Diwali 2026 in Lucknow: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat, Markets, Cracker Shops, Traffic Plan and Chhath

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 in Lucknow is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Lucknow is 5:43 PM – 7:40 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method. Dhanteras is Friday, 6 November, Govardhan Puja is Tuesday, 10 November, and Bhai Dooj and Chitragupta Puja are Wednesday, 11 November. Lucknow Police have set up 1,201 temporary green-cracker stalls at 60 sites for 6 to 8 November. As of 8 November HinduTone has not found a 2026 Lucknow order on cracker hours, so the national rule applies: 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali.

Lucknow celebrates Diwali with old-city grace and new-city sparkle. Aminabad, Chowk and Hazratganj fill with shoppers buying lamps, idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, khil-batashe and sweets; homes are lit with diyas and fairy lights; and families perform Lakshmi-Ganesh puja at dusk. Lucknow's large Kayastha community keeps Chitragupta Puja with its pens and account books on Bhai Dooj, and the festival season closes with Chhath on the Gomti. This guide covers the dates and times, markets, temples, the cracker rules, the traffic plan and practical tips.

Editor's note (8 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Lucknow. The cracker-stall details are from Amar Ujala (5 November 2026), the police statements from Lucknow Police Commissioner Tarun Gaba as reported by Tarun Mitra, and the traffic plan from Dainik Bhaskar's report of the Lucknow traffic police's Diwali diversions.

Diwali 2026 dates in Lucknow

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 Lucknow

The muhurat is the part of Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, when the fixed Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Lucknow is east of Delhi, so its window starts about 11 minutes earlier than New Delhi's (5:54 PM – 7:50 PM). For other cities, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city-wise.

How Lucknow celebrates, day by day

Friday, 6 November: Dhanteras. Families buy gold, silver, utensils and a new broom, and worship Dhanvantari and Kubera. Aminabad and Chowk are packed by evening. A lamp for Yama is lit at the door at dusk; the evening puja window is 5:51 PM – 7:47 PM. See Dhanteras 2026.

Saturday, 7 November: Choti Diwali. The first rows of diyas and lights go up, and homes are given their final cleaning and rangoli.

Sunday, 8 November: Diwali.

1. Morning: the Narak Chaturdashi bath, new clothes and preparations for the puja.
2. Evening: Lakshmi-Ganesh puja inside the muhurat, 5:43 PM – 7:40 PM, with new idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, khil-batashe, sugar toys (khilone), sweets and diyas. Traders worship their account books.
3. 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 and pray for their long life; see Bhai Dooj 2026. Kayastha families worship Chitragupta, the divine record-keeper, 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

• Aminabad: Lucknow's great bazaar for clothes, chikankari, decorations, puja items and gifts.
• Chowk: the old city's market for silver, jewellery, chikan and traditional sweets.
• Hazratganj: branded stores, gifts and the city's most popular evening stroll.
• Bhootnath Market, Indira Nagar: lights, decorations and household goods for trans-Gomti Lucknow.
• Patrakarpuram, Gomti Nagar: clothes, gifts and sweets.

Traffic plan for Diwali shopping

Dainik Bhaskar reported that Lucknow traffic police have put a diversion plan in place for Aminabad, Bhootnath, Hazratganj and Patrakarpuram markets from 6 to 9 November:

• Aminabad: three-wheelers, vikrams and tempos from Haidergunj and Saadatganj cannot take the Nadan Mahal Road route to Aminabad and are diverted at the Naxkhas crossing. Four-wheelers can use the underground parking near Jhandewala Park.
• Bhootnath: vehicles turning left from the Kalewa crossing towards Bhootnath Bazaar are diverted towards the Nilgiri and Lekhraj Market crossings.

Use Lucknow Metro where you can (Hazratganj has a metro station) and avoid driving into the market lanes in the evening. Check the Lucknow traffic police's advisories for the full list of diversions.

Temples to visit in Lucknow

• Hanuman Setu Mandir: the much-loved Hanuman temple by the Gomti, near Hazratganj.
• Mankameshwar Temple: the ancient Shiva temple on the Gomti bank, known for its evening aarti.
• Chandrika Devi Temple: the Devi temple on the city's northern edge, crowded on Amavasya.
• Aliganj Hanuman Temple: the centre of Lucknow's Bada Mangal tradition.
• Bhootnath Temple, Indira Nagar: a popular Shiva temple in trans-Gomti Lucknow.
• ISKCON Lucknow: 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.

Crackers in Lucknow: what we know

Shops: according to Amar Ujala (5 November 2026), Lucknow Police Commissionerate has allotted 1,201 temporary firecracker stalls at 60 sites across the city, open from 6 to 8 November. Only green crackers may be sold. Stalls must be in tin sheds at least 3 metres apart, with water drums, sand, buckets and fire extinguishers, and smoking is banned. Large sites include Sainik Ground, Sarojini Nagar; Kathavachak Maidan, Ashiyana; the Mini Stadium, Vikas Nagar; the Government Polytechnic ground, Gazipur; the Rambharose area near PGI; and RML Lawn, Chowk.

Enforcement: Police Commissioner Tarun Gaba has said crackers may be sold only at the approved sites, and action will be taken against illegal storage and sale.

Timing: as of 8 November 2026 HinduTone has not found a 2026 Lucknow 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 stalls; no barium or joined "series" crackers.
• No sound-emitting crackers from 10 PM to 6 AM, and none within 100 metres of hospitals, schools and courts.

Note that Noida and Ghaziabad are in Delhi-NCR, where the Supreme Court's stricter 2026 rules apply. More details are on our Uttar Pradesh firecracker rules 2026 page. For emergencies call 112, and for fire 101.

Chhath Puja in Lucknow

Lucknow's large Purvanchali and Bihari community keeps Chhath on the Gomti. 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. The Laxman Mela ground and the Gomti ghats traditionally draw the biggest crowds. See Chhath Puja 2026.

Practical tips

• Weather: early November in Lucknow is pleasant, around 16–30 °C, with cool evenings.
• Air quality: Lucknow's air often worsens 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: markets are busiest from Friday to Sunday evening; keep valuables close and agree a meeting point.
• 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

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

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 Lucknow?

5:43 PM to 7:40 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method.

Where can I buy crackers in Lucknow?

Only at the 60 police-approved sites with 1,201 temporary stalls, open from 6 to 8 November 2026, and only green crackers, according to Amar Ujala.

What are the cracker timings in Lucknow for Diwali 2026?

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

When is Chitragupta Puja 2026?

Wednesday, 11 November 2026, the same day as Bhai Dooj.