Diwali 2026 in Kochi: Deepavali Date, Lakshmi Puja Time, Temples and Mattancherry Traditions

Quick answer: Deepavali 2026 in Kochi is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath is before sunrise that morning, and the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in the evening is 6:28 PM – 8:27 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method for Kochi. Dhanteras is Friday, 6 November, Govardhan Puja (Bali Padyami) Tuesday, 10 November and Bhai Dooj Wednesday, 11 November.

Kochi celebrates Deepavali in two ways. For many Malayali, Tamil and Konkani families it is a morning festival: the oil bath, new clothes, a temple visit, sweets and crackers. For the Gujarati, Marwari, Jain and North Indian families of Mattancherry and Ernakulam it is an evening festival of lamps, Lakshmi Puja and the new business year. This guide covers both, with Kochi's local times, temples, community traditions and the cracker rules.

For the state-wide picture, see our Deepavali 2026 in Kerala guide.

Editor's note (7 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Kochi (Ernakulam). Temple and community details are general; we have not seen published 2026 Deepavali programmes from the Kochi temples or associations, so check with them before you go.

Deepavali 2026 dates in Kochi

In India the Chaturdashi tithi is running at sunrise on Sunday, 8 November, and the Amavasya begins at 11:27 AM that day and ends at 12:31 PM on Monday, 9 November. So in 2026 the morning oil bath and the evening Lakshmi Puja fall on the same day, Sunday. Saturday, 7 November is Choti Diwali or Kali Chaudas for some North Indian and Gujarati families.

The Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas) is Tuesday, 10 November; see Gujarati New Year 2026.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Kochi

The muhurat is the part of Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, when the fixed Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Kochi is far south and west of New Delhi, so its window starts more than half an hour later than Delhi's (5:54 PM – 7:50 PM). Thiruvananthapuram is within a minute of Kochi. For other Indian cities, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city-wise.

The Deepavali morning: oil bath and new clothes

For most Malayali and Tamil families in Kochi, Deepavali is about the early morning of Sunday, 8 November:

1. Oil bath before sunrise: elders apply warm gingelly (sesame) oil to each family member, followed by a bath with hot water and herbal powder.
2. New clothes: worn after the bath, often first offered at the family shrine.
3. Temple visit: many families visit their local temple in the morning.
4. Sweets and snacks: homemade sweets are shared with neighbours. Tamil Brahmin families may also prepare Deepavali lehiyam, a digestive herbal paste.

The day recalls Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura; read the story of Narakasura and Krishna and the bath ritual in Naraka Chaturdashi 2026.

Mattancherry's Gujarati Diwali

Mattancherry, in Fort Kochi, has one of Kerala's oldest Gujarati communities. Gujarati traders settled there long ago, and their festivals, especially Navratri and Diwali, are a part of the old town's life. Families draw rangoli and light diyas at their doorsteps in the days before Diwali, worship Lakshmi on Amavasya evening and greet each other with "Saal Mubarak" at the new year.

• Lakshmi Puja and Chopda Pujan: Gujarati and Marwari business families worship their account books on Deepavali evening, inside the muhurat (6:28 PM – 8:27 PM).
• Gujarati New Year: Tuesday, 10 November, with temple visits and Annakut offerings.
• Sweets: the Gujarati sweet shops of Mattancherry are busiest in Diwali week; order mithai boxes a few days ahead.

Jain families mark Diwali as the day of Lord Mahavira's nirvana. The Dharmanath Jain temple in Mattancherry, built by the Gujarati Jain community, is a focus for them.

Konkani Deepavali in Kochi

Kochi's Gowda Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) and other Konkani families keep a sequence close to that of coastal Karnataka and Goa: Naraka Chaturdashi with the oil bath, Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya and Bali Padyami (Bali Pratipada) on Tuesday, 10 November, with lamps lit for King Bali. The Sree Venkatachalapathy temple at Cherlai, Mattancherry, known locally as the TD temple, is the community's main temple in Kochi.

Temples in and around Kochi

• Sree Venkatachalapathy (TD) Temple, Mattancherry: the Tirumala Devaswom temple of the Konkani community.
• Ernakulam Shiva Temple (Ernakulathappan), Ernakulam: the city's central Shiva temple.
• Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura: the former royal temple of Kochi. Its great annual festival, the Vrischikolsavam, comes in the month of Vrischikam, which begins on Tuesday, 17 November 2026.
• Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple: a major Devi temple south-east of the city.

Timings change on festival days; check each temple's official notice before travelling, and expect crowds on Sunday morning.

Crackers in Kochi: the rules

Kerala's government order of 13 October 2025 allowed only green crackers, and only from 8 PM to 10 PM on Deepavali, with no bursting within 100 metres of hospitals, courts, schools and places of worship. As of 7 November 2026 HinduTone has not seen the 2026 order; earlier orders were issued shortly before the festival, so watch for notices from the Ernakulam district collector and Kochi City Police.

Two points matter in Kochi:

• Morning crackers: many families traditionally burst crackers at dawn after the oil bath, but the 2024 and 2025 orders allowed crackers only from 8 PM to 10 PM.
• Green crackers: buy only from licensed shops; look for the CSIR-NEERI green logo and QR code.

Full details are in our Kerala firecracker rules 2026 page.

After Deepavali: Thrikarthika and the Mandala season

Kochi's festival season does not end with Deepavali. Vrischikam begins on Tuesday, 17 November, the start of the Sabarimala Mandala season, and Thrikarthika, Kerala's own festival of lamps, falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. See Thrikarthika 2026 and Karthigai Deepam 2026.

Practical tips

• Weather: early November in Kochi is warm and humid, and the northeast monsoon can bring evening showers. Keep diyas sheltered and use LED lights outdoors.
• Traffic: expect heavy traffic around Broadway, MG Road and Mattancherry on the Saturday and Sunday.
• Sweets: order sweets a few days early; Kochi's Gujarati, Tamil and North Indian sweet shops are busiest on the Friday and Saturday.

More Diwali 2026 guides

• Deepavali 2026 in Kerala
• Diwali 2026 in Mumbai
• Diwali 2026 in Dubai and the UAE
• The five days of Diwali explained
• Diwali sweets recipes

Browse every guide on our Diwali 2026 hub.

Frequently asked questions

When is Deepavali 2026 in Kochi?

Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath is before sunrise that morning and Lakshmi Puja is in the evening.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Kochi?

6:28 PM to 8:27 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method. Sunset is at about 6:00 PM.

Is Deepavali celebrated in Kerala?

Yes, though it is quieter in many Malayali homes than Onam or Vishu. In Kochi it is widely celebrated, especially by Tamil, Konkani, Gujarati, Marwari, Jain and North Indian families.

When can crackers be burst in Kochi on Deepavali?

Under Kerala's 2025 order, only green crackers, from 8 PM to 10 PM. Check for the 2026 order before the festival.

When is the Gujarati New Year in Kochi?

Tuesday, 10 November 2026.