Diwali 2026 in Kanpur: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat, Birhana Road Dhanteras, the 39 Cracker Markets, Traffic Diversions and Temples

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 in Kanpur is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Kanpur is 5:46 PM – 7:43 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method, and sunset is at about 5:22 PM. Dhanteras is Friday, 6 November, Govardhan Puja is Tuesday, 10 November, and Bhai Dooj and Chitragupta Puja are Wednesday, 11 November. Retail cracker markets have been set up at 39 sites across the Kanpur Commissionerate area, with the wholesale market at Bithoor, and Kanpur traffic police diversions around the main markets run from 6 November until midnight on 8 November. As of 8 November HinduTone has not found a 2026 Kanpur order on cracker hours, so the national rule applies: 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, green crackers only.

Kanpur does Diwali at full volume. Dhanteras crowds pack the jewellery shops of Birhana Road, Naveen Market and Gumti No. 5 fill with families buying clothes and gifts, and the old-city lanes around Nayaganj and Mulganj sell lamps, idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, khil-batashe and sweets. At dusk on Diwali, homes and shops perform Lakshmi-Ganesh puja and the traders of this old commercial city worship their account books. This guide covers the dates and times, markets, the traffic plan, the cracker markets and rules, temples and practical tips.

Editor's note (8 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Kanpur. The traffic plan is from Amar Ujala's report of the Kanpur traffic police's Dhanteras–Diwali diversions (6 November 2026), and the cracker-market details are from Amar Ujala (3 November 2026), quoting Additional Commissioner of Police Sankalp Sharma and Chief Fire Officer Deepak Sharma.

Diwali 2026 dates in Kanpur

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 Kanpur

The muhurat is the part of Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, when the fixed Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Kanpur lies between Delhi and Lucknow, so its window starts a few minutes earlier than New Delhi's (5:54 PM – 7:50 PM) and three minutes later than Lucknow's (5:43 PM – 7:40 PM). For other cities, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city-wise.

How Kanpur celebrates, day by day

• Friday, 6 November: Dhanteras. Birhana Road, the city's jewellery street, is lit up and packed from the afternoon 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 5:54 PM – 7:51 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, 5:46 PM – 7:43 PM, with new idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, khil-batashe, sugar toys, sweets and diyas. Shopkeepers and traders worship their account books and open new ones.
• 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. Families shape a small Govardhan of cow dung in the courtyard and worship it, and temples offer Annakut. See Govardhan Puja and Annakut 2026.
• Wednesday, 11 November: Bhai Dooj and Chitragupta Puja. Sisters apply tilak to their brothers; see Bhai Dooj 2026. Kayastha families worship Chitragupta with pens, inkpots and account books (kalam-dawat puja); see Chitragupta Puja 2026.

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

Markets and shopping

• Birhana Road: Kanpur's main jewellery and sarafa street, the centre of Dhanteras shopping.
• Naveen Market: clothes, fabrics, gifts and festive shopping in the heart of the city.
• Gumti No. 5: clothes and household shopping for families.
• Bada Chauraha and Meston Road: leather goods, bags and general shopping.
• Nayaganj, Mulganj and the old city: wholesale lamps, decorations, puja items, utensils and dry fruits.
• Govind Nagar market: clothes, sweets and gifts for south Kanpur.

Traffic plan for Dhanteras and Diwali

Amar Ujala reported that the Kanpur traffic police diversions are in force from 6 November until 12 midnight on 8 November. The main points:

• Birhana Road: parking is banned on Birhana Road and the other main markets. From Phoolbagh Chauraha, only vehicles going to the Birhana Road sarafa shops may enter, and they must drop passengers and leave via Niranjan Jewellers Chauraha or Sirki Mohal Chowki. If Birhana Road gets too crowded, no vehicle may go from Phoolbagh towards it.
• Ghantaghar and Nayaganj: vehicles from Ghantaghar may not go towards Birhana Road via Nayaganj and Dawa Market; use Express Road, Naraona Chauraha and Phoolbagh instead.
• Mulganj: no vehicles from Kotwali Chauraha towards Mulganj; park at Crystal Parking and walk.
• Bada Chauraha: if it is jammed, only two-wheelers may go from Meghdoot Tiraha towards Bada Chauraha; other vehicles take VIP Road.
• Govind Nagar: no four-wheelers from Chawla Chauraha towards Govind Nagar market, and no vehicles from near Malik Petrol Pump (CTI Tiraha) or Bhola Dairy towards the market.
• Kalyanpur and Panki: no vehicles from Kalyanpur Crossing towards Panki (turn left at Goa Garden), and no large vehicles from Panki Canal towards Kalyanpur Crossing.

Free parking: inside Nanarao Park, Phoolbagh underground parking, the multi-storey parking at Panchakki, the LIC Building parking, Crystal Parking at Corset Chauraha, and Central Park behind New Basant Talkies.

Use Kanpur Metro or an auto where you can, and avoid driving into the market lanes in the evening. Follow the traffic police on the day for changes.

Crackers in Kanpur: what we know

• Where to buy: according to Amar Ujala (3 November 2026), retail cracker markets have been marked at 39 sites, including the Kanpur Union Club Ground, Brijendra Swaroop Park, Azad Park in Nawabganj, Kamla Nehru Park in Nazirabad, Buddha Park in Indira Nagar, Shastri Park in Juhi and Ramlila grounds in Kalyanpur, Panki, Armapur and Rail Bazar. The wholesale market is at Bithoor, where the number of wholesale shops has risen from 31 to 79. Retail markets were expected to run from 6 to 9 November, and the police had received about 1,000 retail licence applications, against about 700 retail shops last year.
• Fire safety: the Chief Fire Officer said more than 40 fire engines, more than 50 fire bikes, 225 firefighters and a quick response team would be on duty at the markets, with sand-filled drums at each site. Last October, an explosion at a shop on Meston Road killed one person and injured more than ten, and the police have tightened checks this year.
• Timing: as of 8 November 2026 HinduTone has not found a 2026 Kanpur 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 Kanpur

• JK Temple (Juggilal Kamlapat Temple): Kanpur's landmark white-marble temple, built by the JK family, with shrines to Radha-Krishna, Lakshmi-Narayan, Ardhanarishwar, Narmadeshwar and Hanuman. It is lit up and crowded on festival evenings.
• Anandeshwar Temple, Parmat: the much-loved Shiva temple on the bank of the Ganga, also called Parmat Shiv Mandir.
• Panki Hanuman Temple: the Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir at Panki, one of the city's oldest and most visited temples.
• Bithoor: about 22 km north-west of the city on the Ganga, with Brahmavart Ghat and the site traditionally associated with Maharishi Valmiki's ashram, a popular day trip in the festive season.
• ISKCON Kanpur: Hare Krishna temples usually mark Govardhan Puja with an Annakut offering.

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.

Chhath Puja in Kanpur

Kanpur's Purvanchali and Bihari families keep Chhath on the Ganga ghats and at local ponds. In 2026 Chhath runs from Friday, 13 to Monday, 16 November, with the evening Sandhya Arghya on Sunday, 15 November and the morning Usha Arghya on Monday, 16 November. See Chhath Puja 2026.

Practical tips

• Weather: early November in Kanpur is pleasant by day, around 16–30 °C, with cool evenings.
• Air quality: Kanpur'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: Birhana Road on Dhanteras and the old-city markets on Diwali day are extremely crowded; 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 Lucknow
• Diwali 2026 in Varanasi
• Ayodhya Deepotsav and Diwali 2026 in Uttar Pradesh
• Diwali 2026 in Delhi
• Diwali 2026 state-wise in India

Browse every guide on our Diwali 2026 hub.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Kanpur?

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 Kanpur?

5:46 PM to 7:43 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method.

Where can I buy crackers in Kanpur?

At the 39 retail cracker markets marked by the police, such as the Kanpur Union Club Ground, Brijendra Swaroop Park and Azad Park, Nawabganj, or the wholesale market at Bithoor, according to Amar Ujala. Buy only green crackers from licensed shops.

What are the cracker timings in Kanpur for Diwali 2026?

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

Which roads are closed in Kanpur for Diwali?

From 6 November to midnight on 8 November, parking is banned on Birhana Road and the main markets, vehicles cannot go from Kotwali towards Mulganj, and four-wheelers cannot enter Govind Nagar market from Chawla Chauraha. Free parking is available at Nanarao Park, Phoolbagh, Panchakki and the LIC Building.