Diwali 2026 muhurta: Lakshmi Puja on 8 November, Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj

Diwali 2026, read calmly: Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November, the five days from Dhanteras (6 Nov) to Bhai Dooj (11 Nov), why the eighth, the evening windows (sunset, Rahu kaal, Taurus rising, choghadiya) for five Indian cities, and the sky this Diwali.

Chapters

1. 0:00 Diwali 2026, read calmly
2. 0:44 The five days
3. 1:23 Why the eighth
4. 2:01 The evening windows
5. 3:25 The sky this Diwali
6. 4:20 Your city, your almanac
7. 5:08 Recap

Transcript

Diwali 2026, read calmly

Diwali twenty twenty-six falls on Sunday, the eighth of November. Lakshmi Puja is that evening. In this video: the five days from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj, why Lakshmi Puja falls on the eighth, the evening windows many families look for, computed for New Delhi and four other cities, and the sky this Diwali. All times are Indian Standard Time, computed with the Sunyra engine. And one calm word before we begin.

A muhurta is a way of choosing a good moment to begin. It is not a promise of wealth.

The five days

Here are the five days, computed for New Delhi. Dhanteras is on Friday, the sixth of November. Trayodashi begins at ten thirty-one that morning and holds through the evening. Sunday, the eighth, is the main day. Narak Chaturdashi is in the morning, and Lakshmi Puja is in the evening.

Amavasya, the new Moon tithi, runs until twelve thirty-two in the afternoon of Monday the ninth. Govardhan Puja and Annakut are on Tuesday, the tenth, and Bhai Dooj is on Wednesday, the eleventh.

Why the eighth

Why the eighth, and not the ninth? Lakshmi Puja is done on the evening when Amavasya prevails, in pradosh, the time just after sunset. On Sunday the eighth, Amavasya begins at eleven twenty-eight in the morning, so it holds through the whole evening. On Monday the ninth, it ends at twelve thirty-two in the afternoon, before evening comes. So the eighth is the evening of Amavasya.

The same rule, applied to Trayodashi, places Dhanteras on the evening of the sixth.

The evening windows

Now the times. In New Delhi on the eighth, the Sun sets at five thirty-one. Sunday's Rahu kaal ends at sunset, so the evening is clear of it. Many family almanacs also look for a fixed sign rising, called a sthira lagna. The classical texts count four signs as fixed: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.

On Diwali evening in New Delhi, Taurus, Vrishabha, rises from about five fifty-five to seven fifty-one. And the evening choghadiya are Shubh, from sunset to seven oh nine, and then Amrit, until eight forty-eight. So the whole Taurus window falls inside them. For those who worship late at night, Leo, the other fixed sign of the night, rises from about twelve twenty-five to two forty-two. The rising sign changes with your city.

In Mumbai, Taurus rises from about six twenty-eight to eight twenty-eight. In Kolkata, from five twenty-one to seven nineteen. In Bengaluru, from six eighteen to eight twenty. And in Chennai, from six oh seven to eight ten. On Dhanteras, the sixth, Taurus rises in New Delhi from about six oh three to seven fifty-eight in the evening.

The sky this Diwali

The sky this year is unusual. Venus and Mercury, the planets astrologers link with wealth and trade, are both retrograde until the thirteenth and fourteenth of November. And on the sixth, the day of Dhanteras, Venus moves back into Virgo, its sign of debilitation. On Diwali night itself, the Moon is in Swati nakshatra. Astrologically, that makes this a Diwali for gratitude, and for reviewing accounts, rather than for extravagance.

Many families buy gold and new things at Diwali. The tradition's caution is about impulse, not about the festival: keep within the budget you set beforehand. It is a lovely time to clean, give, forgive and light lamps, and a poor one for a spending spree.

Your city, your almanac

Two honest notes. First, families and regions follow different almanacs and local sunrise, so a time can differ by a few minutes, and a date by a day, where you live. Your family's own panchang comes first. The free panchang on sunyra.ai gives tithi, Rahu kaal and choghadiya for any city and date. Second, no muhurta, and no remedy, can promise wealth.

Be wary of anyone who sells a special Diwali ritual with a promise of riches. If you would like your own coming year read month by month, Sunyra's Year Ahead report on sunyra.ai does that, from your own chart.

Recap

To recap. Dhanteras on the sixth. Lakshmi Puja on Sunday the eighth, with Amavasya from eleven twenty-eight. In New Delhi, sunset at five thirty-one, and Taurus rising from about five fifty-five to seven fifty-one. Govardhan Puja on the tenth, and Bhai Dooj on the eleventh.

And with Venus and Mercury retrograde, a Diwali for gratitude and careful accounts. Thank you for watching. Happy Diwali, from all of us at Sunyra. May your lamps burn bright, and your home be peaceful.

Astrology is a tradition of interpretation; read this as guidance, not a forecast. Disclaimer.