Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) · Deepavali, Deepawali, Lakshmi Puja
The festival of lights: Lakshmi Puja on the new-moon night of Kartika.
In 13 days Kartika Amavasya (amanta: Ashwin Amavasya)Times for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: Kartika Amavasya, during pradosh (amanta: Ashwin Amavasya)
Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) timings, Sunday, 8 November 2026, New Delhi
| Amavasya tithi begins | 11:28 am |
|---|---|
| Amavasya tithi ends | 12:32 pm (9 Nov) |
| Puja muhurat | 5:54 pm – 7:50 pm |
| Pradosh kaal | 5:31 pm – 8:08 pm |
| Vrishabha (sthir) lagna | 5:54 pm – 7:50 pm |
| Nishita kaal (midnight) | 11:38 pm – 12:31 am (9 Nov) |
| Simha (sthir) lagna | 12:25 am (9 Nov) – 2:42 am (9 Nov) |
| Sunrise | 6:38 am |
| Sunset | 5:31 pm |
The time after that: Friday, 29 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
Diwali is the festival of lights and the most loved night of the Hindu year. On the new-moon night of Kartika, families light every corner of the home and worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha for prosperity, wisdom and a fresh start. Below are this year’s date and the Lakshmi Puja muhurat for your city.
Meaning and story of Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)
Deepavali means “a row of lamps”. Across India it marks the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years, the people lighting lamps to welcome him home. In many homes it also remembers Lakshmi emerging from the churning of the ocean, and for business families it opens the new account year with Chopda Puja.
The deeper meaning is simple and hopeful: on the darkest night of the month, light is chosen on purpose. Diwali invites us to clean out the old, mend relationships, give generously and begin again with gratitude.
Puja vidhi, step by step
- Clean and decorate the home; draw a rangoli at the entrance and keep the main door open during the puja.
- On a raised platform with red cloth, place Lakshmi and Ganesha (Ganesha on Lakshmi’s left), a kalash with water, mango leaves and a coconut.
- Sit facing east or north in the muhurat. Light a large ghee lamp that can burn through the night.
- Begin with Ganesha: tilak, flowers, durva and modak or laddoo. Then worship Lakshmi with lotus or red flowers, kumkum, rice, sweets, coins and new account books if you keep them.
- Recite the Shri Suktam, a Lakshmi mantra or simply pray in your own words; perform aarti together.
- Light lamps throughout the home and outside, share prasad, and greet family and neighbours.
What you will need
- Images or idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha
- Kalash, mango leaves and coconut
- Red cloth and a raised platform
- Ghee and oil lamps, wicks
- Kumkum, haldi, rice, sandalwood
- Lotus or red flowers, durva grass
- Kheel-batashe, sweets and fruit
- Coins, account books or a pen
- Incense and camphor for aarti
Do
- Do the main puja in the muhurat for your own city.
- Keep a lamp burning safely; never leave flames unattended near curtains or children.
- Give to someone who needs it: food, clothes or time.
- Call relatives you have not spoken to in a while.
Avoid
- Avoid loud late-night crackers, especially near hospitals, the elderly, infants and animals.
- Don’t gamble beyond a friendly game, or with money you need.
- Avoid quarrels and harsh words on the day.
- Don’t leave diyas unattended near fabric or rangoli powder.
A small note for each rashi this Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)
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 Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)
When is Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)?
The next Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday, 8 November 2026: Kartika Amavasya, during pradosh (amanta: Ashwin Amavasya). For New Delhi, puja muhurat: 5:54 pm – 7:50 pm. Times change by city; choose yours above.
What is the best time for Lakshmi Puja?
Tradition prefers pradosh kaal (the first part of the night after sunset) when a fixed rising sign, Vrishabha, is on the horizon and Amavasya is current. The table above shows that window for your city.
What is nishita kaal on Diwali?
The middle part of the night, around local midnight. Some families and tantric traditions perform Kali or Lakshmi worship then. For most homes the evening muhurat is the main one.
Which direction should we face during the puja?
East or north are traditional, with Lakshmi placed so the worshipper faces her. What matters most is a clean, calm space and a sincere prayer.
Why do Diwali dates sometimes differ between calendars?
Diwali follows Amavasya at pradosh. When Amavasya begins in the afternoon of one day and ends the next evening, almanacs choose the evening it covers more of pradosh. That is the rule we use; check with your family priest if your community follows another.
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.
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