🪔 Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The best time for Lakshmi-Ganesh puja in Delhi is 5:55 PM to 7:51 PM, when the Pradosh Kaal and the fixed Vrishabha lagna overlap. If you can only remember one line from this page, remember that one.
Below you will find the exact Amavasya tithi, why Diwali is on the 8th and not the 9th this year, every muhurat for the evening and the night, the choghadiya for shops and offices, a city-wise table, and the timings for all five days from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj.
| Diwali 2026 at a glance (New Delhi) | Time |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, 8 November 2026 |
| Amavasya tithi begins | 8 Nov, 11:28 AM |
| Amavasya tithi ends | 9 Nov, 12:31 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal | 5:31 PM to 7:55 PM |
| Vrishabha (sthir) lagna | 5:55 PM to 7:51 PM |
| Best Lakshmi Puja muhurat | 5:55 PM to 7:51 PM |
| Nishita Kaal (midnight puja) | 11:38 PM to 12:30 AM |
| Simha (sthir) lagna | 12:26 AM to 2:43 AM |
| Nakshatra | Swati, all day |
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Is Diwali 2026 on 8 November or 9 November?
This is the most searched question about Diwali every year, so here is the simple answer: Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November.
Diwali is celebrated on Kartik Amavasya (in the Purnimanta calendar of North India; it is Ashwin Amavasya in the Amanta calendar of Gujarat, Maharashtra and the South). This year Amavasya begins at 11:28 AM on 8 November and ends at 12:31 PM on 9 November. So it touches both days. Which day is correct?
The rule in the Dharma Shastras for Lakshmi Puja is pradosh-vyapini Amavasya: the puja is done on the day Amavasya is present at dusk (Pradosh Kaal), not at sunrise. On 8 November, Amavasya is present for the whole evening. On 9 November it has already ended at 12:31 PM, hours before sunset. So 8 November is the only day with Amavasya in the Pradosh Kaal, and that settles it.
If your calendar shows Chaturdashi at sunrise on 8 November, that is also correct. It simply means Narak Chaturdashi's pre-dawn oil bath and Diwali's evening puja fall on the same day this year. Our complete story of Diwali explains why both are remembered.
Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja muhurat: Pradosh Kaal and sthir lagna
Three things decide the best Lakshmi Puja time:
- Amavasya tithi must be running. On 8 November it runs from 11:28 AM all through the night.
- Pradosh Kaal, the first 2 hours 24 minutes after sunset (5:31 PM to 7:55 PM in Delhi), is the time the Shastras name for Lakshmi Puja.
- Sthir lagna, a "fixed" rising sign. Lakshmi worshipped in a fixed lagna is believed to stay (sthir) in the home. On Diwali evening that sign is Vrishabha (Taurus), rising from 5:55 PM to 7:51 PM in Delhi.
Where all three overlap is the best muhurat: 5:55 PM to 7:51 PM in New Delhi. If you start a little earlier, at sunset, you are still in Pradosh Kaal, which is fully valid.
🗓️ Not in Delhi? Sunset and lagna shift by city. Pick your city in the free Devpunya Panchang to see today's exact muhurat, choghadiya and hora. Check my city's muhurat →
Get the Diwali Mahapuja done in the muhurat, in your name
Diwali, 8 Nov · Shri Gaja Lakshmi Temple, Ujjain · in your name and gotra, full HD video, prasad home. From ₹991.
Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja muhurat city-wise
These are our own calculations for 8 November 2026: Pradosh Kaal from local sunset, and the overlap with the Vrishabha lagna. They may differ by a minute or two from other panchangs.
| City | Pradosh Kaal | Best Lakshmi Puja time |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 5:31 PM – 7:55 PM | 5:55 PM – 7:51 PM |
| Noida / Gurugram | 5:31 PM – 7:55 PM | 5:55 PM – 7:50 PM |
| Chandigarh | 5:31 PM – 7:55 PM | 5:53 PM – 7:48 PM |
| Jaipur | 5:40 PM – 8:04 PM | 6:04 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Lucknow | 5:20 PM – 7:44 PM | 5:44 PM – 7:40 PM |
| Varanasi | 5:14 PM – 7:38 PM | 5:38 PM – 7:35 PM |
| Patna | 5:05 PM – 7:29 PM | 5:29 PM – 7:26 PM |
| Kolkata | 4:56 PM – 7:20 PM | 5:21 PM – 7:20 PM |
| Ujjain | 5:46 PM – 8:10 PM | 6:10 PM – 8:08 PM |
| Bhopal | 5:39 PM – 8:03 PM | 6:04 PM – 8:02 PM |
| Ahmedabad | 5:59 PM – 8:23 PM | 6:23 PM – 8:22 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:03 PM – 8:27 PM | 6:28 PM – 8:27 PM |
| Pune | 6:00 PM – 8:24 PM | 6:25 PM – 8:24 PM |
| Hyderabad | 5:42 PM – 8:06 PM | 6:09 PM – 8:06 PM |
| Bengaluru | 5:52 PM – 8:16 PM | 6:19 PM – 8:16 PM |
| Chennai | 5:41 PM – 8:05 PM | 6:08 PM – 8:05 PM |
Ujjain matters for one more reason: it is where Devpunya's pandits perform the Diwali Mahapujas at Shri Gaja Lakshmi Temple, so your sankalp there is taken in Ujjain's own muhurat.
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Nishita Kaal and Mahanishita: the midnight Lakshmi Puja
Some families, many temples and the Kali Puja tradition of Bengal worship at midnight instead of dusk.
- Nishita Kaal: 11:38 PM on 8 November to 12:30 AM on 9 November (Delhi). This is the middle of the night, when Mahalakshmi and Maa Kali puja is done in temple and Shakta traditions.
- Simha lagna: 12:26 AM to 2:43 AM, the second fixed lagna of the night. It is used for Kali Puja, mantra siddhi and long japa.
For an ordinary household puja, the evening Pradosh muhurat is the one to follow. If you are keeping a jaagran, keep the lamp lit and repeat Lakshmi mantras in the Nishita Kaal.
Diwali 2026 choghadiya for shops, offices and Chopda Pujan
Traders often choose a choghadiya (one of eight parts of the day or night) for the shop or office puja. Shubh, Labh and Amrit are the good ones. For 8 November 2026 in New Delhi (Sunday):
| Choghadiya | Time | Good for Lakshmi Puja? |
|---|---|---|
| Amrit (day) | 10:43 AM – 12:05 PM | Only after 11:28 AM, when Amavasya begins |
| Shubh (afternoon) | 1:26 PM – 2:48 PM | Yes, good for shop and office puja |
| Shubh (evening) | 5:31 PM – 7:09 PM | Yes, best: overlaps the main muhurat |
| Amrit (evening) | 7:09 PM – 8:48 PM | Yes |
| Chal | 8:48 PM – 10:26 PM | Acceptable |
| Labh (night) | 1:43 AM – 3:21 AM | Yes, for those who worship through the night |
If you run a business, read our separate guide on Diwali Lakshmi puja for business growth and debt relief, which covers Chopda Pujan, the gaddi and the cash box.
🏪 For your business this Diwali: the Mata Gajlakshmi Vyapar Vriddhi Mahapuja and Havan is performed at Shri Gaja Lakshmi Temple, Ujjain, on 8 November with your name, gotra and business name in the sankalp. Book Vyapar Vriddhi Mahapuja →
Muhurat for all five days of Diwali 2026
| Day | Festival | Muhurat (New Delhi) |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, 6 Nov | Dhanteras | Puja 6:03 PM – 7:56 PM (Pradosh 5:32 – 7:56 PM). Trayodashi from 10:30 AM. |
| Sat, 7 Nov | Choti Diwali lamps | Chaturdashi begins 10:48 AM. Yama deepdaan and Hanuman puja in the evening. |
| Sun, 8 Nov | Narak Chaturdashi snan | Abhyanga snan before sunrise (sunrise 6:38 AM) |
| Sun, 8 Nov | Diwali Lakshmi Puja | 5:55 PM – 7:51 PM |
| Mon, 9 Nov | Kartik Amavasya (snan-daan) | Amavasya until 12:31 PM. Snan, daan and tarpan in the morning. |
| Tue, 10 Nov | Govardhan Puja and Annakoot | Pratahkal 6:39 AM – 8:50 AM. Pratipada until 2:00 PM. |
| Wed, 11 Nov | Bhai Dooj | Tilak 1:09 PM – 3:19 PM |
For Dhanteras shopping times and the Yama deepdaan, see our Dhanteras 2026 guide. For Govardhan Puja, the Annakoot and the 56 bhog list, see our Govardhan Puja 2026 guide.
🍛 Govardhan Puja is two days after Diwali. A 56-item Annakoot is offered to Govardhan ji in Braj and served as bhandara, with your name and gotra in the sankalp. Contribute from ₹251 →
Diwali 2026 tithi and panchang details
- Tithi: Kartik Krishna Amavasya (Purnimanta) / Ashwin Amavasya (Amanta)
- Vikram Samvat: 2083 · Shaka Samvat: 1948
- Vaar (day): Sunday (Ravivar)
- Nakshatra: Swati, through the day and the night
- Sunrise / sunset (Delhi): 6:38 AM / 5:31 PM
- Ayana and ritu: Dakshinayana, Sharad ritu
Swati nakshatra is ruled by Vayu, the wind, and is linked with trade and independence, which many astrologers consider a pleasant nakshatra for a business Lakshmi Puja. For the full day's panchang, including rahu kaal and the yoga and karana, open the Diwali 2026 panchang for 8 November.
🔮 Want your own Diwali rashifal? The Devpunya Panchang shows today's rashifal for your moon sign along with choghadiya and hora for your city. See my rashifal and muhurat →
What if you miss the Diwali muhurat?
Don't worry. The best time is a guide, not a gate.
- If you miss 5:55 to 7:51 PM, do the puja any time later on the night of 8 November. Amavasya runs the whole night.
- The next fixed lagna is Simha, from 12:26 AM to 2:43 AM.
- Do not move the main Lakshmi Puja to the evening of 9 November. Amavasya has ended by then.
- What matters most is a clean house, a lit diya and a sincere sankalp. Our Diwali puja rules and do's and don'ts list what to do and what to avoid.
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How to prepare before the muhurat begins
Have everything ready by 5:30 PM so you are not searching for a matchbox when the muhurat starts. Clean the puja corner, place a red or yellow cloth on a chowki, keep the Lakshmi-Ganesh idols with Lakshmi to the right of Ganesh ji, and fill the diyas with ghee or sesame oil. Our how to do Diwali puja at home has the full samagri list and step-by-step vidhi, and how to attract Maa Lakshmi on Diwali lists the small extra things you can do.
📖 Read next in the Diwali 2026 series
- Why We Celebrate Diwali and Its Complete Story
- How to Attract Maa Lakshmi on Diwali: 21 Things to Do
- Diwali Puja Rules 2026: Do's and Don'ts for Lakshmi Pujan
- Diwali Lakshmi Puja for Business Growth and Debt Relief
- Govardhan Puja 2026: Date, Annakoot Story and 56 Bhog List
Book the Diwali Mahapuja at Shri Gaja Lakshmi Temple, Ujjain
Diwali, 8 Nov · Shri Gaja Lakshmi Temple, Ujjain · in your name and gotra, full HD video, prasad home. From ₹991.