Diwali 2026 in Ahmedabad: Chopda Pujan Muhurat, Kali Chaudas, Bestu Varas, Bhai Bij, Labh Pancham and Cracker Rules

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 in Ahmedabad is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Lakshmi Puja and Chopda Pujan muhurat that evening is 6:23 PM – 8:21 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method. Kali Chaudas is the night of Saturday, 7 November, the Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas, Vikram Samvat 2083) is Tuesday, 10 November, Bhai Bij is Wednesday, 11 November and Labh Pancham is Saturday, 14 November. As of 8 November HinduTone has not found a 2026 Ahmedabad Police order on cracker timings; other Gujarat cities have allowed green crackers only from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali.

Ahmedabad's Diwali is a Gujarati New Year festival as much as a festival of lights. Traders in the old city's pols and markets close the year's accounts with Chopda Pujan on Diwali night, homes are decorated with rangoli and diyas, and on Bestu Varas morning the city wakes to "Saal Mubarak" and "Nutan Varshabhinandan" greetings and Annakut offerings in its temples. Shops reopen on Labh Pancham. This guide covers the dates and times, Chopda Pujan, temples, markets, the cracker rules and practical tips.

Editor's note (8 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Ahmedabad. The cracker and licence details are from ETV Bharat Gujarat's report of 29 October 2026 and the 2026 orders for Rajkot and Bharuch reported in October 2026. Holiday dates are from published 2026 Gujarat holiday lists, which do not all agree; see below.

Diwali 2026 dates in Ahmedabad

The Chaturdashi tithi runs from 10:47 AM on Saturday, 7 November to 11:27 AM on Sunday, 8 November, so it is in force at midnight on Saturday, which makes Saturday night Kali Chaudas. The Amavasya follows at 11:27 AM on Sunday and lasts until 12:31 PM on Monday, 9 November, so Sunday evening is Diwali. Kartika Shukla Pratipada is in force at sunrise on Tuesday, 10 November, which makes Tuesday the Gujarati New Year. Monday, 9 November falls in between this year.

Holidays: Diwali falls on a Sunday. Most published 2026 Gujarat holiday lists give Vikram Samvat New Year (Bestu Varas) on Tuesday, 10 November and Bhai Bij on Wednesday, 11 November, but some list the New Year on Monday, 9 November. Check the Gujarat government's General Administration Department notification or your employer's calendar.

Lakshmi Puja and Chopda Pujan muhurat in Ahmedabad

The muhurat is the part of Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, when the fixed Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Ahmedabad is further west than Delhi, so its window starts about 29 minutes later than New Delhi's (5:54 PM – 7:50 PM). Gandhinagar is within a minute of Ahmedabad's times. Many trading families also follow a choghadiya chosen by their family priest; for other cities, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city-wise.

How Ahmedabad celebrates, day by day

Thursday, 5 November: Vagh Baras. Cows and calves are worshipped in many homes, and some traders settle their old accounts before the new books are opened.

Friday, 6 November: Dhanteras. Families buy gold, silver and new utensils, worship Lakshmi and Dhanvantari, and wash and worship their silver coins. The evening puja window is 6:31 PM – 8:29 PM. See Dhanteras 2026.

Saturday, 7 November: Kali Chaudas. At night, many Gujarati families worship Mahakali and Hanuman for protection, and in some homes a vada or other offering is placed at a crossroads to ward off negativity. See Kali Chaudas 2026 in Gujarat.

Sunday, 8 November: Diwali.

1. Morning: the Narak Chaturdashi bath, new clothes, and rangoli at the door; homes fill with mathiya, chorafali, ghughra, suvali and mohanthal.
2. Evening: Lakshmi Puja and Chopda Pujan inside the muhurat, 6:23 PM – 8:21 PM. Traders and business families worship the new account books (chopda), pens and cash boxes, writing "Shubh" and "Labh" and a swastika on the first page. See Chopda Puja 2026: the business puja guide.
3. Night: diyas and lights across the pols, and crackers within the permitted hours.

Tuesday, 10 November: Bestu Varas. The Gujarati New Year begins before dawn. Many families buy sabras (salt, a sign of a "full flavour" year) from early-morning sellers, visit temples for the New Year darshan and Annakut, touch elders' feet and greet everyone with "Saal Mubarak". Relatives and neighbours visit each other's homes through the day. See Gujarati New Year 2026.

Wednesday, 11 November: Bhai Bij. Sisters perform tilak and aarti for their brothers and serve a festive meal; brothers give gifts. See Bhai Dooj 2026.

Saturday, 14 November: Labh Pancham. Most shops and businesses reopen after the New Year break with a Lakshmi and Ganesha puja, and Jains observe Gyan Panchami. See Labh Panchami 2026.

For the full Gujarat picture, see Diwali in Gujarat: Kali Chaudas, Chopda Pujan and the New Year.

Temples to visit in Ahmedabad

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Shahibaug: known for its huge Annakut on the New Year; in 2025 the temple offered more than 1,200 dishes on Govardhan Puja, as reported by news agencies.
• Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Kalupur: the first Swaminarayan temple, in the old city, with New Year darshan and Annakut.
• Bhadrakali Temple, Bhadra Fort: the temple of the city's guardian goddess, busy through Diwali and the New Year.
• Jagannath Temple, Jamalpur: the starting point of Ahmedabad's Rath Yatra.
• ISKCON Ahmedabad (Hare Krishna Mandir): Govardhan Puja and Annakut on 10 November.
• Swaminarayan Akshardham, Gandhinagar: about 30 km away, with New Year Annakut darshan.
• Hutheesing Jain Temple: Jains mark Diwali as the nirvana of Bhagwan Mahavir.

Temples are busiest on Bestu Varas morning. Annakut darshan hours vary; check each temple's notice before you go.

Markets and shopping

• Bhadra and Teen Darwaja: lights, diyas, rangoli colours, toran, puja items and clothes in the heart of the old city.
• Ratan Pole and Relief Road: sarees, chaniya cholis and festive wear.
• Manek Chowk: jewellery and silver by day, food by night.
• Law Garden: handicrafts and festive wear in the evening market.
• Chopda (account book) sellers in the old city do brisk business in the days before Diwali.

The old-city markets are packed in the week before Diwali. Use the Ahmedabad Metro or AMTS and BRTS buses where you can, and avoid driving into the walled city.

Crackers in Ahmedabad: what we know

As of 8 November 2026 HinduTone has not found a 2026 Ahmedabad Police Commissioner's notification on cracker timings. In Gujarat these rules are set city by city. The 2026 orders we found for Rajkot and Bharuch allow crackers on Diwali only from 8 PM to 10 PM, green crackers only, with no crackers on public roads, near petrol pumps or within 100 metres of hospitals, schools and courts, and no sky lanterns. Until Ahmedabad's notice appears, the safe course is the national default under the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment: 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, and green crackers only.

What has been reported for Ahmedabad (ETV Bharat Gujarat, 29 October 2026):

• No manufacturing: after the Ramol factory blast, Ahmedabad Police cancelled four and suspended two of the city's six cracker manufacturing licences, so no manufacturing unit is licensed.
• Shops: permanent sale licences have been checked, with some cancelled or suspended; temporary Diwali licences are valid for 30 days, and cracker shops must be at least 15 metres apart.
• Enforcement: police are acting against illegal sales from stalls and carts.

Buy only from licensed shops and check our Gujarat firecracker rules 2026 page for updates.

Practical tips

• Weather: early November in Ahmedabad is dry and warm, around 20–34 °C, with cooler evenings.
• Air quality: smoke builds up on Diwali and New Year nights; keep children, older relatives and anyone with asthma indoors during heavy bursting.
• Pols and old houses: keep diyas away from wooden balconies, curtains and decorations, and keep water and sand ready.
• Business closures: many shops and offices in the old city stay shut from Diwali until Labh Pancham.

More Diwali 2026 guides

• Diwali 2026 in Mumbai
• Diwali 2026 in Pune
• Diwali 2026 in Delhi
• Diwali 2026 in Kolkata
• Diwali 2026 state-wise in India

Browse every guide on our Diwali 2026 hub.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Ahmedabad?

Sunday, 8 November 2026, with Lakshmi Puja and Chopda Pujan in the evening.

What is the Chopda Pujan muhurat in Ahmedabad?

6:23 PM to 8:21 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method. Many traders also use a choghadiya chosen by their family priest.

When is the Gujarati New Year 2026?

Bestu Varas, the start of Vikram Samvat 2083, is on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. Bhai Bij is Wednesday, 11 November, and Labh Pancham Saturday, 14 November.

When is Kali Chaudas 2026?

On the night of Saturday, 7 November 2026, when the Chaturdashi tithi is in force at midnight.

What are the cracker timings in Ahmedabad for Diwali 2026?

As of 8 November 2026 we have not found Ahmedabad's 2026 order. Rajkot and Bharuch allow green crackers only from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, which is also the national default; check the Ahmedabad Police notice.