Diwali 2026 in Chandigarh: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat, Green Cracker Rules, Bandi Chhor Divas, Temples and Tricity Tips

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 in Chandigarh is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Chandigarh is 5:53 PM – 7:48 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method. Under the Chandigarh Administration's order, only CSIR-NEERI-certified green crackers may be burst, and only from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali; joined crackers (laris) and online sales are banned. The Sikh community marks Bandi Chhor Divas the same day, and the Gurpurab window on Guru Nanak Jayanti (24 November) is 4 AM to 5 AM and 9 PM to 10 PM.

Chandigarh's Diwali brings together the city's Hindu, Sikh and Punjabi traditions. Markets in Sector 17, Sector 22 and the neighbourhood shopping centres fill with lights, diyas, sweets and gift boxes; homes are lit at dusk; families perform Lakshmi-Ganesh puja in the muhurat; and gurdwaras glow for Bandi Chhor Divas. Many families also visit Mata Mansa Devi in Panchkula and Chandi Mandir, the temple that gave the city its name. This guide covers the dates and times, the cracker rules, temples and gurdwaras, the tricity of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, and practical tips.

Editor's note (8 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Chandigarh. The cracker rules are from the District Magistrate's order as reported by The Tribune (8 November 2026) and The North News (1 November 2026), and the Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh's public notice.

Diwali 2026 dates in Chandigarh

The Chaturdashi tithi runs from 10:47 AM on Saturday, 7 November to 11:27 AM on Sunday, 8 November, so many families light 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; many workshops and factories in the tricity keep Vishwakarma Puja with Govardhan on Tuesday.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Chandigarh

The muhurat is the part of Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, when the fixed Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Chandigarh's times are almost the same as New Delhi's (5:54 PM – 7:50 PM); Mohali and Panchkula are within a minute. For other cities, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city-wise.

Crackers in Chandigarh: the 2026 rules

The District Magistrate-cum-Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, Chandigarh, has ordered (The Tribune, 8 November 2026; The North News, 1 November 2026):

• Diwali: crackers only from 8 PM to 10 PM.
• Gurpurab: 4 AM to 5 AM and 9 PM to 10 PM.
• Green crackers only: the sale and use of all crackers except those certified by CSIR-NEERI is prohibited.
• Joined crackers banned: series crackers and laris remain banned even if they are green.
• No online sales: e-commerce platforms, including Amazon and Flipkart, cannot accept orders for or deliver crackers in Chandigarh.
• Licensed sellers only.
• No-cracker zones: within 100 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, health centres, educational institutions, courts, religious places and notified silence zones.
• Penalties: action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and other laws, including the Environment (Protection) Act and the Explosives Act.

Mohali and Panchkula: these are in Punjab and Haryana and follow their own district orders. As of 8 November HinduTone has not found their 2026 orders; Mohali's order last year also allowed only green crackers from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali. See our Punjab firecracker rules 2026. For emergencies call 112, and for fire 101.

How Chandigarh celebrates, day by day

Friday, 6 November: Dhanteras. Families buy gold, silver, utensils and electronics, and the Sector 17 and Sector 22 markets stay busy late. A lamp for Yama is lit at the door at dusk; the evening puja window is 6:01 PM – 7:55 PM. See Dhanteras 2026.

Sunday, 8 November: Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas.

1. Evening puja: Lakshmi-Ganesh puja inside the muhurat, 5:53 PM – 7:48 PM, with new idols, sweets and diyas; traders worship their account books.
2. Gurdwaras: the Sikh community marks Bandi Chhor Divas, remembering Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior Fort, with lights and prayers at the city's gurdwaras. See Diwali in Punjab and Bandi Chhor Divas.
3. Night: crackers only between 8 PM and 10 PM, and visits to relatives with sweets and dry-fruit boxes.

Tuesday, 10 November: Govardhan Puja and Vishwakarma Puja. Families worship a small Govardhan at home, and workshops and industrial units worship their tools and machines.

Wednesday, 11 November: Bhai Dooj. Sisters apply tilak to their brothers and pray for their long life. See Bhai Dooj 2026.

Temples and gurdwaras

• Mata Mansa Devi Temple, Panchkula: one of the region's most important Devi temples, very busy on Diwali and Navratri.
• Chandi Mandir, Panchkula: the ancient temple of Goddess Chandi, from whom Chandigarh takes its name.
• ISKCON Chandigarh, Sector 36: Hare Krishna temples usually mark Govardhan Puja with an Annakut offering.
• Shiv Mandir, Saketri: a popular Shiva temple on the city's north-eastern edge.
• Gurdwara Nada Sahib, Panchkula: the historic gurdwara on the Ghaggar, lit for Bandi Chhor Divas.

Check each temple's or gurdwara's notice for timings on festival days.

Markets and the tricity

• Sector 17 Plaza: the city's main shopping centre, decorated for Diwali.
• Sector 22 and Sector 19 (Sadar Bazaar): clothes, decorations, puja items and gifts.
• Neighbourhood markets: every sector's shopping centre has diya and light stalls in Diwali week.
• Mohali Phase 3B2 and Panchkula Sector 5/11: busy tricity markets for sweets and gifts.

Evenings around Sector 17, Sector 22 and the sweet shops are crowded in Diwali week; use the parking lots rather than stopping on the V-roads.

Practical tips

• Weather: early November in Chandigarh is cool, around 12–27 °C, with chilly evenings.
• Air quality: smoke from crackers and the season's stubble burning can make the air poor; keep children, older relatives and anyone with asthma indoors during heavy bursting.
• Pets: keep pets indoors on Diwali night; the 8–10 PM window is the loudest time.
• Safety: keep diyas away from curtains, use LED lights on balconies, and keep water and sand ready if you burst crackers.

After Diwali: Guru Nanak Jayanti

Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) falls on Kartik Purnima, Tuesday, 24 November 2026, with prabhat pheris, kirtan and langar at gurdwaras across the tricity, and the separate cracker windows above. See Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026.

More Diwali 2026 guides

• Diwali 2026 in Delhi
• Diwali 2026 in Jaipur
• Diwali 2026 in Lucknow
• Diwali 2026 in Punjab and Amritsar
• Diwali 2026 state-wise in India

Browse every guide on our Diwali 2026 hub.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Chandigarh?

Sunday, 8 November 2026, with Lakshmi Puja in the evening. Bandi Chhor Divas is the same day; Bhai Dooj is Wednesday, 11 November.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Chandigarh?

5:53 PM to 7:48 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method.

What are the cracker timings in Chandigarh for Diwali 2026?

Only CSIR-NEERI-certified green crackers, from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, under the District Magistrate's order. Joined crackers (laris) and online sales are banned.

Can I order crackers online in Chandigarh?

No. The order bars e-commerce platforms, including Amazon and Flipkart, from accepting orders for or delivering crackers in Chandigarh. Buy only from licensed sellers.

What are the cracker timings on Gurpurab 2026?

4 AM to 5 AM and 9 PM to 10 PM on Guru Nanak Jayanti, Tuesday, 24 November 2026, under the same order.