Diwali 2026 in India: Dates, Puja Muhurat and Full Schedule

Diwali 2026 in India is on Sunday, 8 November 2026, the day of Kartik Amavasya, the darkest new moon night of the Hindu month of Kartik. That evening is when families across the country perform Lakshmi Puja, and in Delhi the auspicious window falls between 5:54 PM and 7:50 PM. Around this main day sit four more, Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, together making the five-day Festival of Lights. This guide gives you every date, the exact Delhi muhurat, what each day means, and where to see Diwali at its best.

I was born in Delhi, and in 11 years planning and guiding the Golden Triangle for Experience My India I have watched Diwali transform Delhi, Agra and Jaipur into something travellers never forget. There is a rhythm to the five days, and once you understand it, the festival stops being confusing dates on a calendar and becomes a plan. Here is the full picture for 2026, from the puja timings to the practical travel advice.

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Diwali 2026 at a glance

When is Diwali 2026 in India?

Diwali 2026 in India is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The date is fixed to Kartik Amavasya, the new moon of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, which is why Diwali moves each year between mid October and mid November on the Gregorian calendar. In 2025 it fell on 20 October, so 2026 shifts forward by about eighteen days, a normal swing between the lunar and solar calendars.

The Sunday timing is a small gift for travellers and families alike, because the main celebration lands on a weekend. The most auspicious moment for the puja is after sunset, during a window called Pradosh, when the Amavasya tithi is active. That is the reason the whole country converges on the evening of 8 November.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 in Delhi

The Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Diwali 2026 in Delhi runs from 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM, a window of 1 hour and 56 minutes. This is the Vrishabha Kaal, the fixed evening period considered ideal for worshipping Goddess Lakshmi at home. The wider Pradosh Kaal, the sacred stretch just after sunset, runs from 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM.

How the Diwali puja day is fixed

Diwali is celebrated on the day when Amavasya prevails during Pradosh, the period right after sunset. In 2026 the new moon begins late on the morning of 8 November and holds through that evening, so 8 November is the correct day for Lakshmi Puja everywhere in India. Muhurat clock times shift a little by city, since they depend on local sunset, so the 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM window above is specific to Delhi and the surrounding Golden Triangle.

The five days of Diwali 2026: dates and meaning

Diwali is not a single day but a five-day festival, each day with its own ritual. Here is the full 2026 schedule as observed in Delhi and across North India.

Dhanteras, Saturday 7 November

Dhanteras opens the festival and is the day for buying gold, silver and new utensils, an act believed to invite prosperity. Households worship Goddess Lakshmi alongside Lord Kubera, the keeper of wealth, and many light a Yama Deepam lamp in the evening to honour Yama and pray for the family's wellbeing.

Choti Diwali, Sunday 8 November morning

Choti Diwali, also called Naraka Chaturdashi, marks Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura. In South India this is the principal day, observed before dawn with a ritual oil bath known as Abhyanga Snan. In 2026 it falls on the morning of 8 November, sharing the date with Diwali itself, so North Indian homes use it for final cleaning, rangoli and lighting the first diyas.

Diwali and Lakshmi Puja, Sunday 8 November

This is the heart of the festival. After sunset, families gather for Lakshmi Puja, light rows of diyas, and worship Goddess Lakshmi with Lord Ganesha for wealth and wisdom. Homes glow with lamps and lights, sweets are shared, and the night sky fills with fireworks. In West Bengal and Odisha the same night is observed as Kali Puja.

Govardhan Puja, Monday 9 November

The day after Diwali honours the Govardhan hill that Lord Krishna lifted to shelter his village. Devotees build small hills of food, the Annakut or mountain of food, and offer them to Krishna. In Gujarat this day is also the New Year, and traders open fresh account books for the year ahead.

Bhai Dooj, Tuesday 10 November

Diwali closes with Bhai Dooj, a celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters apply a tilak to their brothers and pray for their long life, and brothers give gifts in return. The day is also linked to Chitragupta Puja and Yama Dwitiya.

Why is Diwali celebrated?

The best known story comes from the Ramayana, when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile and the defeat of Ravana, and the people lit rows of lamps to welcome him home. That image, light dispelling darkness, is the meaning the whole festival carries: the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.

Diwali also holds meaning across several traditions. Hindus worship Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity, Jains mark the day Lord Mahavira attained nirvana, and Sikhs observe Bandi Chhor Divas, the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment. More than a billion people take part in some form, which makes it one of the most widely observed festivals on earth.

How is Diwali celebrated across India?

Diwali looks different from region to region, and that variety is part of its beauty. In North India, the evening Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya is the main event, with diyas, rangoli and fireworks. In the south, Naraka Chaturdashi and the pre-dawn oil bath take centre stage. In West Bengal and Odisha, the night is given to Kali Puja.

Gujarat and Maharashtra stretch the festival at both ends, beginning early with Govatsa Dwadashi and, in Gujarat, carrying on to the New Year and Labh Panchami. Across trading communities, Diwali is the day to worship account books, pens and the ink pot, sanctifying the tools of business for the year to come. Everywhere, the constants hold: clean homes, new clothes, sweets exchanged with neighbours, and lamps lit against the dark.

Where to experience Diwali in India

For a visitor, the Golden Triangle is one of the finest places to witness Diwali, because Delhi, Agra and Jaipur each light up in their own way. Delhi's markets, from Chandni Chowk to the boutique lanes, buzz for days beforehand, and the city glows on the night itself. Jaipur is famous for it, with whole bazaars illuminated and a friendly competition for the best-lit market, a sight worth timing a trip around.

Agra adds the quieter counterpoint. With Diwali on a Sunday in 2026, the Taj Mahal is open, and a morning visit before the evening festivities is an easy plan. A private Golden Triangle tour lets you move between the three cities with a car, a driver and licensed guides, so you catch the lights in each without the logistics.

Diwali 2026 travel tips

A festival trip rewards early planning. Trains and flights around 7 to 10 November fill quickly, and the railway booking window opens 120 days ahead, so reserve as soon as your dates are set. Heritage and palace hotels in Jaipur and Agra are in high demand over Diwali, and the best rooms go months in advance.

Plan sightseeing for the daytime and keep evenings free for the lights and puja, when the cities are at their most atmospheric. In Delhi, air quality can dip after the fireworks, so mornings are the clearest time for monuments and photos. Carry small cash for the markets, dress modestly at temples, and use only licensed, identity-carrying guides.

Plan your Diwali trip with us

Diwali is the most magical time to see the classic circuit, and we build it around your dates. Browse our Delhi Agra Tours or compare durations across our Golden Triangle tours, and we will tailor a festival trip that puts you in the right city on the right night. Want it planned end to end? Message us on WhatsApp and Experience My India will build it for you.