Diwali 2026
Dhanteras and Diwali 2026 choghadiya: timings by city
Dhanteras is Friday 6 November 2026 and Diwali’s Lakshmi Puja is Sunday 8 November. On Dhanteras the best choghadiya for buying gold are Labh and Amrit, which run back to back through the morning (about 7:58 to 10:42 AM in New Delhi), then Shubh around midday. On Diwali evening three good choghadiya follow sunset without a break: Shubh, Amrit and Chal, close to five hours from sunset (5:31 to 10:26 PM in New Delhi). The exact clock times move with your city’s sunrise and sunset, so the tables below give all 30 cities we track.
Every time on this page comes from the same calculation as our choghadiya pages, worked out for each city’s own sunrise and sunset. Each city name opens that city’s full day and night table for the date.
What is the best choghadiya on Dhanteras 2026?
Dhanteras falls on a Friday this year, and Friday’s day choghadiya run in this order: Chal, Labh, Amrit, Kaal, Shubh, Rog, Udveg, Chal. That puts the two strongest periods for a purchase, Labh and Amrit, together in the morning, nearly three hours in all. Shubh comes after the Kaal period, around midday. For anyone who can only shop after work, the night’s third choghadiya is Labh, which starts about three hours after sunset.
Tradition leans towards Shubh or Amrit for gold, because gold is bought to be kept, and Labh is the period named for gain. Any of the three is a sound choice. Our guide to the best choghadiya for gold, a vehicle or a new business explains why.
| City | Labh and Amrit (morning) | Shubh (midday) | Labh (night) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 7:58–10:42 AM | 12:04–1:26 PM | 8:48–10:26 PM |
| Mumbai | 8:06–10:56 AM | 12:21–1:47 PM | 9:12–10:47 PM |
| Kolkata | 7:07–9:55 AM | 11:20 AM–12:44 PM | 8:08–9:44 PM |
| Bengaluru | 7:41–10:36 AM | 12:03–1:30 PM | 8:57–10:30 PM |
| Patna | 7:23–10:09 AM | 11:32 AM–12:56 PM | 8:19–9:56 PM |
| Lucknow | 7:41–10:27 AM | 11:49 AM–1:12 PM | 8:35–10:12 PM |
| Jaipur | 8:02–10:47 AM | 12:10–1:32 PM | 8:55–10:33 PM |
| Ahmedabad | 8:11–10:59 AM | 12:23–1:47 PM | 9:11–10:47 PM |
See the other 22 cities
| City | Labh and Amrit (morning) | Shubh (midday) | Labh (night) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surat | 8:08–10:57 AM | 12:22–1:46 PM | 9:11–10:46 PM |
| Rajkot | 8:17–11:06 AM | 12:30–1:54 PM | 9:18–10:54 PM |
| Vadodara | 8:08–10:56 AM | 12:20–1:44 PM | 9:09–10:45 PM |
| Jodhpur | 8:12–10:58 AM | 12:21–1:44 PM | 9:07–10:44 PM |
| Hyderabad | 7:42–10:33 AM | 11:59 AM–1:25 PM | 8:51–10:25 PM |
| Chennai | 7:31–10:25 AM | 11:52 AM–1:19 PM | 8:46–10:19 PM |
| Pune | 8:01–10:52 AM | 12:18–1:43 PM | 9:09–10:43 PM |
| Kanpur | 7:43–10:29 AM | 11:52 AM–1:14 PM | 8:37–10:15 PM |
| Nagpur | 7:43–10:32 AM | 11:57 AM–1:21 PM | 8:46–10:21 PM |
| Indore | 7:57–10:46 AM | 12:10–1:34 PM | 8:58–10:34 PM |
| Bhopal | 7:52–10:39 AM | 12:03–1:27 PM | 8:51–10:27 PM |
| Varanasi | 7:31–10:18 AM | 11:41 AM–1:04 PM | 8:27–10:04 PM |
| Chandigarh | 8:02–10:45 AM | 12:06–1:27 PM | 8:48–10:27 PM |
| Jalandhar | 8:08–10:50 AM | 12:11–1:32 PM | 8:53–10:32 PM |
| Katihar | 7:13–10:00 AM | 11:23 AM–12:46 PM | 8:09–9:46 PM |
| Ludhiana | 8:06–10:48 AM | 12:10–1:31 PM | 8:52–10:31 PM |
| Amritsar | 8:11–10:53 AM | 12:13–1:34 PM | 8:55–10:35 PM |
| Agra | 7:53–10:38 AM | 12:01–1:23 PM | 8:46–10:24 PM |
| Ranchi | 7:20–10:08 AM | 11:32 AM–12:56 PM | 8:20–9:56 PM |
| Udaipur | 8:08–10:55 AM | 12:18–1:42 PM | 9:05–10:42 PM |
| Bhavnagar | 8:11–11:00 AM | 12:24–1:49 PM | 9:13–10:49 PM |
| Coimbatore | 7:42–10:37 AM | 12:05–1:33 PM | 9:01–10:33 PM |
Does Rahu Kaal clash with the Dhanteras choghadiya?
No. On a Friday, Rahu Kaal is the fourth eighth of the day, and in 2026 it lands exactly on the Kaal choghadiya: 10:42 AM to 12:04 PM in New Delhi, 10:59 AM to 12:23 PM in Ahmedabad. The Labh and Amrit periods end as Rahu Kaal begins, and Shubh starts as it ends. So there is no overlap to work around, but if you are cutting it close, finish the purchase before the Amrit period ends. Check today’s window on the Rahu Kaal page for your city.
The hour right after sunset on Dhanteras is a different matter. Friday’s night opens with Rog and then Kaal, the two periods tradition avoids for a start. Most families still light the Yama Deepak at dusk, because that custom follows Pradosh Kaal (the time after sunset), not the choghadiya. The evening Dhanvantari puja and Yama lamp guide has Pradosh Kaal for every city. A purchase, on the other hand, can wait for the night Labh.
Which choghadiya is good for Lakshmi Puja on Diwali 2026?
Diwali falls on a Sunday, and Sunday’s night choghadiya open with Shubh, Amrit and Chal. That is unusually kind: the evening from sunset to about 10:30 PM is covered by good periods with no Rog, Kaal or Udveg in between. Many families, especially Gujarati business families doing Chopda Pujan for the new account books, choose the puja time this way.
If you want the strongest window, take Amrit, the second period after sunset. If you would rather start at dusk with the diyas, Shubh begins at sunset itself. Chal, the third, is still counted good by most panchangs and this site marks it neutral, so it suits a puja that runs late.
| City | Shubh (from sunset) | Amrit | Chal |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 5:31–7:09 PM | 7:09–8:48 PM | 8:48–10:26 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:02–7:37 PM | 7:37–9:12 PM | 9:12–10:47 PM |
| Kolkata | 4:55–6:31 PM | 6:31–8:07 PM | 8:07–9:44 PM |
| Bengaluru | 5:51–7:24 PM | 7:24–8:57 PM | 8:57–10:30 PM |
| Patna | 5:04–6:41 PM | 6:41–8:18 PM | 8:18–9:56 PM |
| Lucknow | 5:19–6:56 PM | 6:56–8:34 PM | 8:34–10:12 PM |
| Jaipur | 5:39–7:17 PM | 7:17–8:55 PM | 8:55–10:32 PM |
| Ahmedabad | 5:57–7:34 PM | 7:34–9:10 PM | 9:10–10:47 PM |
See the other 22 cities
| City | Shubh (from sunset) | Amrit | Chal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surat | 5:59–7:35 PM | 7:35–9:11 PM | 9:11–10:46 PM |
| Rajkot | 6:06–7:42 PM | 7:42–9:18 PM | 9:18–10:54 PM |
| Vadodara | 5:56–7:32 PM | 7:32–9:08 PM | 9:08–10:44 PM |
| Jodhpur | 5:51–7:29 PM | 7:29–9:06 PM | 9:06–10:44 PM |
| Hyderabad | 5:42–7:16 PM | 7:16–8:51 PM | 8:51–10:25 PM |
| Chennai | 5:40–7:13 PM | 7:13–8:46 PM | 8:46–10:19 PM |
| Pune | 5:58–7:33 PM | 7:33–9:08 PM | 9:08–10:43 PM |
| Kanpur | 5:22–6:59 PM | 6:59–8:37 PM | 8:37–10:14 PM |
| Nagpur | 5:34–7:10 PM | 7:10–8:46 PM | 8:46–10:21 PM |
| Indore | 5:45–7:21 PM | 7:21–8:57 PM | 8:57–10:34 PM |
| Bhopal | 5:38–7:14 PM | 7:14–8:51 PM | 8:51–10:27 PM |
| Varanasi | 5:13–6:50 PM | 6:50–8:27 PM | 8:27–10:04 PM |
| Chandigarh | 5:29–7:08 PM | 7:08–8:48 PM | 8:48–10:27 PM |
| Jalandhar | 5:33–7:13 PM | 7:13–8:52 PM | 8:52–10:32 PM |
| Katihar | 4:54–6:31 PM | 6:31–8:09 PM | 8:09–9:46 PM |
| Ludhiana | 5:33–7:12 PM | 7:12–8:51 PM | 8:51–10:31 PM |
| Amritsar | 5:35–7:15 PM | 7:15–8:55 PM | 8:55–10:34 PM |
| Agra | 5:30–7:08 PM | 7:08–8:46 PM | 8:46–10:23 PM |
| Ranchi | 5:06–6:43 PM | 6:43–8:19 PM | 8:19–9:56 PM |
| Udaipur | 5:51–7:28 PM | 7:28–9:05 PM | 9:05–10:42 PM |
| Bhavnagar | 6:01–7:37 PM | 7:37–9:13 PM | 9:13–10:49 PM |
| Coimbatore | 5:56–7:28 PM | 7:28–9:01 PM | 9:01–10:33 PM |
Diwali’s daytime is good too: Sunday’s day choghadiya bring Labh and Amrit in the late morning (9:21 AM to 12:04 PM in New Delhi), which suits a shop opening its books or a purchase you could not make on Dhanteras. Sunday’s Rahu Kaal is the last eighth of the day, ending at sunset, so it never touches the evening puja.
How is Lakshmi Puja done at home?
Before the puja the house is cleaned, and a rangoli and a toran go up at the main door. At the puja place, spread a red cloth on a low stool and set Lakshmi and Ganesh on it (Ganesh on Lakshmi’s left), with a kalash of water beside them. The puja usually has roli, akshat, flowers, a lotus if you can find one, khil-batashe, sweets, coins and a large ghee diya. Business families add the new account books and a pen.
Ganesh is worshipped first, then Lakshmi: water, roli, akshat, flowers, sweets and khil-batashe are offered, the diya is lit and Lakshmi’s aarti is sung. Then diyas go around the house, one at the main door and one by the tulsi. The time is in the table above: Shubh or Amrit after sunset.
Choghadiya or the panchang’s Lakshmi Puja muhurat?
Printed panchangs give a separate Lakshmi Puja muhurat, usually a window of an hour or two inside Pradosh Kaal, the time after sunset. They narrow it further with a fixed zodiac sign rising in the east (Vrishabha, Taurus, is the usual choice), because a fixed sign is believed to make the wealth stay. That calculation depends on the ascendant, which this site does not compute, so we do not print it here.
What you can do is read the two together. On 8 November 2026, Shubh and Amrit together cover a little over three hours from sunset in every city in the tables, which takes in Pradosh Kaal, so an evening muhurat from your family panchang will usually fall in a good choghadiya. A late-night (Nishita) puja is the exception: by then the night has moved on to Rog and Kaal. If your panchang’s muhurat and the choghadiya ever disagree, follow the panchang your family uses: the choghadiya is the simpler, older method, and many households in Gujarat and Rajasthan rely on it alone.
Why are the times different in every city?
A choghadiya is one eighth of the daytime or the night, so it starts at your local sunrise or sunset, not at a fixed clock time. India uses one time zone, but the sun does not: on 8 November 2026 the sun sets at 4:54 PM in Katihar and at 6:06 PM in Rajkot, 72 minutes apart. Every choghadiya on the page moves by roughly that much from east to west.
This is why a Lakshmi Puja time copied from a Delhi WhatsApp forward is wrong in Mumbai by about half an hour. Use your own city’s row, or open your city on our choghadiya page and pick the date. The Diwali dates calendar has every day of the festival week, and our Hindi guide on what to buy and where to keep it on Dhanteras and Diwali covers the vastu side.
Can I buy gold on Dhanteras in Rog or Kaal?
Tradition treats the whole of Dhanteras as a good day to buy gold, silver or utensils, so a purchase made in any period is not “wrong”. The choghadiya only helps you pick the best hour within a day that is already auspicious. If the shop is only open during Rog or Kaal, many people go ahead; if you can choose, move to Labh, Amrit or Shubh.
What if I am outside India?
The dates can shift abroad, because a festival follows the tithi at local sunrise or sunset. Open your city on the choghadiya page and set the date: we compute London, New York, Dubai, Singapore and other cities in the same way, from their own sunrise and sunset. The order of the choghadiya does not change, only the clock times.
Times worked out on 20 October 2026 for each city’s coordinates. Festival dates are for New Delhi and were checked against a reference panchang; see how we calculate.
Today’s timings for this
This post describes what the panchang tradition says about a window; it is not personal advice. Times on the linked pages are computed for the city you choose.