Panchangam 8 November 2026 (Sunday): Diwali, Lakshmi Puja, Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Puja and Chopda Puja, Tithi and Puja Vidhi

Quick answer: Sunday 8 November 2026 is Diwali. In Hyderabad, Chaturdashi lasts until 11:27 AM (Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath and Tamil Deepavali in the morning), and Amavasya then prevails for the evening Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, Chopda and Sharda Puja and the Kedar Gauri Vrat. For your city's Lakshmi Puja time, use our Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 India city-wise guide.

Happy Deepavali. Today the whole of Hindu India, and Hindu homes around the world, light lamps on the darkest night of the month. The morning remembers Krishna and Satyabhama's victory over Narakasura; the evening welcomes Lakshmi into homes made clean and bright. This page gives you the day's panchang and a short guide to each observance. For the full story, rituals and regional customs, start with our Diwali 2026 complete 5-day guide.

Today's Panchang (Hyderabad)

Source: Drik Panchang day panchang for Hyderabad, IST. Swati nakshatra continues through the whole night and ends at 07:24 AM on 9 November. The yoga is Ayushmana, "long life", until 03:03 AM on 9 November. We do not give the Lakshmi Puja muhurat or Rahu Kalam on this page; please use the city-wise guide or a local panchang.

Today's observances at a glance

Religious significance

Naraka Chaturdashi: the morning remembers the slaying of the demon-king Narakasura by Krishna with Satyabhama, and the freeing of the women he had imprisoned. The oil bath before dawn symbolises washing away the darkness he represents. In the Telugu states, Naraka Chaturdashi and the evening Deepavali puja together form the main festival; see our Telugu Deepavali 2026 guide.

Lakshmi Puja: on the Amavasya evening of Diwali, Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and auspiciousness, is worshipped with Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. In North India this is also remembered as the night Rama returned to Ayodhya. Kamala Jayanti, listed by Drik Panchang today, honours Lakshmi as Kamala, one of the ten Mahavidyas.

Kali Puja and Darsha Amavasya: in Bengal the same new-moon night belongs to Kali, worshipped at midnight. Darsha Amavasya is the name for the new-moon observance, on which many families also remember their ancestors.

Puja vidhi: Lakshmi Puja at home

• Before dawn (optional, regional): oil massage and bath for Naraka Chaturdashi, new or clean clothes, and a lamp at the door.
• Afternoon: clean the puja area, draw a rangoli, set up Lakshmi and Ganesha on a red or yellow cloth with a kalash of water.
• Evening (essential): in your city's muhurat, light the main ghee lamp, offer kumkum, turmeric, rice, flowers, sweets and fruit, chant the mantra below and perform aarti.
• Deepamalika: light rows of diyas at the entrance, windows, balcony, tulasi plant and kitchen.
• Optional customs: worship of account books, coins or jewellery; reading the Lakshmi Ashtottara; keeping a lamp lit through the night where it is safe to do so.

No materials? Light one lamp in a clean corner, place a coin or a picture of Lakshmi beside it, chant the mantra 108 times and thank the Goddess for what you already have. Our step-by-step Lakshmi Puja vidhi and Maha Lakshmi Aarti with transliteration cover the full puja.

Mantra for the day

Om Shri Mahalakshmyai Namah (IAST: oṃ śrī mahālakṣmyai namaḥ). Meaning: "Om, salutations to the great Goddess Lakshmi." Chant it 108 times during the evening puja as an offering of reverence and gratitude; it is not a promise of instant wealth.

What you can do today

• Take the Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath before sunrise (06:18 AM in Hyderabad) if it is your family custom.
• Look up your city's Lakshmi Puja muhurat in our India city-wise guide and plan the evening around it.
• Light diyas at the door, windows and tulasi plant after the 05:42 PM sunset.
• Visit or call elders and seek their blessings.
• Share sweets with neighbours, domestic workers and anyone spending Diwali alone.
• If you burst crackers, follow local rules and keep water and sand ready; consider a quieter, cracker-free Diwali.
• Keep lamps away from curtains and never leave them unattended where children or pets can reach.

For families and children

Let children fill the diyas with oil, place the wicks and light the first lamp with an adult. Tell them the story of Rama's return or of Krishna and Narakasura, and give them a small role in the aarti. For ideas, see our eco-friendly, cracker-free Diwali guide. Keep sparklers and matches strictly under adult supervision.

Hindus abroad: today's sunrise, tithi and nakshatra

Local sunrise, sunset, and the tithi and nakshatra at local sunrise on 8 November 2026.

Computed with HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik Panchang; festival dates abroad can differ by a day — follow your temple's panchang. All times in this table are local clock times for each city.

Lakshmi Puja abroad is reckoned from local sunset and the Amavasya at your location, so never use Indian times. See our country muhurat guides for the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Singapore and Europe.

Frequently asked questions

Is Diwali on 8 November 2026?

Yes. In India, Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday 8 November 2026. Amavasya begins at 11:27 AM IST and prevails through the evening, which is when Lakshmi Puja is performed.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on 8 November 2026?

It depends on your city, because it is reckoned from local sunset and the evening pradosha kala. Please see our Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 India city-wise guide for your city. In Hyderabad, sunset today is 05:42 PM.

Are Naraka Chaturdashi and Diwali on the same day in 2026?

Yes, in India. Chaturdashi prevails at sunrise on 8 November (until 11:27 AM), so the pre-dawn Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath is this morning, and Amavasya in the evening makes it the Lakshmi Puja day too. That is why Tamil Deepavali, celebrated on the Naraka Chaturdashi morning, also falls today.

When is Kali Puja in 2026?

Kali Puja, the main Diwali worship in West Bengal, Assam and Odisha, is on the Amavasya night of 8 November 2026 according to Drik Panchang. It is performed around midnight.

What are Chopda Puja and Sharda Puja?

In Gujarat and among Gujarati and Marwari business families, new account books (chopda) are worshipped on Diwali with Lakshmi, Ganesha and Sharda (Saraswati), asking for honest and prosperous dealings in the coming year.

What is the Kedar Gauri Vrat?

It is a vrat kept mainly in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, also called Kedara Gowri Nombu, in which Shiva as Kedareswara is worshipped with Parvati (Gauri) on Deepavali Amavasya. Drik Panchang lists it today.

A closing thought

One lamp lights another without losing its own flame. May the light you kindle tonight reach someone else's home too. Shubh Deepavali.

Editor's note

Editor's note (9 October 2026): Panchang timings and festival observances can vary by location, regional calendar and family tradition. This guide follows Drik Panchang for Hyderabad (IST). Please verify local puja timings with a trusted panchang or priest.

Related guides

• Previous day: Panchangam 7 November 2026 (Kali Chaudas)
• Next day: Panchangam 9 November 2026 (Kartika Amavasya)
• November 2026 Hindu festival calendar
• Diwali 2026: date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat
• Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026: India city-wise
• Diwali 2026: 5-day festival calendar at a glance
• Lakshmi Puja 2026