Hindu festival · computed for New Delhi
Diwali 2026 Date and Lakshmi Puja Muhurat
In 2026, Diwali in New Delhi falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The festival of lights — Lakshmi Puja on the new-moon night.
Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: Pradosh: the first fifth of the night after sunset, while Amavasya lasts. Many almanacs narrow Lakshmi Puja further to the part of pradosh with a fixed (sthira) lagna such as Taurus; this page gives the whole pradosh.
How the date is decided
Amavasya of the waning fortnight (Ashvin amanta, Kartika purnimanta), on the evening the Amavasya covers pradosh. If it covers pradosh on both evenings, the second — but only if it lasts at least one ghaṭī (24 minutes) after the second sunset; otherwise the first.
Dates for the next few years (New Delhi)
| Year | Date | Lakshmi Puja Muhurat |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, 8 November Amavasya: 11:28 AM, 8 Nov → 12:33 PM, 9 Nov | 5:31 PM – 8:09 PM |
| 2027 | Friday, 29 October Amavasya: 8:48 PM, 28 Oct → 7:07 PM, 29 Oct | 5:39 PM – 7:07 PM |
| 2028 | Tuesday, 17 October Amavasya: 12:05 PM, 17 Oct → 8:27 AM, 18 Oct | 5:49 PM – 8:20 PM |
See the day's full panchang for New Delhi →
In your city
The tithi changes at the same instant everywhere, but sunrise, sunset, midnight and moonrise are local — so the day a festival falls on can differ between cities, especially abroad.
| Date | Sunday, 8 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Lakshmi Puja Muhurat | 5:31 PM – 8:09 PM |
Cities with a different date in 2026
In 2026 every city in the list keeps it on the same date as New Delhi; only the times differ.
About the festival
Diwali, or Deepavali, "a row of lamps", is the new-moon night of Kartika (Ashvin in the amanta calendar) and the centre of a five-day festival that runs from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj. In the north it celebrates Rama's return to Ayodhya after fourteen years in exile, when the city lit lamps to welcome him; in the south the day before is Naraka Chaturdashi, Krishna's victory over Narakasura; in Bengal and Assam the night is Kali Puja. Jains mark the nirvana of Mahavira, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.
Houses are cleaned and lit with diyas, rangoli is drawn at the door, families wear new clothes, share sweets and visit relatives. Lakshmi and Ganesha are worshipped in the evening, and many traders open new account books (chopda puja). The festival also brings fireworks; many cities now restrict them for the sake of clean air, and lamps and community celebrations carry the spirit of the night just as well.
Lakshmi Puja is done in pradosh after sunset, while Amavasya lasts. When Amavasya touches two evenings, the second is taken only if it lasts at least one ghaṭī (24 minutes) after sunset.
Common questions
When is Diwali 2026?
In New Delhi, Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Amavasya: 11:28 AM, 8 Nov → 12:33 PM, 9 Nov.
What is the Lakshmi Puja Muhurat for Diwali 2026?
For New Delhi: 5:31 PM – 8:09 PM. It is computed from the city's own sunrise and sunset, so other cities differ by a few minutes or more.
Is Diwali on the same date in every city?
In 2026, yes for every city in our list — including those abroad; only the times change. That is not true every year, especially in the Americas and Australia.
Why did some calendars disagree about the Diwali date in 2025?
Amavasya began on the afternoon of 20 October and ended about ten minutes after sunset on 21 October in Delhi. The traditional rule needs Amavasya to last at least one ghaṭī (24 minutes) into the second evening's pradosh, so 20 October was the main date in most almanacs; a few calendars that count any overlap listed 21 October.