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Diwali 2026 on idly

Diwali, 6 Nov to 11 Nov

Every day of the festival with its date checked against panchangs and official holiday lists, the offers we're tracking, gifts by budget and a card to send home.

  1. Fri 6 Nov

    Dhanteras

    The first lamps go up and people buy gold, silver or new utensils in the evening.

    In 6 days

  2. Sun 8 Nov

    Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)

    The pre-dawn oil bath. This year it falls on the same Sunday as Lakshmi Puja.

    In 8 days

  3. Sun 8 Nov

    Lakshmi Puja (Diwali)

    The main night: Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya, lamps, rangoli and fireworks.

    In 8 days

  4. Tue 10 Nov

    Govardhan Puja (Annakut)

    Annakut: a mountain of food offered to Krishna. Bali Pratipada falls on the same day.

    In 10 days

  5. Wed 11 Nov

    Bhai Dooj

    Sisters put a tilak on their brothers; brothers bring gifts. Bhau Beej in Maharashtra.

    In 11 days

Mon 9 Nov: no festival day in most panchangs this year. Amavasya carries on past sunrise.

Offers we're tracking

Festive sales and brand offers our editors have checked, each with when it was checked, where it comes from and when it ends. Offer wording is the seller's. Shop links go through idly; where a programme pays us, it says so beside the link: idly may earn a commission. It never decides what we list.

Our editors are checking this year's festive offers now. Each one appears here with its source and the date we checked it, never a price we haven't seen.

Gift finder

Who's it for?

Your answers stay on this phone. idly only counts how often each answer is picked.

Gifts by budget

Picked by idly's editors from things we've covered. A price shows only with the date we checked it.

No gifts under ₹1,000 yet. Editors are adding them; the gift finder above uses the same list.

Send a Diwali card

Pick a message, add names if you like, and send it. Free, no sign-up.

Pick a message

Names are drawn on the card and never saved. English letters only for now.

Your Diwali card
1080 × 1350, made for WhatsApp and Instagram

Diwali on idly

Our latest stories about the festival, from sales to safety.

Diwali in your city

Melas, light shows and concerts from 1 to 15 November, plus local Diwali news.

Diwali news from Bengaluru

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Air quality this Diwali

The hour-by-hour picture comes from the Central Pollution Control Board's monitoring stations.

Diwali releases

Films and shows out in theatres or streaming around Diwali, from the things we've covered.

Diwali releases appear here once the films and shows have dates in our coverage.

Crackers: the rules

Timings and bans as states and cities publish them, each with its source and date.

No 2026 order we've checked yet. We add each state's or city's firecracker rules here with the order or report it comes from, as they're published.

Travelling home

Rail and air rush, special trains and what to book early.

Travel notes appear here as railways and airlines announce festive specials.

The dates, and how we checked them

Checked on Sat, 31 Oct. Dates are for India; tithi timings shift by a few minutes from city to city.

  1. Dhanteras

    The first lamps go up and people buy gold, silver or new utensils in the evening.

    Kept on the evening when Trayodashi (the 13th lunar day) runs through pradosh, just after sunset.

    Checked against Dekho Panchang — Dhanteras 2026 (Delhi); Haindavam — Dhanteras 2026; HinduTone — Diwali 2026 five-day calendar

  2. Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)

    (some keep )

    The pre-dawn oil bath. This year it falls on the same Sunday as Lakshmi Puja.

    Chaturdashi begins late on the morning of Sat 7 Nov and runs to late morning on Sun 8 Nov, so the bath before sunrise is on Sun 8 Nov. Families who light Choti Diwali lamps on the eve keep the night of Sat 7 Nov (Kali Chaudas).

    Checked against Dekho Panchang — Narak Chaturdashi 2026 (Delhi); PanchangBodh — Choti Diwali 2026 (New Delhi); Haindavam — Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 (Ujjain, IST)

  3. Lakshmi Puja (Diwali)

    The main night: Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya, lamps, rangoli and fireworks.

    The central government holiday for Diwali (Deepavali) is Sun 8 Nov; Tamil Nadu's Deepavali holiday is the same day.

    Checked against DoPT O.M. F.No. 12/2/2023-JCA, 3 July 2025 (central government holidays 2026); Gazetted holidays 2026 list (as per DoPT); Tamil Nadu 2026 public holidays (DT Next)

  4. Govardhan Puja (Annakut)

    (some keep )

    Annakut: a mountain of food offered to Krishna. Bali Pratipada falls on the same day.

    Amavasya is still running at sunrise on Mon 9 Nov in India, so the panchang puts Govardhan Puja on Tue 10 Nov. Some holiday lists show Mon 9 Nov; follow your temple or family calendar.

    Checked against Dekho Panchang — Govardhan Puja 2026 (Delhi); Ajmer Astro — Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj 2026; BankBazaar holiday list — Govardhan Puja 2026

  5. Bhai Dooj

    Sisters put a tilak on their brothers; brothers bring gifts. Bhau Beej in Maharashtra.

    Dwitiya covers the whole afternoon (aparahna) on Wed 11 Nov, ending mid-afternoon, so that is the day.

    Checked against Dekho Panchang — Bhai Dooj 2026 (Delhi); Haindavam — Bhai Dooj 2026 (Ujjain, IST); Ajmer Astro — Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj 2026

Also on the idly calendar.