Diwali 2026 will be celebrated on 8 November
The main Lakshmi Puja will take place on Sunday, 8 November, according to the New Delhi calendar published by Drik Panchang.
Diwali will be celebrated in India on Sunday, 8 November 2026, according to a report by The Times of India. While there has been confusion regarding whether the festival falls on 8 November or 9 November, the main Lakshmi Puja will be performed on the 8th.
The confusion arises because the Amavasya tithi, or lunar day, begins at 11:27 AM on 8 November and ends at 12:31 PM on 9 November. Because the tithi spans two dates on the Gregorian calendar, some may assume the festival falls on either day.
Lakshmi Puja is an evening ritual performed during Pradosh Kaal, which is the period just after sunset. Since Amavasya is present during the evening Pradosh Kaal on 8 November, that day is designated for the puja. On 9 November, the tithi ends around noon, before sunset.
Drik Panchang states the Lakshmi Puja muhurat will last between 5:54 PM and 7:50 PM on 8 November. The Pradosh Kaal runs from 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM, providing a window of approximately 1 hour 56 minutes.
The timeline for the festivities includes Dhanteras on Friday, 6 November 2026, and Choti Diwali, or Naraka Chaturdashi, which begins at 10:47 AM on 7 November. Govardhan Puja will be celebrated on 9 November, followed by Bhai Dooj on 11 November.