Diwali 2026
Diwali 2026 falls on in Delhi, India (Pradosh Kaal, computed for local sunset).
Dates are computed for Delhi, India (Udaya Tithi, Smarta convention; Pradosh dated by sunset, Sankashti by moonrise). See about for the full method and the Vaishnava difference on kshaya dates.
About Diwali
Diwali, the festival of lights, is the most widely observed festival in India. It falls on the Amavasya of the bright-side Kartika month, when Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is believed to walk the earth.
Homes are cleaned, decorated with oil lamps and rangoli, and the Lakshmi puja is performed during Pradosh, the evening window. The festival also marks Rama’s return to Ayodhya, the nirvana of Mahavira for Jains, and Bandi Chhor Divas for Sikhs — which is why the night sky fills with lamps across nearly every community in the country.
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Day details for
| Tithi at sunrise | Krishna Chaturdasi |
|---|---|
| Tithi window | 10:48 (-1 day) – 11:28 |
| Nakshatra | Svati |
| Sunrise | 06:38 IST |
| Sunset | 17:31 IST |
| Moonrise | 05:36 |
| Moonset | 16:39 |
| Madhyahna (local noon) | 12:05 |
| Pradosh Kaal (2 Muhurta after sunset) | 17:31 – 19:07 |
| Nishita Kaal (8th of 15 night divisions) | 23:38 – 00:31 (+1 day) |
All times are for Delhi, India (IST). The festival-specific observance anchor for this page is Pradosh Kaal, computed for local sunset.
The five days of Diwali 2026
| Day | Date | Key observance |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Dhanteras | Buying metal or utensils; Yamadeepam lamp at dusk. | |
| Day 2 — Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) | Pre-dawn oil bath (abhyanga snan); lamps lit at dusk. | |
| Day 3 — Lakshmi Puja (Diwali) | Lakshmi puja during Pradosh Kaal, 17:31 – 19:07. | |
| Day 4 — Govardhan Puja | Annakut food offering; Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas). | |
| Day 5 — Bhai Dooj | Sisters apply tilak and perform aarti for their brothers. |
When a tithi begins late, two observances can share one date and dating conventions can differ by a day — each day's page explains the conventions. Puja timings shift with local sunset; the windows above are for Delhi, India.
Year comparison
| Year | Date | Weekday | Tithi at sunrise (window) | Dating anchor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday | 10:48 (-1 day) – 11:28 | Pradosh Kaal, computed for local sunset | |
| 2027 | Friday | 20:48 (-1 day) – 19:06 | Pradosh Kaal, computed for local sunset |
Other years
Related
Methodology and reference
Dates on this page are computed astronomically — sidereal solar and lunar longitudes with the Lahiri (Chitrapaksha) ayanamsa — and dated by the classical rules of Dharmasindhu and Muhurta Chintamani (Udaya Tithi, Pradosh-vyapini and Aparahna conventions as applicable). Every value is regression-checked against Rashtriya Panchang, the official almanac compiled by Positional Astronomy Centre, IMD (Government of India) in Kolkata; the full method is described on the about page.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Diwali in 2026?
- Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026 in Delhi, India (Pradosh Kaal, computed for local sunset).
- What is Diwali?
- Diwali, the festival of lights, is the most widely observed festival in India. It falls on the Amavasya of the bright-side Kartika month, when Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is believed to walk the earth.
- How is Diwali observed?
- Homes are cleaned, decorated with oil lamps and rangoli, and the Lakshmi puja is performed during Pradosh, the evening window. The festival also marks Rama’s return to Ayodhya, the nirvana of Mahavira for Jains, and Bandi Chhor Divas for Sikhs — which is why the night sky fills with lamps across nearly every community in the country.
- Why might Diwali fall on a different day elsewhere?
- Observance dates follow the tithi current at local sunrise, so cities with different sunrise times can observe a day earlier or later. Vaishnava calendars also shift dates when a tithi touches no sunrise (kshaya).