Diwali 2026: Date, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat and the Five Days

Also searched as Laxmi Puja / Laxmi Pujan 2026: it is on Sunday 8 November 2026 (not in October), in the evening muhurat given below.

By Dr. R.P. Sharma · Ph.D., Acharya (Phalit Jyotish) · practising since 1979

Diwali, the festival of lights, is calculated based on the lunar calendar, specifically the Amavasya tithi of the month of Kartika. As we look toward the alignment of 2026, it is useful to observe the movement of the luminaries to understand the traditional timing of this observance.

Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja muhurat (New Delhi)

Readers outside Delhi: pradosh and the Vrishabha lagna shift with your city's sunset. For the USA, Canada, the UK, the Gulf and Australia, the worldwide page lists the Lakshmi Puja muhurat for 32 cities.

The five days of Diwali 2026

In 2026 the Narak Chaturdashi bath and the Lakshmi Puja fall on the same date, 8 November: the bath before dawn while Chaturdashi still runs, the puja in the evening after the Amavasya has begun.

Diwali puja samagri: what you need for Lakshmi Puja

Idols or pictures of Lakshmi and Ganesha on a red or yellow cloth; a kalash with water, mango leaves and a coconut; roli, kumkum, haldi and unbroken rice (akshat); flowers and a lotus if available; a ghee diya for the puja and clay diyas for the house; incense and camphor; sweets, kheel-batashe and dry fruit for the bhog; coins or silver, and account books or a new ledger for those who keep them. The word Diwali comes from Deepavali, "a row of lamps", which is why lighting diyas at every door and window completes the puja.

Lakshmi Puja vidhi, in order

1. Prepare the altar facing north or east: a red cloth on a raised seat, Lakshmi and Ganesha (Ganesha on Lakshmi's left), a kalash of water with mango leaves and a coconut, rice heaped for the Navagraha, and the new account books or the family's valuables.
2. Sankalp and Ganesha puja first, within the muhurat.
3. Lakshmi puja: shodashopachara or the simpler panchopachara (flowers, lamp, incense, naivedya and aarti), with lotus, kheel-batashe, and sweets; Kubera and the account books (Bahi-khata, Chopda puja) are worshipped with her.
4. Lamps: the main akhand diya before the deity through the night, then diyas at every door, window, the tulsi, the kitchen and the water source.
5. Nishita, 11:38 pm to 12:31 am: families who keep the Mahanishita puja offer the Shri Sukta and Kanakadhara stotra in this window.

Diwali across India

• North India: Rama's return to Ayodhya; Lakshmi-Ganesh puja at dusk, lamps and fireworks.
• Bengal, Odisha, Assam: Kali Puja on the same Amavasya night, with the Nishita as its main time.
• Gujarat: Chopda Pujan of the new account books; the Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas) follows with the Pratipada.
• Maharashtra: Lakshmi Puja and, on Pratipada, Padwa; Bhau Beej on Dwitiya.
• South India: Deepavali is centred on Naraka Chaturdashi, with the pre-dawn oil bath (Ganga snanam) on 8 November in 2026.

Dos and don'ts on Diwali 2026

• Do keep the Lakshmi Puja inside 5:55 to 7:51 pm (Delhi) and leave the main lamp burning through the night.
• Do clean the house before the puja and keep the entrance lit; Lakshmi is said to enter lit and clean homes.
• Don't sweep the house after the puja or give money away on the night; both are read as sending wealth out.
• Don't leave the puja room dark or the akhand diya unattended near curtains; use a lamp stand or a glass chimney.

How the Diwali 2026 date is calculated

In Vedic astrology, Diwali is observed on the night of the new moon, or Amavasya, in the Hindu month of Kartika. For the year 2026, the Amavasya tithi begins on the evening of November 7 and concludes on the evening of November 8. According to the standard Panchang calculations used in India, the primary worship of Lakshmi is performed when the Amavasya tithi prevails during the Pradosh Kaal, which is the period shortly after sunset. In 2026, this convergence occurs on the evening of November 8. Understanding that the lunar cycle dictates these dates allows practitioners to align their observances with the specific phase of the moon as it has been traditionally practiced for generations.

The Moon, Amavasya and the month of Kartik

During the period of Diwali 2026, we observe the Sun and Moon in close proximity within the sign of Libra, which is the sign of the Moon's debility, according to some classical texts, though it is more accurately viewed as the Sun being in its sign of debilitation. This specific transit occurs annually during this season. Practitioners often focus on this time for introspection and the cultivation of inner light rather than external display. The alignment serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of time, or 'Kaal', which is a central pillar of Phalit Jyotish. By observing the position of the planets, we simply acknowledge the natural rhythm of the cosmos without attaching undue anxiety to these movements.

How Diwali is traditionally observed

My approach, developed over decades of study, emphasizes simplicity and consistency. The tradition of lighting lamps during Diwali is symbolic of clearing the darkness of ignorance. In 2026, as in any year, the focus remains on the 'Sankalpa' or the intention one sets during the puja. There is no requirement for elaborate or expensive rituals. A calm environment, focused meditation, and the lighting of a traditional lamp are sufficient. Vedic astrology encourages us to live in harmony with the lunar cycles, and Diwali provides a structured opportunity to pause, evaluate our progress, and reset our intentions for the coming year.

Planning ahead? See Diwali 2027 — date & muhurat.

See also: Diwali 2026 — Lakshmi Puja time in the USA, UK, Canada & worldwide.

Grahan on 28 August 2026: Timing and Remedies

See also: Surya Grahan 2027 In India Date And Time.