Diwali 2026 in Meerut: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat, NCR Green Cracker Rules, Market Traffic Diversions and Temples

Quick answer: Diwali 2026 in Meerut is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Meerut is 5:53 PM – 7:48 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method, and sunset is at about 5:29 PM. Meerut is in the National Capital Region, so the Supreme Court's NCR order applies: only certified green crackers, and only on 7 and 8 November, from 6 AM to 7 AM and 8 PM to 10 PM. The full ban returns from 9 November. Govardhan Puja is Tuesday, 10 November and Bhai Dooj Wednesday, 11 November. Traffic diversions around the main markets run from 5 to 11 November, 7 AM to 2 AM.

Meerut celebrates Diwali with its bazaars. The Sarafa market and Valley Bazaar fill with families buying gold, silver and utensils on Dhanteras, Sadar Bazaar and Abu Lane are lit up for festive shopping, and homes and shops perform Lakshmi-Ganesh puja at dusk. Meerut's large Jain community also marks Diwali as the day of Bhagwan Mahavira's nirvana. This guide covers the dates and times, the NCR cracker rules, the traffic plan, markets, temples and practical tips.

Editor's note (8 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Meerut. The cracker rules are from the Supreme Court's order of 2 November 2026 for Delhi-NCR, as reported by LiveLaw and Bar & Bench; we did not find a separate Meerut district notice. The traffic plan is from Amar Ujala (5 November 2026), quoting SP Traffic Rajesh Kumar Srivastava.

Diwali 2026 dates in Meerut

The Chaturdashi tithi runs from 10:47 AM on Saturday, 7 November to 11:27 AM on Sunday, 8 November, and the Amavasya follows from 11:27 AM on Sunday 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 Meerut

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

Crackers in Meerut: the NCR rules

Meerut district is part of the National Capital Region, where the Supreme Court has kept a year-round ban on firecrackers. On 2 November 2026 the Court allowed a limited relaxation for Diwali, as reported by LiveLaw and Bar & Bench:

• Tonight: bursting is allowed only from 8 PM to 10 PM, and only with certified green crackers.
• Check the box: scan the QR code; boxes without it, "series" crackers and anything bought from an unlicensed seller are not allowed.
• We did not find a separate 2026 order from the Meerut district administration; follow any instructions from the police on the day.

Read our firecracker safety tips, and see the Delhi firecracker rules 2026 for the full Supreme Court order. For emergencies call 112, and for fire 101.

Traffic plan for Diwali shopping

Amar Ujala reported that Meerut traffic police diversions run from 5 to 11 November, every day from 7 AM to 2 AM, for Dhanteras, Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj:

• No vehicles at all: from Khairnagar Chauraha towards Khairnagar market and Valley Bazaar; from Ghantaghar towards Valley Bazaar; and from Brahmpuri, Pyau and Shiv Chowk (Patthar Walan) towards Kabadi Bazaar, Valley Bazaar and the Sarafa market.
• No four-wheelers: from Cooperative Chauraha towards Begumpul via PL Sharma Road.
• Begumpul Diwali fair: roadways buses, city buses and heavy vehicles are barred round the clock between Begumpul, Khooni Pul, the Government Inter College and Bhainsali bus stand.
• Heavy vehicles: barred from Zero Mile to Begumpul, Bhainsali bus stand and Hapur Road; traffic between Muzaffarnagar or Roorkee and Garh, Moradabad or Hapur goes via Jail Chungi, University Road and Tejgarhi.
• Buses to Bhainsali: buses from Muzaffarnagar, Haridwar and Bijnor run via Jadugar Chauraha, Rajban Bazaar, Nancy Chauraha and Aughadnath Mandir; buses from Delhi and Ghaziabad via Partapur Interchange, NH-58 and Rohta Road.

Park outside the old-city markets and walk in, and follow the traffic police on the day for changes.

How Meerut celebrates, day by day

• Friday, 6 November: Dhanteras. The Sarafa market and Valley Bazaar are packed 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 6:00 PM – 7:56 PM. See Dhanteras 2026.
• Saturday, 7 November: Choti Diwali. The first rows of diyas and lights go up.
• Sunday, 8 November: Diwali. The Narak Chaturdashi bath in the morning, Lakshmi-Ganesh puja inside the muhurat, 5:53 PM – 7:48 PM, with new idols, khil-batashe, sweets and diyas, and traders worshipping their account books. Jain families offer the Nirvan Laddu for Bhagwan Mahavira.
• Tuesday, 10 November: Govardhan Puja and Annakut. See Govardhan Puja and Annakut 2026.
• Wednesday, 11 November: Bhai Dooj and Chitragupta Puja. See Bhai Dooj 2026 and Chitragupta Puja 2026.

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

Markets and shopping

• Sarafa market and Valley Bazaar: Meerut's jewellery, silver and utensil markets, the centre of Dhanteras shopping.
• Sadar Bazaar: clothes, sweets, gifts and decorations in the Cantonment.
• Abu Lane and Begumpul: branded shops, gifts and the Diwali fair near Begumpul.
• Khairnagar and Kabadi Bazaar: wholesale lamps, puja items and household goods.

Temples to visit

• Augharnath Temple (Kali Paltan Mandir), Cantonment: Meerut's most famous Shiva temple, linked with the events of 1857.
• Bilveshwar Nath Temple, Sadar: an old Shiva temple, traditionally associated with Mandodari.
• Hastinapur: the ancient city of the Mahabharata, about 40 km from Meerut, with the Pandeshwar Mahadev temple and major Jain temples, including Jambudweep. Jain pilgrims visit on Diwali, the day of Mahavira's nirvana.

Check each temple's notice for darshan and aarti timings on festival days. For more of the state, see famous temples in Uttar Pradesh.

Practical tips

• Air quality: Meerut's air is often very poor in November; keep children, older relatives and anyone with asthma indoors during bursting, and check the AQI before going out.
• Weather: early November in Meerut is pleasant by day, around 14–29 °C, with cool evenings and morning smog.
• Crowds: the old-city markets are extremely crowded until Diwali evening; keep valuables close and agree a meeting point.
• Safety at home: keep diyas away from curtains, use LED lights on balconies, and keep water and sand ready.

More Diwali 2026 guides

• Diwali 2026 in Delhi
• Diwali 2026 in Agra
• Diwali 2026 in Mathura and Vrindavan
• Diwali 2026 in Lucknow
• Diwali 2026 state-wise in India

Browse every guide on our Diwali 2026 hub.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Meerut?

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 Meerut?

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

Are crackers allowed in Meerut for Diwali 2026?

Only certified green crackers, only on 7 and 8 November, from 6 AM to 7 AM and 8 PM to 10 PM, under the Supreme Court's order for the National Capital Region. The full ban returns from 9 November.

Can I burst crackers in Meerut on Govardhan Puja or Bhai Dooj?

No. The Supreme Court's relaxation covers only 7 and 8 November; the ban returns from 9 November.

Which Meerut markets are closed to vehicles for Diwali?

From 5 to 11 November, 7 AM to 2 AM, no vehicles may enter Valley Bazaar, the Sarafa market and Kabadi Bazaar from Ghantaghar, Brahmpuri, Pyau and Shiv Chowk, or Khairnagar market from Khairnagar Chauraha, and four-wheelers cannot go from Cooperative Chauraha to Begumpul.