Diwali 2026 in Visakhapatnam: Deepavali Date, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat, Kanaka Mahalakshmi, Simhachalam and Police Cracker Rules

Quick answer: Deepavali 2026 in Visakhapatnam (Vizag) is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath is before sunrise that morning (sunrise about 5:59 AM), and the Lakshmi Puja muhurat that evening is 5:48 PM – 7:49 PM IST, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method. Bali Padyami and the start of Karthika Masam are on Tuesday, 10 November, and Bhagini Hasta Bhojanam (Bhai Dooj) on Wednesday, 11 November. Vizag City Police Commissioner Shanka Brata Bagchi has said crackers may be burst only from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, and only green crackers may be sold.

Vizag keeps Deepavali the Telugu way, with a pre-dawn oil bath, new clothes, rows of clay lamps (pramidalu) and Lakshmi Puja at dusk. Devotees crowd the Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi temple, the city's own goddess of prosperity, and climb to Simhachalam for Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha, and families walk along RK Beach in the evening. Two days later Karthika Masam begins, filling the city's Shiva temples with lamps. This guide covers the dates and times, temples, the cracker rules and practical tips.

Editor's note (8 November 2026): puja times are HinduTone's own calculation for Visakhapatnam. The cracker rules are from the Police Commissioner's statement reported by Yo! Vizag in November 2026.

Deepavali 2026 dates in Visakhapatnam

The Chaturdashi tithi runs from 10:47 AM on Saturday, 7 November to 11:27 AM on Sunday, 8 November, so it is in force at sunrise on Sunday, which puts the oil bath on Sunday morning. The Amavasya follows at 11:27 AM and lasts until 12:31 PM on Monday, 9 November, so the oil bath and Lakshmi Puja fall on the same day, Sunday, this year. See Naraka Chaturdashi and Diwali 2026: the Dharmashastra ruling.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Visakhapatnam

The muhurat is the part of Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset, when the fixed Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Vizag is on India's east coast, so its window starts about six minutes earlier than New Delhi's (5:54 PM – 7:50 PM) and 20 minutes earlier than Hyderabad's. For other cities, see Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city-wise.

How Vizag celebrates

Naraka Chaturdashi morning (Sunday, 8 November). Before sunrise, family members are given an oil bath (abhyanga snanam) with warm sesame oil and a herbal powder, followed by new clothes, lamps at the threshold and sweets such as ariselu, kajjikayalu and laddu. Many families also offer Yama tarpanam; see the Yama tarpanam vidhi.

Deepavali evening.

• Lakshmi Puja: inside the muhurat, 5:48 PM – 7:49 PM. Worship Ganesha first, then Lakshmi, then light the pramidalu along the doorway, windows and compound wall.
• Kedareswara vratam: many Telugu families worship Shiva as Kedareswara with Goddess Gauri on the Amavasya and tie the 21-knot thoram. See Kedareswara vratam 2026.
• Traders: shopkeepers in Jagadamba, Poorna Market and Dwaraka Nagar worship their account books.

Bali Padyami and Karthika Masam (Tuesday, 10 November). Bali Padyami honours King Bali, and the holy month of Karthika begins the same day, with lamps lit at homes and temples every evening. See Karthika Masam 2026.

For more on Telugu customs, see Telugu Deepavali 2026: Andhra and Telangana traditions.

Temples to visit in Visakhapatnam

• Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Temple, Burujupeta: the city's presiding goddess of prosperity, crowded on Dhanteras and Deepavali.
• Simhachalam (Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple): the great hill temple about 16 km from the city centre.
• Sri Sampath Vinayagar Temple, Asilmetta: the much-loved Ganesh temple, busy before Lakshmi-Ganesh puja.
• TTD Sri Venkateswara Temple, Rushikonda: the hilltop Tirumala-style temple by the sea; see our Rushikonda temple guide.
• ISKCON Visakhapatnam, Sagar Nagar: Hare Krishna temples usually mark Govardhan Puja with an Annakut offering.
• Kailasagiri: the hilltop Shiva-Parvati statues, a popular evening outing in the festival week.

Temples are busiest on Sunday morning after the oil bath, on Deepavali evening and on the Karthika Mondays that follow; check each temple's notice for timings.

Crackers in Visakhapatnam: the 2026 rules

Vizag City Police Commissioner Shanka Brata Bagchi has said (Yo! Vizag, November 2026):

• Timing: crackers only from 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali day.
• Green crackers only may be sold.
• Shops: temporary stalls must be at least 15 metres apart and at least 100 metres from hospitals, schools and places of worship, with no-objection certificates from the electricity department, fire services and GVMC.
• No sales to anyone under 18.
• Checks: police are inspecting stalls in all station limits. Report unauthorised stocking or sales on 100, 112 or 79950 95799.

More details are on our Andhra Pradesh firecracker rules 2026 page. For fire emergencies call 101.

Practical tips

• Weather: early November in Vizag is warm and humid, around 22–30 °C; north-east monsoon showers are possible, so keep diyas sheltered.
• RK Beach: the beach road is crowded on Deepavali evening; never burst crackers on the beach or near crowds, and keep children close to the water's edge.
• Air quality: smoke builds up on Deepavali night; keep older relatives and anyone with asthma indoors during heavy bursting.
• Apartments: many gated communities fix a common area for crackers within the 8 PM to 10 PM window; follow your association's rules.

More Diwali 2026 guides

• Diwali 2026 in Hyderabad
• Diwali 2026 in Chennai
• Diwali 2026 in Bengaluru
• Diwali 2026 in Kolkata
• Diwali 2026 state-wise in India

Browse every guide on our Diwali 2026 hub.

Frequently asked questions

When is Deepavali 2026 in Visakhapatnam?

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 Visakhapatnam?

5:48 PM to 7:49 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, calculated by HinduTone with the Drik Panchang method.

What are the cracker timings in Vizag for Deepavali 2026?

8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali day, green crackers only, according to Vizag City Police Commissioner Shanka Brata Bagchi.

When does Karthika Masam 2026 begin?

Tuesday, 10 November 2026, the day of Bali Padyami.