Diwali 2026: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat in Your City, and Is Choti Diwali on 7 or 8 November?

Diwali 2026: What Is the Time of Lakshmi Puja in Your City, Is Choti Diwali on 7 or 8 November?

The festival of Diwali is one of India's foremost festivals which brings the family together for prayers, sweets, decorations and to light the diyas. This festival of lights falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, and the devotees will offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha for prosperity, happiness and good fortune.

But this year there is a confusion about the date, Choti Diwali is on 7 November or 8 November? In addition, some calendars give the date of Kali Chaturdashi as 7 November and Naraka Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja as 8 November.

The difference lies in the way the different observances are calculated based upon the Hindu lunar calendar and the fluctuation of Chaturdashi Tithi. Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja muhurat, Pradosh Kaal, Choti Diwali and Kali Puja timings are provided here - City wise.

Diwali 2026 Date and Important Tithi Timings

The Diwali festival is on Sunday, 8 November 2026 (also referred to as Deepavali). The main Lakshmi Puja is done during Pradosh Kaal (around sunset) in the evening.

Amavasya Tithi is a very special day for worshipping for Diwali.

Diwali 2026 Date is 29th of October and Important Tithi Timings is 10th of the Hindu Month of Karthik.

These timings are for the Tithi in New Delhi's Panchang. They may vary somewhat for other places.

Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: Timings for Various Cities Across the Country

The Lakshmi Puja muhurat is not the same in all parts of India as the times of sunrise, sunset and calculation of panchang differ from place to place.

The evening Pradosh Kaal and Lakshmi Puja timings are provided in the following table for the major Indian cities on 8 November 2026.

Times are all local city times. The timings mentioned in Pradosh Kaal and Lakshmi Puja timings are calculated according to the cited Panchang, and may slightly vary from calendar to calendar due to minor time differences of a few minutes.

If one wants to make the most accurate timing, it is best to refer to the Panchang for the exact city, rather than to any timing made for another city.

Why Is Lakshmi Puja Done in Pradosh Kaal?

The time around the setting of the sun is called as Pradosh Kaal and is considered auspicious to perform Lakshmi Puja on the occasion of Diwali.

Worshiping Goddess Lakshmi during this time is believed to bring wealth, prosperity and happiness to the home. Lord Ganesha is also venerated along with Goddess Lakshmi as he is known as the god of wisdom and dispel of obstacles.

The Vrishabha Kaal (the merging of evening Pradosh) is also a good time to conduct Lakshmi Puja.

In New Delhi, the 2026 Lakshmi Puja muhurat runs from 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM and Pradosh Kaal is 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM.

Choti Diwali 2026 Date: 7th or 8th November?

One of the largest calendar-related confusions regarding Diwali 2026 is that it is a Hindu festival.

In short, Choti Diwali, which is also known as Naraka Chaturdashi, is celebrated on 8 November in the New Delhi Panchang, while 7 November is also used for the celebration of Kali Chaturdashi in some Panchangs.

The reason for the different dates.

Chaturdashi Tithi starts from 10:47 AM on 7th November and will end at 11:27 AM on 8th November. The important Naraka Chaturdashi Abhyang Snan is performed before sunrise while Chaturdashi Tithi is prevailing.

The Abhyang Snan muhurat for New Delhi is from 05:41 AM to 06:38 AM on 8th November.

This is the reason why Naraka Chaturdashi and the principal Lakshmi Puja of Diwali falls on the same English date of the calendar in 2026.

The difference is that both Kali Chaudas or Kali Chaturdashi and Naraka Chaturdashi are connected with the same lunar Tithi, but the timing for these two festivals can be different. For instance, the Kolkata festival calendar says that Kali Chaturdashi falls in 7 November and Naraka Chaturdashi falls on 8 November.

Thus, if it's a calendar that has 7 November, ask yourself, what could be it rather than assuming it is a Choti Diwali celebration?

Kali Puja 2026: Date and Muhurat in Bengal

Kali Puja is an important festival in West Bengal, particularly in Kolkata, where devotees worship Goddess Kali with elaborate decorations, lights and night-time rituals.

In 2026, Bengal Kali Puja will be observed on Sunday, 8 November.

According to the Kolkata Panchang, the Nishita-time Kali Puja muhurat is:

Kali Puja is performed during the night, and the Nishita period is especially significant for the worship.

Although Diwali and Kali Puja fall on the same date in 2026, the rituals and traditions followed by devotees differ across regions.

Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja Vidhi: Basic Rituals to Follow

Families follow different traditions while performing Lakshmi Puja. However, the main purpose is to welcome prosperity and seek blessings for the household.

Here are some commonly followed steps:

1. Clean the home: Clean the puja area and decorate the entrance with rangoli, flowers and diyas.

2. Prepare the puja space: Place the idols or pictures of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha on a clean platform.

3. Arrange the offerings: Keep flowers, fruits, sweets, incense sticks, a diya, rice and other traditional puja items ready.

4. Begin with Lord Ganesha: Offer prayers to Lord Ganesha before worshipping Goddess Lakshmi.

5. Perform Lakshmi Puja: Offer flowers, sweets and prayers to Goddess Lakshmi during the local muhurat.

6. Light diyas: Light traditional oil or ghee lamps around the home and near the entrance.

7. Perform aarti: Conclude the worship with Lakshmi and Ganesha aarti according to family tradition.

The exact rituals may vary between families and regions. Devotees can follow their family customs or seek guidance from a local priest.

Celebrate Diwali 2026 With the Correct Puja Timings

Diwali is a celebration of light, hope and prosperity. While the festival is observed across India, local traditions and Panchang calculations can create small differences in dates and timings.

In 2026, the main Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday, 8 November. Naraka Chaturdashi's pre-sunrise observance also falls on the same date in New Delhi, while Kali Chaturdashi is listed on 7 November in the Kolkata festival calendar. Bengal will also celebrate Kali Puja on 8 November.

Before preparing for the celebrations, check the muhurat for your city and follow the rituals according to your family tradition.

May this Diwali bring happiness, peace, prosperity and new beginnings to every home.