India

Diwali 2026 Falls on Sunday, 8 November, Not 9 November

By TOI Lifestyle Desk

Diwali 2026 will be celebrated on Sunday, 8 November in India, with the main Lakshmi Puja taking place that day. The festival occurs on Amavasya, the new‑moon day of the Hindu month of Kartik. According to the New Delhi calendar published by Drik Panchang, Amavasya begins at 11:27 AM on 8 November and ends at 12:31 PM on 9 November. Because the tithi spans both dates, some people think the festival could fall on either one.

The Lakshmi Puja is an evening ritual performed during Pradosh Kaal, the period just after sunset. The day chosen is the one that has Amavasya present at that time. Amavasya is present during the evening Pradosh Kaal on 8 November, so that is the day for Lakshmi Puja. On 9 November, Amavasya ends around noon, well before sunset; by the time evening comes, the tithi has already passed, and hence Diwali falls on 8 November.

According to Drik Panchang, the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on 8 November will last between 5:54 PM and 7:50 PM, and Pradosh Kaal runs from 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM, giving a window of about 1 hour 56 minutes. Timings vary by city because sunset times differ. For example, Drik Panchang lists Kolkata’s window as 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM and Chennai’s as 6:07 PM to 8:09 PM, so it is advisable to check local timings.

The full Diwali 2026 schedule, according to Drik Panchang, is: - Dhanteras: Friday, 6 November 2026 - Choti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi): Chaturdashi tithi begins at 10:47 AM on 7 November and ends at 11:27 AM on 8 November - Govardhan Puja: 9 November 2026 - Bhai Dooj: 11 November 2026