Diwali 2026 in Agra: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat, Old-City Market Restrictions, the Six Cracker Sale Sites, Temples and Govardhan Puja

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 in Agra is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Agra is 5:54 PM – 7:50 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method, and sunset is at about 5:30 PM. Dhanteras is Friday, 6 November, Govardhan Puja is Tuesday, 10 November, and Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, 11 November. Agra traffic police have closed the main old-city markets to vehicles from 4 to 11 November, 8 AM to 10 PM daily, and crackers are sold this year at six licensed sites with 128 licences. As of 8 November HinduTone has not found a 2026 Agra order on cracker hours, so the national rule applies: 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, green crackers only.

Agra's Diwali belongs to its old city. Kinari Bazaar, Johari Bazaar and the lanes behind the Jama Masjid sell lamps, idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, khil-batashe, silver and wedding-season jewellery, while Sadar Bazaar, Shahganj and Raja ki Mandi fill with families buying clothes, gifts and boxes of Agra's famous petha. Homes and shops perform Lakshmi-Ganesh puja at dusk, and two days later Braj traditions take over with Govardhan Puja and Annakut. This guide covers the dates and times, markets, the traffic plan, the cracker rules, temples and practical tips.

Editor's note (8 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Agra. The traffic plan is from Amar Ujala (3 November 2026), quoting DCP Traffic Gyanendra, and ETV Bharat's report of the Agra Police Commissionerate's plan. The cracker sale sites are from Amar Ujala (5 November 2026), quoting DCP City Ravindra Kumar.

Diwali 2026 dates in Agra

The Chaturdashi tithi runs from 10:47 AM on Saturday, 7 November to 11:27 AM on Sunday, 8 November, so many families light their Choti Diwali lamps on Saturday evening, while the Narak Chaturdashi bath falls on Sunday morning. The Amavasya follows at 11:27 AM on Sunday and lasts until 12:31 PM on Monday, 9 November, so Sunday evening is Diwali. Monday, 9 November is the gap day before Govardhan Puja this year.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Agra

The muhurat is the part of Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, when the fixed Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Agra's window is practically the same as New Delhi's (5:54 PM – 7:50 PM) and about eight minutes later than Kanpur's. For other cities, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city-wise.

How Agra celebrates, day by day

• Friday, 6 November: Dhanteras. Johari Bazaar and Kinari Bazaar are packed as families buy gold, silver, utensils and a new broom. A lamp for Yama is lit at the door at dusk, and the evening puja window is 6:02 PM – 7:58 PM. See Dhanteras 2026.
• Saturday, 7 November: Choti Diwali. The first rows of diyas and lights go up, and homes get their final cleaning and rangoli.
• Sunday, 8 November: Diwali.
• Morning: the Narak Chaturdashi bath, new clothes and preparations for the puja.
• Evening: Lakshmi-Ganesh puja inside the muhurat, 5:54 PM – 7:50 PM, with new idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, khil-batashe, sugar toys, sweets and diyas. Traders worship their account books.
• Night: diyas at the door, in every room and on the roof, and visits to relatives with sweets.
• Tuesday, 10 November: Govardhan Puja and Annakut. Agra is part of Braj, and families shape a small Govardhan of cow dung in the courtyard, worship it and cook the Annakut of many dishes, while temples offer Chhappan Bhog. See Govardhan Puja and Annakut 2026.
• Wednesday, 11 November: Bhai Dooj. Sisters apply tilak to their brothers and pray for their long life; Kayastha families also keep Chitragupta Puja. See Bhai Dooj 2026 and Chitragupta Puja 2026.

For the meaning of each day, see the five days of Diwali explained.

Markets and shopping

• Kinari Bazaar and Johari Bazaar: the old city's markets for jewellery, silver, festive fabrics, decorations and puja items.
• Raja ki Mandi: clothes, household goods and festive shopping.
• Sadar Bazaar: clothes, gifts, sweets and an evening stroll near the Cantonment.
• Shahganj: a busy local market for clothes and household items.
• Sanjay Place: branded shops and gifts.
• Petha shops: Agra's famous petha sweet is a favourite Diwali gift; buy sealed boxes from established shops.

Traffic plan for Diwali shopping

Amar Ujala reported that Agra traffic police restrictions run from Wednesday, 4 November to 11 November, from 8 AM to 10 PM daily. The main points:

• Old city, no vehicles at all: from Subhash Bazaar police post and Chimmanpuri Tiraha through Subhash Bazaar, Lohar Gali, Rawatpara, Seth Gali, Johari Bazaar and Namak ki Mandi up to Fawwara Chauraha. Park at Fort Station parking and walk in.
• No autos or e-rickshaws: in Kinari Bazaar, Kaserath Bazaar, Kashmiri Bazaar, Fawwara, the Phulatti–Seb ka Bazaar stretch and from Heeng ki Mandi to Dawa Market Kotwali, among others.
• Shahganj: no three- or four-wheelers from Double Phatak, Rui ki Mandi, Tehsil Chauraha, COD Tiraha, Panchkuiyan Chauraha and Speed Colour Lab; traffic is diverted towards Nagla Chhaua, Panchkuiyan, Kothi Meena Bazaar and Saket Colony.
• MG Road: stop-and-go control between Sursadan and Diwani Chauraha, electric city buses diverted via Wazirpura, Paliwal Park and Sultanganj culvert, and no roadside parking; vehicles in no-parking zones will be towed.

Parking: Tehsil Sadar, Kothi Meena Bazaar, the GIC ground, the vacant railway land near Barahkhamba Phatak, Fort Station, the Nagar Nigam and Sursadan parking, and parking lots at Sanjay Place. The traffic police helpline is 9454457886.

Crackers in Agra: what we know

• Where to buy: according to Amar Ujala (5 November 2026), 128 licences were issued by lottery from 2,227 applications for six sites in the Agra Commissionerate's city zone: GIC, Baptist School, Company Garden, the Shakti Nagar ground in the Cantonment, near Mehtab Bagh, and open ground on the Yamuna bank. There will be no cracker stalls at Awas Vikas Sector 11 or Kothi Meena Bazaar this year. Shops must be more than 10 feet apart and follow the safety rules.
• Timing: as of 8 November 2026 HinduTone has not found a 2026 Agra or Uttar Pradesh order fixing cracker hours, so the national rule applies:
• 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, under the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment.
• Green crackers only, from licensed shops; no barium or joined "series" crackers.
• No sound-emitting crackers from 10 PM to 6 AM, and none near hospitals, schools and courts.

More details are on our Uttar Pradesh firecracker rules 2026 page. For emergencies call 112, and for fire 101.

Temples to visit in Agra

• Mankameshwar Temple, Rawatpara: one of Agra's oldest and most visited Shiva temples, in the heart of the old-city markets near the Jama Masjid. It is lit up on Diwali evening; remember the lane is closed to vehicles, so walk in from Fort Station.
• Agra's Shiva temples at the old city's edges: Balkeshwar, Prithvinath, Rajeshwar and Kailash (on the Yamuna near Sikandra) are traditionally visited together, especially in Sawan, and are busy on festival evenings.
• ISKCON Agra: Hare Krishna temples usually mark Govardhan Puja with an Annakut offering.
• Mathura, Vrindavan and Govardhan: Agra families often travel into neighbouring Braj for Govardhan Puja, when Govardhan Hill and the Vrindavan temples draw very large crowds. See Damodar month in Vrindavan.

Temples are busiest on Diwali evening and on Govardhan Puja. Check each temple's notice for darshan and aarti timings. For more of the state, see famous temples in Uttar Pradesh.

Visiting the Taj Mahal over Diwali

The Taj Mahal is closed to visitors every Friday. On other days, expect large festival-week crowds at the Taj and Agra Fort, book tickets on the ASI's official site, and allow extra time for the old-city restrictions when you plan the drive. Mehtab Bagh, across the Yamuna from the Taj, is one of this year's cracker sale sites, so expect activity there in the evenings.

Practical tips

• Weather: early November in Agra is pleasant by day, around 15–30 °C, with cool evenings and morning haze.
• Air quality: Agra's air often turns poor in November and after Diwali night. Keep children, older relatives and anyone with asthma indoors during heavy bursting, and check the AQI before going out.
• Crowds: the old-city markets are extremely crowded until Diwali evening; keep valuables close, agree a meeting point and keep children within sight.
• Safety: keep diyas away from curtains, use LED lights on balconies, and keep water and sand ready if you burst crackers.

More Diwali 2026 guides

• Diwali 2026 in Kanpur
• Diwali 2026 in Lucknow
• Diwali 2026 in Varanasi
• Ayodhya Deepotsav and Diwali 2026 in Uttar Pradesh
• Diwali 2026 in Delhi
• Diwali 2026 in Jaipur

Browse every guide on our Diwali 2026 hub.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Agra?

Sunday, 8 November 2026, with Lakshmi Puja in the evening. Govardhan Puja is Tuesday, 10 November and Bhai Dooj Wednesday, 11 November.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Agra?

5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method.

Where can I buy crackers in Agra?

At the six licensed sites: GIC, Baptist School, Company Garden, Shakti Nagar ground in the Cantonment, near Mehtab Bagh and open ground on the Yamuna bank, according to Amar Ujala. There are no stalls at Kothi Meena Bazaar or Awas Vikas this year.

What are the cracker timings in Agra for Diwali 2026?

As of 8 November 2026 we have not found an Agra order on hours, so the national rule applies: green crackers only, 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali.

Which Agra markets are closed to vehicles for Diwali?

From 4 to 11 November, 8 AM to 10 PM, the old city from Subhash Bazaar through Rawatpara, Seth Gali and Johari Bazaar to Fawwara is closed to all vehicles, autos and e-rickshaws are barred from Kinari Bazaar and nearby lanes, and Shahganj is closed to three- and four-wheelers. Park at Fort Station and walk in.