Narak Chaturdashi · Choti Diwali, Roop Chaudas, Kali Chaudas
Choti Diwali: an oil bath before dawn and lamps for light over darkness.
In 13 days Kartika Krishna Chaturdashi (amanta: Ashwin Krishna Chaturdashi)Times for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: Kartika Krishna Chaturdashi (purnimanta), before sunrise
Narak Chaturdashi timings, Sunday, 8 November 2026, New Delhi
| Chaturdashi tithi begins | 10:48 am (7 Nov) |
|---|---|
| Chaturdashi tithi ends | 11:28 am |
| Abhyang snan (before sunrise) | 5:02 am – 6:38 am |
| Sunrise | 6:38 am |
| Moonrise | 5:36 am |
| Sunset | 5:31 pm |
The time after that: Thursday, 28 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
Narak Chaturdashi, or Choti Diwali, is the day before Lakshmi Puja. It begins with an oil bath before sunrise and ends with a row of lamps. Here is this year’s date and the pre-dawn abhyang snan time for your city.
Meaning and story of Narak Chaturdashi
The day remembers Lord Krishna, with Satyabhama, defeating the demon Narakasura and freeing the many people he held captive. It is a story about ending what holds us back, which is why the morning begins with cleansing.
In western India it is also Roop Chaudas, a day for self-care, and in Bengal Kali Chaudas is linked with Goddess Kali. Wherever it is kept, the mood is the same: clear out, freshen up and get the home ready for the festival of light.
Puja vidhi, step by step
- Wake before sunrise; apply sesame oil and ubtan (gram flour, turmeric and herbs) to the body.
- Take a bath during the abhyang snan window, before sunrise.
- Wear fresh clothes and offer a lamp and prayers to Krishna or your family deity.
- In the evening light lamps, including one for Yama facing south in some families.
- Clean any last corners of the home for tomorrow’s Lakshmi Puja.
What you will need
- Sesame oil
- Ubtan: gram flour, turmeric, sandalwood
- Fresh clothes
- Diyas and wicks
- Flowers and sweets
Do
- Keep the morning bath simple and warm.
- Use the day to finish preparations calmly.
- Light lamps at dusk.
- Check on elderly neighbours during the festival week.
Avoid
- Don’t burst loud crackers late at night near the elderly, infants or pets.
- Avoid harsh chemical colours on the skin; natural ubtan is traditional.
- Don’t sleep in past sunrise if you are keeping the custom.
- Avoid wasting oil and food.
A small note for each rashi this Narak Chaturdashi
Gentle, general suggestions for your Moon sign, not predictions. Every sign is welcome at every festival.
- Mesha Aries
Your gift: initiative, comfortable going first. Drop one habit that holds you back and start one that moves you forward.
- Vrishabha Taurus
Your gift: patience and staying power. Clear one physical space at home or work; order outside brings calm inside.
- Mithuna Gemini
Your gift: fast learning and adaptability. Write down three things you want this season to bring, and share one with a friend.
- Karka Cancer
Your gift: empathy and emotional intelligence. Let go of an old hurt today; a fresh start begins with a lighter heart.
- Simha Leo
Your gift: natural authority and presence. Drop one habit that holds you back and start one that moves you forward.
- Kanya Virgo
Your gift: analytical precision. Clear one physical space at home or work; order outside brings calm inside.
- Tula Libra
Your gift: diplomacy and tact. Write down three things you want this season to bring, and share one with a friend.
- Vrishchika Scorpio
Your gift: depth and focus. Let go of an old hurt today; a fresh start begins with a lighter heart.
- Dhanu Sagittarius
Your gift: optimism and faith. Drop one habit that holds you back and start one that moves you forward.
- Makara Capricorn
Your gift: discipline and patience. Clear one physical space at home or work; order outside brings calm inside.
- Kumbha Aquarius
Your gift: original, independent thinking. Write down three things you want this season to bring, and share one with a friend.
- Meena Pisces
Your gift: compassion and kindness. Let go of an old hurt today; a fresh start begins with a lighter heart.
Questions about Narak Chaturdashi
When is Narak Chaturdashi?
The next Narak Chaturdashi is on Sunday, 8 November 2026: Kartika Krishna Chaturdashi (purnimanta), before sunrise. For New Delhi, abhyang snan (before sunrise): 5:02 am – 6:38 am. Times change by city; choose yours above.
Why is it called Choti Diwali?
It is the “small Diwali” the evening before Lakshmi Puja. Fewer lamps are lit than on the main night, and the day is used to prepare.
What is abhyang snan?
A cleansing bath taken before sunrise after massaging the body with oil and ubtan. It is done while Chaturdashi is current, in the last part of the night.
Is Narak Chaturdashi on the same day as Diwali some years?
Yes. When Chaturdashi is current at sunrise and Amavasya covers the evening of the same day, both fall on one date, as it does in some years.
Is Kali Chaudas the same festival?
It falls on the same lunar day. In Gujarat and Bengal the night is dedicated to Goddess Kali and protection; the morning bath and lamps are shared customs.
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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