
Yes. Deepavali was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 10 December 2025, making Diwali 2026 the first since that recognition.
Is Diwali on the same day in the USA and India in 2026?
Yes, the Lakshmi Puja night is Sunday 8 November in both, though the muhurat follows local sunset. The days around it can differ, so use a panchang set to your city.
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