On Dhanteras (Friday 6 November 2026), do the Lakshmi and Kubera puja in the evening during Pradosh Kaal, clean and light up the house, light a Yama Deepam, and buy something small and lasting such as a silver coin, a brass or copper utensil or a new broom.
Many families avoid lending money, buying black items, iron or sharp objects, giving away certain things from the house, and rushing into a big purchase just because it is the day. These are family customs, not rules, and they vary by region and household, so follow your own family's way where it differs.
Dhanteras opens the five days of Diwali. The tithi begins at 10:31 AM on 6 November (check your local panchang), and the evening puja time depends on your city, so pick yours below.
Dhanteras at a glance
| Do | Many families skip |
|---|---|
| Clean the house before the evening and light lamps at the entrance | Lending money to anyone |
| Do the Lakshmi and Kubera puja in Pradosh Kaal | Buying black items, iron, or sharp things like knives and scissors |
| Light a Yama Deepam in the evening | Giving away money, oil, ghee, iron, sugar or salt from the house (a custom in some families) |
| Buy gold, silver, brass or copper items, or a broom | Selling things or settling loans on the day |
| Help someone in need (some families give the day before or after instead) | Cooking with onion, garlic or meat, and alcohol or gambling (a custom in many families) |
| Check the hallmark (where it applies) and the bill on gold or silver | Buying on impulse, on credit, because it is "the day" |
What to do on Dhanteras
1. Clean the house and light it up
Many families clean the house before Dhanteras to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, and set lamps and lights at the entrance and in the puja room. Keep every lit diya away from curtains and never leave one unattended. If you have not started, our cleaning supplies list and room-by-room plan will help you catch up.
2. Do the evening puja in Pradosh Kaal
The Lakshmi puja on Dhanteras is traditionally done in Pradosh Kaal, the roughly two and a half hours that begin after sunset. Many families worship Lakshmi, Ganesha and Kubera together, along with Dhanvantari, the god of medicine, and offer flowers, sweets and a lamp. The exact window for your city is in the box above. For the items you need, see the puja samagri list.
3. Light a Yama Deepam
In the evening many families light a lamp facing south, called a Yama Deepam, to honour Yama and for protection. A common way is a four-faced (chaumukhi) lamp with sesame or mustard oil, placed outside the house or at the entrance, and some families light 13 diyas. The practice differs, so follow what your family does.
Fire safety: never leave a lit diya unattended, keep it away from curtains, dupattas, children and pets, and stand it on a non-flammable base such as a metal plate, stone or tile, out of the wind. Put it out safely before you go to bed.
4. Buy something small and lasting
A common custom is to buy something on Dhanteras that will stay in the home: gold or silver coins and jewellery, brass or copper utensils, a Lakshmi-Ganesha idol, or a broom (seen as a symbol of Lakshmi). Sources differ on steel: some families buy steel utensils, while others avoid steel because it is made with iron, so ask your family, or choose brass or copper.
You do not need to spend a lot. Think in budgets rather than prices: the table of three budgets further down shows what each can look like. Prices change daily and vary by seller, so check the current price before you pay.
For a coin, check the purity written in the description (for example 999 or 925) and avoid listings that only say "silver look" or "silver plated". For gold, look for the BIS hallmark and follow the checks in the section below. See silver coins on Amazon and see brass puja thali sets on Amazon.
5. Help someone
Giving to someone in need is welcome around any festival. If your family avoids giving things out of the house on the day itself (see below), you can give the day before or the day after, or give your time instead.
What not to do on Dhanteras
- Many families do not lend money. Loans and repayments are left until after Diwali, according to the custom.
- Many families do not buy black items. They choose gold, yellow, orange or other bright colours.
- Many families do not buy iron or sharp objects such as knives or scissors. Some include steel in this, and some do not (see the note on steel above).
- Many families do not give things away from the house on the day. Money, oil, ghee, iron, sugar and salt are the usual ones.
- Some families do not sell things or settle deals on the day.
- Many families set aside onion, garlic, meat, alcohol and gambling on festive days.
Every one of these is a family custom that varies by region and household, not a rule. If your family does something else, follow your family.
What not to do with your money
This is the part no almanac covers, and it matters more than the colour of what you buy.
- Check the hallmark on gold. Hallmarking is mandatory for gold jewellery in the districts BIS has notified, with exemptions such as jewellers with an annual turnover up to ₹40 lakh, pieces under 2 g, and Kundan, Polki and Jadau jewellery, so an unmarked piece is not always illegal. A hallmarked piece is still the one you can verify: look for the BIS logo, the purity mark (for example 22K916) and the six-character HUID code, and check the HUID in the BIS Care app.
- Do not pay without an itemised bill. It should show the weight, the day's rate, the making charge and the 3 percent GST. Our gold making charges guide has a calculator that compares two shops.
- Do not rush because of the muhurat. The tithi runs from 10:31 AM on 6 November to 10:48 AM on 7 November (check your local panchang), so you do not have to buy in one rush in the evening. Take time to compare shops.
- Do not spend on credit or EMI for the day. A smaller purchase you can pay for beats a bigger one you will regret.
- Do not chase every offer. Making-charge discounts can look big, so compare the final price per gram, not the headline percentage.
If you are buying gold or silver, our Dhanteras buying guide goes into what to buy and what to skip in more detail.
Dhanteras on three budgets
The custom asks you to start the festival with something auspicious, not to spend a certain amount. These are three ways to do it.
| Budget | What it can look like |
|---|---|
| Under ₹500 | A new broom, a pack of diyas, a small Lakshmi-Ganesha idol or a small puja coin, plus flowers and sweets for the puja |
| ₹500 to ₹2,000 | A silver coin, a brass utensil, a copper bottle or a brass diya set |
| ₹2,000 and above | A heavier silver item, a gold coin or a light piece of hallmarked gold jewellery, after comparing two shops and keeping the bill |
Does Dhanteras change by region?
Yes. In North India it is mainly about Lakshmi, Kubera and buying something auspicious. In Maharashtra the celebrations begin a day earlier with Govatsa Dwadashi, the day of worshipping the cow and calf. Many families also worship Dhanvantari, the god of medicine, on Dhanteras. Check with your family and your local calendar for the details that apply to you.
What if you cannot buy anything on the day?
You have not missed anything. Many families do the puja, light the lamps and buy something small within the tithi or the next day, and some wait until Diwali. The custom is about welcoming the goddess and starting the festival in the right spirit. A clean home, a lit lamp and a sincere prayer are what the day asks for.
A simple Dhanteras plan for the day
- Morning: finish cleaning, wipe the entrance and put up the toran and lights.
- Afternoon: shop for your coin, utensil or broom once the tithi has begun (10:31 AM), compare two shops and keep the bill.
- Before sunset: lay out the puja thali and the lamps.
- Evening, in Pradosh Kaal: do the Lakshmi and Kubera puja, then light the Yama Deepam.
- Night: keep an eye on the lamps at the entrance and put them out safely before bed, then start the next day's Choti Diwali preparations.
Our five-day Diwali calendar shows how Dhanteras connects to Choti Diwali, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj.
Frequently asked questions
What should you do on Dhanteras?
Clean and light up the house, do the Lakshmi and Kubera puja in Pradosh Kaal, light a Yama Deepam, and buy something small and lasting such as a coin, a utensil or a broom.
What should you not do on Dhanteras?
Many families avoid lending money, buying black items, iron or sharp objects, giving away money, oil, ghee, iron, sugar or salt from the house, and selling things on the day. These are family customs, not rules, and they vary.
What is the Dhanteras 2026 puja time?
It differs by city. According to Drik Panchang, the puja muhurat on 6 November 2026 is 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM in New Delhi and 6:35 PM to 8:35 PM in Mumbai. Choose your city in the box above.
What is Yama Deepam?
A lamp lit in the evening on Dhanteras, facing south, to honour Yama and for protection. Many families light a four-faced lamp with sesame or mustard oil, and some light 13 diyas. Never leave a lit diya unattended, and keep it away from curtains, dupattas, children and pets.
Do you have to buy gold on Dhanteras?
No. Gold and silver are traditional, but so are brass or copper utensils, a broom and a Lakshmi-Ganesha idol. Buy within your budget, and if you buy gold, check the BIS hallmark and the bill.
Your next step: pick your city above, put the puja time in your phone, and decide the one thing you will buy before you go shopping. Then see the Diwali puja samagri list and the Diwali gift ideas for family.
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