Dhanteras · Dhantrayodashi, Dhanvantari Jayanti
The first day of Diwali: Lakshmi, Kubera and Dhanvantari, and new utensils.
In 11 days Kartika Krishna Trayodashi (amanta: Ashwin Krishna Trayodashi)Times for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: Kartika Krishna Trayodashi (purnimanta), during pradosh
Dhanteras timings, Friday, 6 November 2026, New Delhi
| Trayodashi tithi begins | 10:31 am |
|---|---|
| Trayodashi tithi ends | 10:48 am (7 Nov) |
| Puja muhurat | 6:02 pm – 7:58 pm |
| Pradosh kaal | 5:32 pm – 8:09 pm |
| Vrishabha (sthir) lagna | 6:02 pm – 7:58 pm |
| Yama deepam (after sunset) | 5:32 pm – 8:09 pm |
| Sunrise | 6:36 am |
| Sunset | 5:32 pm |
The time after that: Wednesday, 27 October 2027
All times are for New Delhi, computed from the sidereal (Lahiri) panchang. They update themselves daily and roll over to the next date once the festival has passed. Today’s panchang for New Delhi
Dhanteras opens the five days of Diwali. Families clean and light the home, buy something new for the household, and worship Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Kubera and Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods. Here is this year’s date and the evening puja muhurat for your city.
Meaning and story of Dhanteras
Dhan means wealth and teras the thirteenth lunar day. The day honours Dhanvantari, who rose from the churning of the ocean holding a pot of amrit, so it is also celebrated as National Ayurveda Day. Health is treated as the first wealth.
A popular story tells of a young prince fated to a short life whose wife kept him awake all night with lamps, songs and a heap of her jewellery at the door; Yama, arriving as a serpent, was dazzled and left. From this comes Yama deepam, a lamp lit facing south on Dhanteras evening for the long life of the family.
Puja vidhi, step by step
- Clean the home and entrance; draw a rangoli and small footprints of Lakshmi walking in.
- In the evening muhurat, place images of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera and Dhanvantari on a clean cloth.
- Light a ghee lamp, offer flowers, roli, rice, sweets and coins, and recite a Lakshmi or Kubera mantra.
- Offer a prayer to Dhanvantari for good health in the family.
- After sunset, light the Yama deepam: a four-wick lamp placed outside, facing south.
- If you buy metal, silver or a new utensil, bring it home during the muhurat and place it at the puja first.
What you will need
- Images of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera and Dhanvantari
- Ghee lamps and a four-wick clay lamp
- Coins or new utensil
- Flowers, roli, rice and turmeric
- Sweets and dhaniya (coriander seeds)
- Rangoli colours
Do
- Buy only what is useful and within budget: a steel utensil, a broom or coriander seeds are fully traditional.
- Light lamps at the entrance and in dark corners.
- Take a small step for health: a walk, a check-up, a better habit.
- Share sweets with neighbours and helpers.
Avoid
- Don’t borrow or overspend to buy gold; tradition values intention, not price.
- Avoid leaving the entrance dark on Dhanteras night.
- Avoid buying sharp or broken items as gifts by custom.
- Don’t skip rest; the festival week is long.
A small note for each rashi this Dhanteras
Gentle, general suggestions for your Moon sign, not predictions. Every sign is welcome at every festival.
- Mesha Aries
Your gift: initiative, comfortable going first. Put that energy into one clear money goal for the year and light the lamp for patience as well as gain.
- Vrishabha Taurus
Your gift: patience and staying power. A good day to set up a simple budget or savings habit; small, steady steps are your kind of prosperity.
- Mithuna Gemini
Your gift: fast learning and adaptability. Share ideas with family about a shared goal; prosperity grows when plans are talked through.
- Karka Cancer
Your gift: empathy and emotional intelligence. Give something with an open heart today; gratitude for what you have is your doorway to Lakshmi.
- Simha Leo
Your gift: natural authority and presence. Put that energy into one clear money goal for the year and light the lamp for patience as well as gain.
- Kanya Virgo
Your gift: analytical precision. A good day to set up a simple budget or savings habit; small, steady steps are your kind of prosperity.
- Tula Libra
Your gift: diplomacy and tact. Share ideas with family about a shared goal; prosperity grows when plans are talked through.
- Vrishchika Scorpio
Your gift: depth and focus. Give something with an open heart today; gratitude for what you have is your doorway to Lakshmi.
- Dhanu Sagittarius
Your gift: optimism and faith. Put that energy into one clear money goal for the year and light the lamp for patience as well as gain.
- Makara Capricorn
Your gift: discipline and patience. A good day to set up a simple budget or savings habit; small, steady steps are your kind of prosperity.
- Kumbha Aquarius
Your gift: original, independent thinking. Share ideas with family about a shared goal; prosperity grows when plans are talked through.
- Meena Pisces
Your gift: compassion and kindness. Give something with an open heart today; gratitude for what you have is your doorway to Lakshmi.
Questions about Dhanteras
When is Dhanteras?
The next Dhanteras is on Friday, 6 November 2026: Kartika Krishna Trayodashi (purnimanta), during pradosh. For New Delhi, puja muhurat: 6:02 pm – 7:58 pm. Times change by city; choose yours above.
What is auspicious to buy on Dhanteras?
Gold, silver, brass or steel utensils, a new broom and whole coriander seeds are all traditional. A small, useful purchase made with gratitude carries the same meaning as an expensive one.
What is Yama deepam?
A four-wick lamp lit after sunset on Dhanteras and placed outside facing south, the direction of Yama, as a prayer for the long life and safety of the family.
Why does the puja muhurat use Vrishabha lagna?
Vrishabha (Taurus) is a fixed (sthir) rising sign. Tradition holds that worship done when a fixed sign is rising helps prosperity stay. The muhurat is the overlap of pradosh, Vrishabha lagna and Trayodashi.
Is Dhanteras the same day everywhere?
Usually yes, but because the muhurat depends on local sunset and the rising sign, times differ by city. Choose your city above to see your local times.
How are these dates worked out?
Every festival is fixed by a rule: the lunar month, the paksha, the tithi, and the part of the day (such as pradosh, madhyahna or nishita) in which that tithi must fall. Our engine finds the next time that happens from the sidereal (Lahiri) Sun and Moon and computes the muhurat from your city’s sunrise and sunset. Dates are checked against Drik Panchang. Where traditions differ, such as Smarta and Vaishnava reckoning, we say so above; your family custom or local priest always comes first.
Pair the festival with your own chart
Hora (D2) Wealth Report: Your D2 divisional chart, calculated and explained for wealth, resources and how you build security.
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