Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, 6 November. In Delhi the Dhanteras puja muhurat is 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM, and the Yama Deepam lamp is lit at dusk, 5:33 PM to 6:51 PM. Dhanteras opens the five days of Diwali: Lakshmi Puja follows on Sunday 8 November.
Dhanteras 2026 at a glance
| Delhi | |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, 6 November 2026 |
| Trayodashi tithi | 10:30 AM, 6 Nov → 10:47 AM, 7 Nov |
| Pradosh Kaal | 5:33 PM – 8:09 PM |
| Vrishabha Kaal (fixed lagna) | 6:02 PM – 7:57 PM |
| Puja muhurat | 6:02 PM – 7:57 PM |
| Yama Deepam (Sayan Sandhya) | 5:33 PM – 6:51 PM |
| Rahu Kaal (avoid) | 10:43 AM – 12:05 PM |
Why 6 November, not 7 November
Dhanteras is kept on the day when Trayodashi tithi (the 13th lunar day of the dark half of Kartik) runs through Pradosh Kaal, the stretch after sunset. In 2026 Trayodashi begins at 10:30 AM on 6 November and ends at 10:47 AM on 7 November. So it covers the evening of the 6th but not the evening of the 7th. So 6 November is the Dhanteras date across India under this rule, even though Trayodashi is still running on the morning of the 7th.
How the puja muhurat is worked out
Two windows are combined:
- Pradosh Kaal: from sunset for one fifth of the night, about 2 hours 36 minutes in Delhi on 6 November.
- Vrishabha Kaal: while Taurus (Vrishabha) is rising. Taurus is a sthir (fixed) sign, and puja in a fixed lagna is believed to make Lakshmi's blessing stay.
The puja muhurat is the part where both overlap. In most of India the whole Vrishabha period falls inside Pradosh, so the muhurat is simply the Vrishabha Kaal. Because sunset and the rising of Taurus both change with location, the window differs from city to city. In Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, Pradosh (a fifth of the night, and the nights are shorter there in November) ends before Taurus has finished rising, so the muhurat closes when Pradosh does. Always use your own city's row.
Dhanteras puja muhurat in your city (6 November 2026)
| City | Puja muhurat | Pradosh Kaal | Yama Deepam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 6:02 PM – 7:57 PM | 5:33 PM – 8:09 PM | 5:33 PM – 6:51 PM |
| Noida | 6:01 PM – 7:57 PM | 5:32 PM – 8:09 PM | 5:32 PM – 6:50 PM |
| Gurugram | 6:03 PM – 7:59 PM | 5:34 PM – 8:10 PM | 5:34 PM – 6:52 PM |
| Faridabad | 6:02 PM – 7:58 PM | 5:32 PM – 8:09 PM | 5:32 PM – 6:51 PM |
| Ghaziabad | 6:01 PM – 7:56 PM | 5:32 PM – 8:09 PM | 5:32 PM – 6:50 PM |
| Chandigarh | 6:00 PM – 7:54 PM | 5:31 PM – 8:09 PM | 5:31 PM – 6:50 PM |
| Amritsar | 6:06 PM – 8:00 PM | 5:37 PM – 8:16 PM | 5:37 PM – 6:57 PM |
| Ludhiana | 6:03 PM – 7:58 PM | 5:35 PM – 8:13 PM | 5:35 PM – 6:54 PM |
| Dehradun | 5:55 PM – 7:50 PM | 5:27 PM – 8:05 PM | 5:27 PM – 6:46 PM |
| Jaipur | 6:11 PM – 8:07 PM | 5:41 PM – 8:17 PM | 5:41 PM – 6:59 PM |
| Lucknow | 5:50 PM – 7:47 PM | 5:20 PM – 7:56 PM | 5:20 PM – 6:38 PM |
| Kanpur | 5:53 PM – 7:50 PM | 5:23 PM – 7:59 PM | 5:23 PM – 6:41 PM |
| Agra | 6:01 PM – 7:58 PM | 5:32 PM – 8:08 PM | 5:32 PM – 6:50 PM |
| Varanasi | 5:44 PM – 7:42 PM | 5:14 PM – 7:49 PM | 5:14 PM – 6:32 PM |
| Patna | 5:36 PM – 7:33 PM | 5:05 PM – 7:40 PM | 5:05 PM – 6:23 PM |
| Kolkata | 5:28 PM – 7:26 PM | 4:56 PM – 7:30 PM | 4:56 PM – 6:13 PM |
| Bhopal | 6:10 PM – 8:08 PM | 5:39 PM – 8:13 PM | 5:39 PM – 6:56 PM |
| Indore | 6:17 PM – 8:16 PM | 5:46 PM – 8:20 PM | 5:46 PM – 7:03 PM |
| Ahmedabad | 6:30 PM – 8:28 PM | 5:59 PM – 8:33 PM | 5:59 PM – 7:16 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:35 PM – 8:35 PM | 6:03 PM – 8:35 PM | 6:03 PM – 7:19 PM |
| Pune | 6:32 PM – 8:31 PM | 6:00 PM – 8:31 PM | 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM |
| Hyderabad | 6:15 PM – 8:13 PM | 5:43 PM – 8:13 PM | 5:43 PM – 6:58 PM |
| Bengaluru | 6:25 PM – 8:20 PM | 5:52 PM – 8:20 PM | 5:52 PM – 7:06 PM |
| Chennai | 6:14 PM – 8:10 PM | 5:41 PM – 8:10 PM | 5:41 PM – 6:55 PM |
The spread is more than an hour: Kolkata's muhurat starts at 5:28 PM, Mumbai's at 6:35 PM. Use your own city's row, not Delhi's.
Yama Deepam: the lamp for Yama
On Dhanteras evening a four-wick clay lamp is traditionally lit for Yama, the lord of death, and placed outside the main door facing south. Tradition says it protects the family from untimely death. It is lit at dusk, during the Sayan Sandhya window in the last column of the table above. The window begins at sunset and lasts one tenth of the night, so its length varies by city (78 minutes in Delhi). It doesn't need to wait for the puja muhurat. Light it in this window if you can; if you miss it, follow your family tradition or local panchang for a later time (many families light it any time in Pradosh Kaal).
Best time to buy gold, silver and utensils
Buying something new on Dhanteras is a prayer for the year's prosperity. Purchases are best made once Trayodashi has begun (10:30 AM), in a good Choghadiya, and outside Rahu Kaal. In Delhi on 6 November:
| Time | Choghadiya | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 10:43 AM – 12:05 PM | Kaal | Rahu Kaal: avoid |
| 12:05 PM – 1:27 PM | Shubh | Good |
| 4:11 PM – 5:33 PM | Char | Good, especially for vehicles and travel |
| 6:02 PM – 7:57 PM | Rog, then Kaal | Puja muhurat (Pradosh and Vrishabha Lagna): the time for the puja, not a Choghadiya for shopping |
| 8:49 PM – 10:27 PM | Labh | Good by Choghadiya, but it is Kaal Ratri tonight: many panchangs avoid it for auspicious starts |
Choghadiya is used here only to choose a time for shopping. The puja itself follows the Pradosh and Vrishabha muhurat above, not the Choghadiya. Kaal Ratri (and Kaal Vela by day) is one Choghadiya of each night and day, set by the weekday, that traditional panchangs mark as unfruitful for auspicious work. Some families still shop in that night's Labh, so treat it as a caution rather than a rule. The morning Amrit Choghadiya runs from 9:21 to 10:43 AM, but Trayodashi begins only at 10:30 AM, leaving 13 minutes, and panchangs mark this interval as Vaar Vela, so the table sticks to the longer windows later in the day.
What families usually buy: gold or silver (a coin is enough), brass or steel utensils, a new broom (for Lakshmi's welcome and sweeping out poverty), whole coriander seeds and a lamp. Many avoid buying sharp objects, black items and glass on this day.
Example: a family in Lucknow wants to buy silver and do the puja the same evening. Trayodashi has begun by late morning, the Shubh Choghadiya runs around midday (12:05–1:27 PM in Delhi, about a quarter of an hour earlier in Lucknow), and their puja muhurat is 5:50–7:47 PM. So they can shop after lunch and be home well before puja.
The Dhanteras puja, step by step
- Clean the house and the entrance, and draw a rangoli at the door.
- At the muhurat, place Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera and Dhanvantari (the physician of the gods, who rose from the ocean with the pot of amrit on this day) on a clean cloth.
- Light a ghee lamp, offer flowers, roli, rice, sweets and the new purchase.
- Chant a Lakshmi or Kubera mantra, or simply pray for the family's health and wealth.
- Light the Yama Deepam outside, facing south.
The five days of Diwali 2026
| Day | Date |
|---|---|
| Dhanteras | Friday, 6 November |
| Kali Chaudas | Saturday, 7 November |
| Narak Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali) and Lakshmi Puja | Sunday, 8 November |
| Govardhan Puja | Tuesday, 10 November (Mumbai: Monday, 9 November) |
| Bhai Dooj | Wednesday, 11 November |
Chaturdashi ends and Amavasya begins on the same day this year (8 November, 11:27 AM), and Amavasya runs through that evening's Pradosh Kaal, which is why Chhoti Diwali and Diwali fall on one date. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Delhi is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM. Amavasya ends at 12:31 PM on 9 November, when Shukla Pratipada begins, and Pratipada lasts until about 2 PM on 10 November. Panchangs list Govardhan Puja on Tuesday 10 November for Delhi, with a morning puja, but on Monday 9 November for Mumbai, with an afternoon-to-evening puja; the central government's restricted holiday is also on the 9th. Regional conventions differ, so follow the date and muhurat of your local panchang. Some families and regions keep these days a little differently; your local panchang is the final word. For the full day-by-day timings, open each date on the Daily Panchang.
Frequently asked questions
When is Dhanteras in 2026? Friday, 6 November 2026. Trayodashi tithi runs from 10:30 AM on 6 November to 10:47 AM on 7 November, so the Dhanteras evening is the 6th.
What is the Dhanteras puja muhurat in Delhi? 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM, when Vrishabha (a fixed sign) rises within Pradosh Kaal (5:33 PM to 8:09 PM).
Can I buy gold on the morning of 6 November? Trayodashi begins at 10:30 AM, but Rahu Kaal runs from 10:43 AM to 12:05 PM in Delhi. If you follow these timings, the Shubh Choghadiya from 12:05 PM to 1:27 PM is the clearer choice. On the morning of 7 November Trayodashi is still running until 10:47 AM, which some families also use. Local customs and panchangs may differ.
When should the Yama Deepam be lit? At dusk on 6 November, in the Sayan Sandhya: 5:33 PM to 6:51 PM in Delhi. See the table for other cities. If you miss it, follow your family tradition; many light it any time in Pradosh Kaal (until 8:09 PM in Delhi).
Is Dhanteras the same in every city? Under the panchang rule used in this article, Dhanteras falls on Friday, 6 November 2026, in all the cities listed. If your family follows a different regional convention, go by your local panchang. The muhurat changes with sunset and the rising sign, by more than an hour between east and west.
Further reading: Dhanteras on Wikipedia. For a personal muhurat based on your own chart, start with your free Kundli.