Lakshmi Puja is on Sunday 8 November. Here is how to make the house, the doorstep and the street look their best by then.
In short: 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.
Every October the markets go first. Delhi's Connaught Place wraps its white colonnades in light, Chandni Chowk hangs strings across lanes barely wide enough for a rickshaw, and Jaipur lights the pink city around the Hawa Mahal and the Raja Park market. Walk them in the evenings of the last week before Diwali, when the decorations are complete and the shops are open late.
Go after dark on a weekday; the inner circle is the most photographed.
Wholesale lights, diyas and puja goods, plus the best sweet shops in the city.
The façade glows over a street full of decorated markets.
A neighbourhood market that dresses up for the festival.
Rangoli at the entrance welcomes Lakshmi on the night of the 8th. Draw it on the evening of Choti Diwali so it is ready, then refresh the edges before the puja.
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.
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.
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.
Sarees, kurta-pyjamas and lehengas in bright, traditional colours are the Diwali uniform. For the puja and around diyas, cotton and silk are safer than loose synthetics.
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.
Corporate Diwali gifting is a thank-you. Hampers of mithai, dry fruits and artisanal snacks remain the favourite; branded stationery, a good pen, useful tech, eco-friendly products, wellness kits, home décor, vouchers and engraved mementos all work. Small businesses can add festive offers or limited editions for customers.
| 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday 11 November 2026, on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya.
Tuesday 24 November 2026, on Kartik Purnima, fifteen days after Diwali. A few listings give 25 November, so confirm locally before booking a boat.
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.
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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