Diwali 2026 State by State in India: How Every Region Celebrates, with Lakshmi Puja Muhurat by City

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November across India (Drik Panchang), with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November, Govardhan Puja on Tuesday 10 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November. Every region gives the festival its own shape: lamps on the Saryu in Ayodhya, Bandi Chhor Divas at Amritsar, the Gujarati New Year, Narakasura effigies in Goa, Kali Puja in Bengal and Assam, the Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath in Tamil Nadu, Bali Padyami in Karnataka and, eleven days later, Igas Bagwal in Uttarakhand. The table below gives each state's distinctive custom and a calculated Lakshmi Puja muhurat for a major city.

Diwali 2026 dates in India

Source: Drik Panchang (India). Regional almanacs occasionally differ by a day; follow your family's panchang. A one-page view is in Diwali 2026: 5-day festival calendar at a glance.

Diwali 2026 state by state: the table

Muhurat times are the Lakshmi Puja window on Sunday 8 November 2026 in IST, calculated with the HinduTone calculator (Drik method: Pradosh Kaal with a fixed Vrishabha lagna). Confirm on Drik Panchang or with your priest. Where our calculator does not cover a city in the state, we say so.

All muhurat times above are calculated (HinduTone, Drik method) and in IST. For a fuller city list, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 India city-wise and Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat.

North India

Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh

Diwali in the capital region follows the classic North Indian pattern: weeks of cleaning and shopping, Lakshmi-Ganesh puja with kheel-batashe on Amavasya evening, diyas and lights, and the exchange of sweets and gifts with relatives and colleagues. Many workshops and factories honour their tools on Vishwakarma Day, the day after Diwali. Because early-November air quality is often poor, courts and the government have restricted firecrackers in many recent years; check the current rules.

Uttar Pradesh

Rama's return to Ayodhya is the heart of North Indian Diwali, and Ayodhya's state-organised Deepotsav lights the Saryu ghats around the festival; its 2026 programme is announced by the UP government. Braj celebrates Govardhan Puja and Annakut, and Varanasi follows Diwali with Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima, Tuesday 24 November. Full guide: Ayodhya Deepotsav and Diwali 2026 in Uttar Pradesh; see also Varanasi Dev Deepawali 2026.

Punjab

Hindu families perform Lakshmi puja while Sikhs commemorate Bandi Chhor Divas, remembering Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior Fort, and Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar is lit up. See Diwali 2026 in Punjab and Bandi Chhor Divas.

Rajasthan

Jaipur's bazaars and havelis glow, Marwari traders open new account books at the Lakshmi puja, villages renew mandana art, and Krishna temples offer Annakut on Govardhan Puja. See Diwali 2026 in Rajasthan and Jaipur and Chopda Puja 2026.

Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand

The hill states celebrate the main Diwali with lamps and Lakshmi puja, and both also have 'late Diwalis'. In Uttarakhand, Igas Bagwal on Devutthana Ekadashi (Friday 20 November 2026) is marked with bhailo torches swung in circles, cattle worship and folk dances. Some hill areas of Himachal Pradesh observe Budhi (old) Diwali about a month after the main festival, with its own customs that vary from valley to valley. See Igas Bagwal 2026: Uttarakhand's Diwali and Kullu Dussehra 2026 for Himachal's autumn festival season.

West India

Gujarat

Gujarat's Diwali runs from Vagh Baras through Dhanteras and Kali Chaudas to Diwali night with Chopda Pujan, the worship of new account books, and the Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas) on Tuesday 10 November 2026, when families visit relatives with 'Saal Mubarak' greetings. Labh Pancham, when many businesses reopen, follows on Saturday 14 November. See Kali Chaudas 2026 in Gujarat and Diwali in Gujarat: Kali Chaudas, Chopda Pujan and New Year.

Maharashtra

Maharashtrian Diwali begins with Vasu Baras (worship of the cow and calf; calculated for Thursday 5 November 2026, though some calendars list 6 November), continues with the abhyanga snan and faral on Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi puja on Amavasya, Diwali Padwa (Bali Pratipada) on Tuesday 10 November, a special day for married couples, and Bhau Beej on Wednesday 11 November. Akash kandil lanterns hang outside homes, and in many towns children build small clay forts (killa) in the courtyard. Recipes: Maharashtrian Diwali faral: chakli, shankarpali and karanji.

Goa

Goa's Diwali centres on Narakasura: neighbourhood groups build large effigies, parade them at night and burn them before dawn on Naraka Chaturdashi (Sunday 8 November 2026), after which families take the oil bath, crush a bitter kareet and share fov. See Goa's Narakasura effigies 2026.

East India

West Bengal

In Bengal, the Amavasya night is Kali Puja, with community pandals and worship through the night, and homes lit with lamps and candles. Just before it comes Bhoot Chaturdashi, when many families light fourteen lamps and eat fourteen leafy greens to honour ancestors; because the Chaturdashi tithi begins on Saturday 7 November and runs into Sunday morning in 2026, follow your panjika for which day your family keeps it. Bhai Phonta follows on Wednesday 11 November. See Kali Puja 2026 and Bhai Phonta 2026.

Assam and the Northeast

Assamese homes light rows of earthen lamps, Kali Puja is widely celebrated in Assam and Tripura, and Nepali-speaking communities in Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills celebrate Tihar with Deusi-Bhailo songs and Bhai Tika. See Diwali 2026 in Assam and the Northeast.

Odisha

In Odisha, a widely known Diwali custom is kaunria kathi: family members light bundles of jute sticks and call on their ancestors, as traditionally understood, inviting them to come in the darkness and depart in the light. Lamps, Lakshmi puja and, in many towns, Kali Puja complete the night. See also Dussehra and Durga Puja 2026 in Odisha.

Bihar and Jharkhand

Bihar and Jharkhand celebrate Lakshmi-Ganesh puja and, in many towns, Kali Puja; tribal Jharkhand marks Sohrai with cattle worship and wall murals; Kayastha families observe Chitragupta Puja with Bhai Dooj; and within a week the region turns to Chhath (main evening arghya Sunday 15 November 2026). See Diwali 2026 in Bihar and Jharkhand and Chhath Puja 2026.

South India

Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, Deepavali is above all a morning festival. Families wake before dawn for the oil bath, often greeting each other by asking whether they have had their 'Ganga snanam', then wear new clothes, burst crackers and share sweets and savouries. Many families also observe the Kedara Gowri vratam on Amavasya. The season's great lamp festival, Karthigai Deepam, follows on Tuesday 24 November 2026. See Kedar Gauri vrat 2026: Deepavali nombu, Tamil Deepavali recipes and Karthigai Deepam 2026.

Karnataka

Karnataka keeps the Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath, Lakshmi puja on Amavasya and, distinctively, Bali Padyami on Tuesday 10 November 2026, when King Bali, sent to the netherworld by Vamana, is traditionally said to return to visit his people. In coastal Karnataka, Bali is worshipped in many homes with lamps and offerings. See Govardhan Puja and Bali Padyami 2026 and the legend of Bali Raja.

Kerala

Kerala celebrates Deepavali mainly on Naraka Chaturdashi morning, with an oil bath and new clothes, especially among Tamil Brahmin, Konkani and other communities; it is quieter in many Malayali homes than Onam or Vishu, and Kerala's own lamp festival, Thrikarthika, follows on Tuesday 24 November. See Deepavali 2026 in Kerala.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Telugu homes begin with the Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath, remembering Satyabhama's part in Narakasura's defeat, and end with Lakshmi puja and rows of pramidalu. Many families observe Kedareswara vratam, and Karthika Masam begins right after Amavasya. See Telugu Deepavali 2026, Diwali 2026 in Hyderabad and Karthika Masam 2026.

Central India

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh follows the North Indian sequence, with Lakshmi-Ganesh puja on Amavasya and Govardhan Puja on Tuesday 10 November, when cattle are decorated and worshipped in many villages. Customs vary between Malwa, Bundelkhand, Mahakoshal and the tribal regions.

Chhattisgarh

In Chhattisgarh, Diwali night is also associated with Gaura-Gauri puja, the worship of Shiva and Parvati (Gaura and Gauri) with songs and a night-long celebration in many villages, followed by Govardhan Puja with cattle honoured and fed. Yadav (Raut) communities are known for the Raut Nacha dance during this season. Customs vary by village and community. See Dussehra 2026 in Chhattisgarh for the state's autumn festivals.

What unites every region

• Light: from clay diyas and pramidalu to akash kandil and bhailo, every region marks the darkest night of Kartik with lamps.
• Prosperity: Lakshmi is worshipped almost everywhere, often with Ganesha; see Lakshmi Puja vidhi 2026.
• Victory of good: Rama's return, Krishna's defeat of Narakasura, Kali's protection or Bali's generosity, depending on the region.
• Family bonds: Bhai Dooj, Bhau Beej, Bhai Phonta and Bhagini Hasta Bhojanam all celebrate brothers and sisters on Wednesday 11 November 2026.

Fireworks and safety

Rules on firecrackers vary between states and cities and change every year, set by courts, state governments and district administrations. Follow the current orders where you are, keep water and sand handy, and keep children and pets safe. See Diwali cracker safety precautions and eco-friendly, cracker-free Diwali 2026.

For Indian families abroad

Indian muhurat times apply only in India. Abroad, use your own city's times, never a converted Indian time. Dates also differ in some countries: in the USA, Canada and the UK, Drik Panchang lists Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday 7 November, Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November. See Diwali 2026 in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in India?

Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday 8 November 2026, per Drik Panchang. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November, Naraka Chaturdashi falls on the same Sunday as Diwali, Govardhan Puja is Tuesday 10 November and Bhai Dooj Wednesday 11 November.

Why are Naraka Chaturdashi and Diwali on the same day in 2026?

The Chaturdashi tithi prevails at sunrise on Sunday 8 November and the Amavasya tithi prevails in the evening, so the Naraka Chaturdashi morning bath and the Lakshmi Puja both fall on Sunday 8 November in India. Monday 9 November is still Amavasya, which is why Govardhan Puja moves to Tuesday 10 November.

Is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat the same across India?

No. The muhurat depends on local sunset and the rising of the Vrishabha lagna, so it differs from city to city: our calculated windows run from 5:02 PM in Guwahati to 6:30 PM in Panaji (Goa) as start times. Use your own city's time.

Which states celebrate Kali Puja instead of Lakshmi Puja on Diwali night?

In West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, and in parts of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar, the Amavasya night is widely celebrated as Kali Puja, while many families there also light lamps and worship Lakshmi. In Bengal, the main Lakshmi puja for many households is on Kojagari Purnima, earlier in the season.

When is Igas Bagwal in Uttarakhand?

Igas Bagwal, Uttarakhand's 'old Diwali', is celebrated on Devutthana Ekadashi, which Drik Panchang lists on Friday 20 November 2026 in India.

Are firecrackers allowed on Diwali 2026?

It depends on where you are. Courts, state governments and district administrations set rules on permitted crackers, hours and noise, and these change from year to year, especially in cities with poor air quality. Check the current local orders.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

Dates follow Drik Panchang for India. All city muhurat times are calculated with the HinduTone calculator (Drik method), validated against Drik Panchang to within a minute or two for reference cities, and should be confirmed locally; we give times only for cities our calculator covers. Regional customs are described in general terms as widely observed; they vary between districts, communities and families, and no single version is presented as the rule. We do not list event schedules, venues, prices or crowd figures.

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