Diwali 2026: the five days, from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj

In 2026, Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, Lakshmi Puja (the main Diwali night) is on Sunday 8 November, and Bhai Dooj is on Wednesday 11 November (New Delhi calendar). The days in between are where calendars disagree: Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali), Govardhan Puja and sometimes Bhai Dooj can land a day earlier depending on the source and your city.

So the honest answer is a date plus a caution. Use the table below to plan, then confirm the three disputed days against a panchang for your own city, or with your family priest. We have not quoted any puja or sunrise times, because they change with location.

What are the five days of Diwali in 2026?

This table shows the dates Drik Panchang gives for New Delhi, next to the dates on its pages for London and New York, which you may also see on other calendars. Where the two columns match, there is no dispute.

Notice what that does to the shape of the week. On the Delhi dates there is something to mark on every day from Friday 6 to Wednesday 11 November: Dhanteras, then Kali Chaudas on the night of Saturday 7, then Narak Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja together on Sunday 8, Diwali Snan and Devpuja on Monday 9, Govardhan Puja on Tuesday 10 and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11.

On the London and New York dates, Lakshmi Puja is followed straight away by Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10, which gives the more familiar run of five consecutive days, from Friday 6 to Tuesday 10 November. Neither is wrong. They simply apply the rules differently.

Why do calendars disagree on these dates?

Hindu festivals follow the tithi, the lunar day, and a tithi does not start and end with the calendar date. It can begin in the middle of one day and end in the middle of the next. When that happens, panchangs have to decide which day "owns" the festival, and the rule they use depends on the festival.

Naraka Chaturdashi is tied to the early-morning oil bath (abhyang snan) before sunrise, so what matters is whether Chaturdashi is current at that hour. In New Delhi it begins late on the morning of Saturday 7 November and ends late on the morning of Sunday 8 November, so it is running before sunrise on the 8th, while Kali Chaudas, observed at night, falls on the 7th.

Overseas pages, where the morning comes later in Indian time, move Naraka Chaturdashi to the 7th. Govardhan Puja follows Pratipada, and Drik Panchang notes that it usually falls the day after Lakshmi Puja, although sometimes there is a one-day gap, as in 2026.

Bhai Dooj follows Dwitiya, and for 2026 the Dwitiya tithi runs across 10 and 11 November in New Delhi, with the afternoon (Aparahna) observance deciding the day.

Add the fact that sunrise and tithi timings change by city, and the same festival can legitimately land on different calendar days in India, the UK, the US and elsewhere. Some overseas calendars place Naraka Chaturdashi a day earlier than India for this reason. The practical rule is simple: pick one trusted panchang for your own city and stick to it.

One more regional note. Drik Panchang says that in Maharashtra the festivities begin a day earlier, on Govatsa Dwadashi (Thursday 5 November in 2026), and in Gujarat they begin two days before Dhanteras, on Agyaras. If your family follows a regional pattern, trust your own calendar over a national one.

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Day 1: what happens on Dhanteras (Friday 6 November)?

Dhanteras opens Diwali and marks Trayodashi of Kartik Krishna Paksha. Families clean and decorate, buy something new (gold, silver, brass or copper utensils, a broom or a coin) and light a lamp, with a Lakshmi and Dhanvantari puja in the evening.

Many also light a lamp for Yama. Our full guide to the day, including what to check on a gold or silver purchase and what some families skip, is in Dhanteras 2026: date, what to buy and what to skip.

Day 2: when is Naraka Chaturdashi, or Choti Diwali?

Naraka Chaturdashi falls on the Chaturdashi tithi just before the main Diwali night, and it goes by several names: Choti Diwali, Kali Chaudas, Roop Chaudas and Bhoot Chaturdashi. It is associated with an early-morning oil bath and with lighting extra lamps in the evening.

In 2026, Drik Panchang for New Delhi splits it across two days. Kali Chaudas and Hanuman Puja are on Saturday 7 November, because Chaturdashi begins that morning and runs through the night. Narak Chaturdashi, with the early-morning oil bath, is on Sunday 8 November, the same day as Lakshmi Puja. Drik pages for London and New York list Narak Chaturdashi on Saturday 7 November.

What this means for you: if your family does the oil bath before sunrise, check the calendar for your city the week before, and if two sources differ, ask which one your family follows. Many families also use this day for cleaning, rangoli and the last bits of shopping.

Day 3: when is Lakshmi Puja, the main Diwali night (Sunday 8 November)?

Lakshmi Puja falls on Amavasya, the new moon night, and it is the most important day of the festival. Homes are lit with diyas, rangoli is drawn at the door and families worship Lakshmi and Ganesha in the evening.

Every source we checked agrees on Sunday 8 November. The puja time varies by city, so look up your own on Drik Panchang or with a local priest rather than copying one from a message that is being forwarded around.

Our Diwali puja samagri list covers what to have ready. On Monday 9 November, Drik Panchang for New Delhi lists Diwali Snan and Diwali Devpuja, the Amavasya bath and puja, because Amavasya is still running at sunrise that day.

What should you buy for the five days?

You do not need to buy everything at once. These are the product types most households pick up, matched to the day they are used. Check size, material and delivery date before you order.

Earthen or brass diyas

You need a lot of them, because most families light diyas across several evenings. Earthen diyas are cheap and traditional; brass ones last for years..

Rangoli colours or stencils

For Choti Diwali and the main night, a rangoli at the entrance is a favourite. Stencils and ready-made colour packs are the easy choice if you are short of time..

Lakshmi-Ganesh idols

Many families buy a new pair every year for the Lakshmi Puja. Check the size against your puja shelf..

LED string lights

These give a warm glow without the fire risk of candles, which matters on a balcony or around curtains. Check that they are rated for outdoor use if you plan to use them outside..

Mithai or dry-fruit gift boxes

The days after Diwali are full of visits, and a box is the usual gift. Check the pack date and the weight on the label..

A Bhai Dooj tilak thali

A small thali with a diya, space for roli and rice, and a place for sweets is all a sister needs for the tilak..

Day 4: when is Govardhan Puja and Annakut?

Govardhan Puja is also called Annakut, and it commemorates Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan. Families and temples offer a large spread of food to the deity. Drik Panchang for New Delhi lists it on Tuesday 10 November, and says that it follows Pratipada, so the date can shift by a day from year to year and from calendar to calendar.

Drik pages for London and New York give Monday 9 November. Because it moves, check this one in particular before you plan a family meal or a temple visit.

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Day 5: Bhai Dooj, 10 or 11 November?

Bhai Dooj is the festival of siblings. A sister applies a tilak to her brother, prays for his long life and offers sweets, and he gives her a gift. For India, Drik Panchang lists Wednesday 11 November 2026.

The Dwitiya tithi begins on 10 November and ends on 11 November, and the observance is tied to the afternoon, which is why the date is 11 November in New Delhi. Some other calendars list Tuesday 10 November, and so do Drik Panchang's London and New York pages.

If your brother or sister lives in another country, agree the date with them before you buy courier gifts. They may be following a different calendar from you. For ideas, see our guides to Bhai Dooj gifts for a brother and gifts for a sister.

How should you plan the week?

• Two weeks before: cleaning, decorations, gifts and orders that need delivery time. Our Diwali cleaning checklist helps.
• A week before: confirm the three disputed dates with your family or a panchang for your city, and tell relatives who live elsewhere which calendar you are using.
• Dhanteras: the purchase, the lamp and the evening puja.
• Kali Chaudas and Choti Diwali: Kali Chaudas on the night of Saturday 7 November and the oil bath on Sunday morning in New Delhi, with rangoli and extra diyas.
• Lakshmi Puja: puja, sweets, diyas and, in many homes, fireworks (follow local rules and keep children and pets safe).
• Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj: food, family visits and tilak.

Frequently asked questions

Your next step: pick one panchang for your city this weekend, write the five dates on the kitchen calendar, and tell relatives which dates you are following. Then read what to buy and skip on Dhanteras, get the puja samagri list ready, and use our Diwali decoration ideas for the house.