🪔 Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) 2026
Kartik Amavasya — lamps in every home, Lakshmi-Ganesha puja in Pradosh and a fixed lagna; the main day of the five-day Deepotsav.
- Dhanteras (Trayodashi) — Friday, 6 November 2026
- Narak Chaturdashi / Chhoti Diwali — Saturday, 7 November 2026
- Diwali — Lakshmi Puja (Amavasya) — Sunday, 8 November 2026
- Govardhan Puja / Annakut — Tuesday, 10 November 2026
- Bhai Dooj — Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Diwali is celebrated on the Amavasya of Kartik month — the biggest festival of the year. On this night Lakshmi and Ganesha are worshipped, lamps are lit in every corner of the house, and it is believed that Maa Lakshmi enters only the home that is clean, bright and happy. Shri Rama returned to Ayodhya on this day after fourteen years of exile and the city was decked with lamps.
The five-day festival of lamps — Dhanteras, Narak Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali), Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj — is listed in full above. Below are the Pradosh and Nishita muhurats for Lakshmi puja, the household vidhi, samagri, katha, dishes and the customs of different states.
Significance — why this vrat
Lighting lamps on the darkest night of the Amavasya symbolises the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Lakshmi appeared from the churning of the ocean on this day, hence Lakshmi puja; along with Ganesha (wisdom), Saraswati (learning) and Kuber (treasury). The traders' new year (account books) begins here.
The time for Lakshmi puja is Pradosh Kaal, and within it a fixed lagna — Vrishabha lagna (about 6:30-8:30 pm in Delhi) is best for householders; for tantric/special sadhana the Nishita Kaal (midnight) and Simha lagna (about 12:30-2:30 am). Lakshmi worshipped in a fixed lagna stays in the home — that is the belief.
On Diwali night the woman of the house is called 'Griha Lakshmi' — she conducts the puja, she lights the lamps, and she sprinkles the water of the Ahoi/Karwa Chauth karwa in the house. This festival belongs to the woman of the house.
Puja vidhi (step by step)
This is the householder's home vidhi — cleaning and decoration in the day, Lakshmi-Ganesha puja in Pradosh Kaal, then the lamps.
- Bathe in the morning; final cleaning of the house; at the main door rangoli, a toran (mango/ashoka leaves and marigold), Lakshmi's footprints on both sides (from the threshold inwards), swastik and shubh-labh.
- Evening puja place: in the north-east (Ishan) or east, a red/yellow cloth on a wooden seat; in the centre a new idol of Lakshmi-Ganesha (Ganesha to Lakshmi's right), with pictures of Kuber and Saraswati, a kalash (water, betel nut, coin, mango leaves, coconut), a silver/copper coin, account books, the key of the safe.
- In Pradosh Kaal (time above) sit with the family; with water, akshat and flowers in hand take the sankalp — 'I worship Lakshmi and Ganesha for the happiness and prosperity of the family.'
- First Ganesha puja (durva, modak/laddoo, sindoor), then kalash puja, then Lakshmi puja — bath (water and panchamrit), cloth, lotus/rose flowers, perfume, roli-akshat, kheel-batasha, sweets, fruit, paan-supari, cloves-cardamom; chant 'Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye Praseed Praseed Shreem Hreem Shreem Om Mahalakshmyai Namah' or recite Shri Sukta/Lakshmi Chalisa.
- Worship Kuber, Saraswati, the account books and the safe; keep new coins and ornaments in the puja. Roli-akshat on household tools/vehicles too.
- Aarti — 'Om Jai Lakshmi Mata', then 'Jai Ganesh Deva'; camphor aarti; all family members touch the feet of elders, elders give blessings and shagun to the young.
- Deepdaan: light all the lamps of the house from the puja lamp — the door first, then Tulsi, kitchen, water place, terrace, every room, out to the lane/drain; one large lamp (or akhand) burns all night at the puja place. The count of lamps 11, 21, 51 or as per family custom.
- If the Ahoi/Karwa Chauth karwa has been kept, sprinkle its water in the house and wipe the Ahoi Mata picture. Distribute prasad; give sweets and shagun to neighbours, sanitation workers and household help.
- Keep the main door open/lit with lamps at night for Lakshmi's arrival; next morning (Govardhan/Pratipada) clean the puja place and prepare the Annakut.
Puja samagri checklist
Merge the Dhanteras list into this — the samagri for all three days comes together.
- Idol of Lakshmi-Ganesha (clay, new), pictures of Kuber and Saraswati, red-yellow cloth, wooden seat
- Kalash, mango leaves, coconut, betel nut, coin, mauli, Gangajal
- Earthen diyas (21/51), mustard oil, ghee, cotton wicks, one large lamp/akhand
- Roli, kumkum, turmeric, sandalwood, akshat, sindoor, perfume, durva
- Flowers — lotus (dear to Lakshmi), rose, marigold; garland, toran
- Kheel-batasha, sugar toys, sweets (laddoo-barfi), fruit (custard apple/pomegranate/water chestnut), paan-supari, cloves-cardamom
- Panchamrit (milk-curd-ghee-honey-sugar), modak/laddoo (for Ganesha)
- New coin/ornament, account books, pen, key of the safe
- Rangoli colours, Lakshmi footprint stencils, swastik and shubh-labh stickers
- Incense, agarbatti, camphor, aarti thali, Lakshmi Chalisa/Shri Sukta book
- Shagun envelopes, sparklers for children (limited)
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Open panchang →Vrat katha (the story)
During the churning of the ocean, on Kartik Amavasya, Maa Lakshmi appeared from the Kshirsagar seated on a lotus and garlanded Lord Vishnu — since then this night is the night of Lakshmi puja. Lakshmi enters the home that is clean, lit and happy — hence the cleaning, the lamps and the family together.
The story from the Ramayana — Shri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya on this Amavasya after fourteen years of exile and the victory over Ravana. The people of Ayodhya decked the whole city with ghee lamps — the dark Amavasya became like a full moon. Since then every home lights lamps in the joy of its own Rama's return.
In a folk tale, a poor old woman kept her lamp lit and remembered Lakshmi on Diwali night even after everyone had slept. Lakshmi asked — 'Everyone is asleep, why are you awake?' The old woman said — 'Waiting for you.' Lakshmi settled in her home. The lesson — stay awake a while on Diwali night remembering Lakshmi, and rise in Brahma Muhurat the next morning.
Lakshmi bhog and Diwali dishes
Lakshmi loves white and sweet — kheel-batasha and kheer are the bhog of every home. Cooking begins from Dhanteras and runs till Bhai Dooj.
- Bhog: kheel-batasha, sugar toys, kheer or semolina halwa, boondi laddoo, pomegranate-custard apple-water chestnut, paan
- Modak/laddoo for Ganesha, white sweets for Kuber; many homes offer 5 or 11 kinds of sweets and dishes (a small glimpse of the chhappan bhog)
- North-Indian dishes: gujiya, shakkarpare, mathri, namakpare, besan laddoo, dahi-bhalle, poori with pumpkin/potato sabzi
- Purvanchal-Bihar: thekua, khaja, anarsa, chura-dahi; Bengal: coconut naru, sandesh; Gujarat-Maharashtra: the 'faral' of chakli, chivda, karanji, anarse, laddoo; South: murukku, Mysore pak, adhirasam
- For diabetic elders, less khoya sweets and more fruit and makhana; the first dish in the new utensil — kheer
Regional customs
Diwali belongs to everyone, but every state's night looks different — Lakshmi puja here, Kali puja there, the oil bath elsewhere.
A custom, tale, song or dish heard from your grandmother — 2-4 lines; after reading we add it on this page with your region's name (the phone is never shown — only to ask you back).
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✅ Do
- Puja in Pradosh Kaal, in the fixed lagna (~6:30-8:30 pm) — see the time above; the family sits together
- Ganesha to Lakshmi's right (to your left as you face them); the puja seat in the north-east or east
- The door lamp first and all night; lamps at the Tulsi, kitchen and water place without fail
- Prasad and shagun to household help, neighbours and sanitation workers too — Lakshmi grows by sharing
- Rise in Brahma Muhurat next morning, clean the house and prepare for Annakut/Govardhan
❌ Don't
- Quarrels, intoxication, household money lost in gambling on the puja night — Lakshmi does not stay in such a home
- Do not give fireworks to children unsupervised; no curtains or cloth near the lamps; nothing flammable near the all-night lamp
- Take a seated Lakshmi idol (on a lotus), not a standing one — a standing Lakshmi is considered restless
- No old broken idols/pictures in the puja — immerse them; a year-old idol goes into water or a plant
- Do not throw out the broom or garbage on Diwali night (that happens in the morning with the poverty-driving rite); no dark corner should remain in the house
Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali in 2026?
The date at the top is this year's Kartik Amavasya (Lakshmi Puja) — from panchang calculations; the table of all five days (Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj) is above too. If the Amavasya touches Pradosh on two days, Lakshmi puja is on the day when the Amavasya is present in Pradosh Kaal and continues into the night.
What is the auspicious muhurat for Lakshmi puja?
The Vrishabha fixed lagna within Pradosh Kaal (sunset to ~2 hours 24 minutes, exact time above) — about 6:30-8:30 pm in Delhi; this is best for householders. Nishita Kaal (above) is for sadhaks and traders. The fixed-lagna time shifts by 10-20 minutes by city.
Which deities are worshipped in the Diwali puja?
Ganesha (first), Lakshmi (main), Kuber, Saraswati, the kalash (Varuna), and by family custom Kali/Durga or the kul-devi; account books, the safe and tools are worshipped too.
What kind of Lakshmi-Ganesha idol, and what to do with the old one?
Clay, seated (on a lotus), Ganesha to Lakshmi's right; new every year. Immerse the old idol in water or the soil of a plant before the next Diwali, never in the garbage.
Is a fast kept on Diwali?
Not compulsory; many women take only fruit on the Amavasya day and eat after the Lakshmi puja. The puja, the lamps and the family together are what matter.
Why is Kali Puja held on Diwali night in Bengal?
The midnight of Kartik Amavasya is considered a night of Shakti sadhana; in Bengal-Assam the Lakshmi puja has already been done earlier (on Kojagari Purnima), so the Amavasya belongs to Maa Kali. The same night, a different tradition.
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⚠️ This description follows traditional vidhi and folk belief; your own family custom comes first. The fixed-lagna time varies by city — verify with your city's panchang. Follow safety and local rules for fireworks.
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