About Diwali
Diwali, or Deepavali, is the festival of lamps, and in 2026 its main night of Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and many Newar Buddhists mark it, each for their own reasons, across five days that run from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj.
Deepavali is Sanskrit for "a row of lamps", from deepa (lamp) and avali (row). The name describes the one thing almost every household does: at dusk on the new moon night of Kartik, clay diyas go on doorsteps, windowsills and balconies, and they are kept burning into the night.
In December 2025, UNESCO added Deepavali to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the sixteenth element from India, at a committee session held at the Red Fort in New Delhi.
What are the five days of Diwali?
In most of north and west India, Diwali runs five days, Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, each tied to a lunar tithi rather than a fixed date.
- Day 1 · DhanterasBuying metal for the home
Families buy gold, silver or a new steel vessel, and many light a lamp for Yama facing south. See Dhanteras.
- Day 2 · Naraka ChaturdashiChoti Diwali
A few lamps the evening before Lakshmi Puja, and the story of Krishna defeating the asura Narakasura. The dawn oil bath goes by the tithi at sunrise, so in some years, 2026 among them, it falls on the morning of Lakshmi Puja itself. In Bengal it is Bhoot Chaturdashi, with 14 lamps lit for the ancestors. See Narak Chaturdashi.
- Day 3 · Lakshmi PujaThe main night
The evening puja to Lakshmi and Ganesha, the house lit end to end, sweets shared with neighbours.
- Day 4 · Govardhan PujaAnnakut and new year
A mountain of cooked food offered in Krishna temples. In Gujarat this is Bestu Varas, the new year. See Govardhan Puja and Gujarati New Year.
- Day 5 · Bhai DoojBrothers and sisters
Sisters mark a tilak on their brothers' foreheads and pray for them. See Bhai Dooj.
Why is Diwali celebrated?
There is no single Diwali story: the north remembers Rama's return to Ayodhya, much of the south Krishna's victory over Narakasura, Jains the nirvana of Mahavira, and Sikhs Bandi Chhor Divas. It helps to know which one the person you are wishing grew up with.
In the north, the best-known account is Rama's return to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, with the city lighting lamps to welcome him. Researchers at Sahapedia point out that neither Valmiki's Ramayana nor Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas actually mentions Diwali; the link comes later, through the Puranas and popular practice. A seventh-century play by King Harsha, Nagananda, already names a festival of lamps called Deepotsava.
In much of the south and in Goa, the focus is Krishna's victory over Narakasura, which is why the main day there is Naraka Chaturdashi, not the new moon. For Lakshmi Puja families, the night is about inviting the goddess of prosperity into a clean, well-lit home, which explains the pre-Diwali scrubbing and whitewashing.
For Jains, Diwali marks the nirvana of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, at Pavapuri in present-day Bihar, and the enlightenment of his chief disciple Gautam Swami. Jain observance leans towards fasting, temple visits and reading the Uttaradhyayana Sutra, and the Jain new year begins the next day.
For Sikhs, the same night is Bandi Chhor Divas. Guru Hargobind was released from Gwalior Fort (in 1619 by the common account; some sources say 1611 or 1612) and, by Sikh tradition, walked out with 52 imprisoned princes holding on to the panels of his cloak. The Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar is lit up on the night, and gurdwaras hold kirtan.
How is Diwali celebrated in different regions?
The main day of Diwali differs by region: Lakshmi Puja on the new moon in the north, Kali Puja at midnight in Bengal, Odisha and Assam, and Naraka Chaturdashi at dawn in Tamil Nadu and Goa.
| Region | What the main day is | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Punjab | Lakshmi Puja on the new moon | Lakshmi-Ganesh idols bought new each year, kheel-batashe offered, gambling with cards among some families |
| Gujarat and Rajasthan | Lakshmi Puja, then new year next day | Chopda Pujan: traders consecrate new account books; "Saal Mubarak" the morning after |
| Maharashtra | Four to five days, Padwa on day four | Faral snacks (chakli, karanji, shankarpali), clay forts built by children, Balipratipada for couples |
| West Bengal, Odisha, Assam | Kali Puja at midnight | Kali worshipped rather than Lakshmi; Bengali Hindus hold their Lakshmi Puja earlier, on Kojagari Purnima |
| Tamil Nadu | Naraka Chaturdashi at dawn | Oil bath before sunrise, new clothes, crackers in the early morning; the first Deepavali after a wedding, Thalai Deepavali, is spent at the bride's home |
| Goa | Naraka Chaturdashi at dawn | Giant Narakasur effigies built by village groups and burnt before sunrise, often for prize money |
How is the date of Diwali decided?
Diwali falls on Amavasya, the new moon, of the lunar month Kartik (Ashvin in the southern amanta calendar, which ends months on the new moon). Panchangs choose the day on which the Amavasya tithi is running during Pradosh Kaal, the roughly two hours and twenty-four minutes after local sunset. Many priests also look for a fixed ascendant, Vrishabha lagna, in that window.
When the new moon spans two evenings, or none cleanly, cities can land on different dates. In 2026 the main night in India is Sunday, 8 November 2026, but a family in the Gulf, Europe or North America should check a panchang set to their own city, since local sunset decides the day. Puja timings also change by city, so take them from a local panchang.
What to write, and what to avoid
A Diwali message lands best when it says something only you would say: the sweets their mother makes, the first year in a new flat, a child's first sparkler. Wishing for light and health reads warmer than wishing only for money, even though Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth.
Happy Diwali, Maa and Papa. I can almost smell the besan laddoos from here. Light one diya on the balcony for me this year, and I'll light one here for you.
Wishing you and your family a very happy Diwali. Hope you get a few days off the laptop and more sweets than you can finish.
Shubh Deepavali and a prosperous new year to you and your team. Thank you for a good year of working together; here's to many more.
Happy Diwali from all of us. I know it's not the same without the noise and the family, so here's a small reminder that you're missed. Light something tonight, even a candle.
Happy first Diwali together! May the lamps you light in your new home this year be the first of many.
Wishing you a peaceful Diwali as you remember Bhagwan Mahavira's nirvana, and a good new year ahead.
Happy Bandi Chhor Divas and Diwali. May Guru Hargobind Sahib's courage stay with you and your family.
Thinking of you all this Diwali. I know this year is different. Sending love, and I'm here if you want company or quiet.
Do
- Use the name they use: Deepavali in the south, Kali Puja greetings for Bengali friends, Saal Mubarak for Gujarati friends the day after.
- Send Sikh friends a Bandi Chhor Divas wish; many observe the Guru's release, not a Lakshmi Puja.
- Carry a small box of sweets or dry fruit if you visit, and take off your shoes where the family has made a rangoli.
Avoid
- Don't send "Happy Diwali" to a family that has lost someone this year; many Hindu families don't celebrate the first Diwali after a death.
- Don't assume every Indian colleague celebrates it. Muslim, Christian and many other colleagues may not, though most will happily accept a friendly wish.
- Don't gift leather to a Jain household, or crackers to anyone without asking; many cities restrict them to set hours.
Asato ma sad gamaya, tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, mrityor ma amritam gamaya. Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.
- Rangoli / kolam
- Patterns made with coloured powder, rice flour or flowers at the entrance
- Pradosh Kaal
- The window after sunset in which Lakshmi Puja is done
- Chopda Pujan
- Worship of new account books by Gujarati and Marwari traders
- Saal Mubarak
- Gujarati new-year greeting, said the morning after Diwali
- Thalai Deepavali
- A couple's first Deepavali after marriage in Tamil families
How to wish someone on Diwali
A good Diwali wish names something real: the lamps at home, the family gathering, a new account book, a first Diwali after a wedding or a move. Wish for light, health and a good year ahead rather than only wealth. For Jain and Sikh friends, acknowledge Mahavira's nirvana or Bandi Chhor Divas, and for a family in mourning, write gently instead of saying Happy Diwali.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is Diwali in 2026 and 2027?
Diwali is set by the Hindu lunar calendar, so it falls on a different date each year. In 2027 it falls 10 days earlier than in 2026.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
Why do people light diyas on Diwali?
Diwali falls on the darkest night of the month, the new moon of Kartik, and lamps are lit to welcome Lakshmi into the home and to mark the victory of light over darkness. Each tradition adds its own reason: Rama's return to Ayodhya, Krishna's defeat of Narakasura, Mahavira's nirvana or Guru Hargobind's release.
Why is Diwali on a different day in Tamil Nadu?
In Tamil Nadu and much of the south, Deepavali is celebrated on the morning of Naraka Chaturdashi, the day Krishna is said to have defeated Narakasura, with an oil bath before dawn. The rest of India centres on the new moon evening that follows, though in some years both fall on the same calendar day.
What do Jains and Sikhs celebrate on Diwali?
Jains mark the nirvana of Mahavira at Pavapuri and the enlightenment of his disciple Gautam Swami, and begin their new year the next day. Sikhs mark Bandi Chhor Divas, Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior Fort, usually dated 1619, along with 52 princes.
Is Diwali on the same date outside India?
Not always. The date is set by when the new moon tithi covers the evening after local sunset, so cities west of India, such as those in the Gulf, Europe or North America, can observe it a day earlier or later. Check a panchang set to your own city.
What should I say to someone who isn't celebrating Diwali this year?
If the family has had a death in the past year, skip "Happy Diwali" and send a short note saying you are thinking of them. Many Hindu families don't celebrate the first Diwali after a loss, and a gentle message is more welcome than festive wishes.
Is it okay for a non-Hindu to wish someone Happy Diwali?
Yes. Wishing a Hindu, Jain or Sikh friend on Diwali is ordinary courtesy in India and abroad, and "Happy Diwali" or "Shubh Deepavali" is always fine. For Sikh friends, "Happy Bandi Chhor Divas" shows you know what their day means.
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