Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8. Lakshmi Puja is traditionally performed on the night of Kartik Amavasya, during Pradosh Kaal. The fact that it lands on a Sunday is a practical blessing for working families: no leave to arrange, no rushing home from the office to set up the puja thali.
An approximate Lakshmi Puja muhurat
Published panchang sources give a Pradosh Kaal muhurat of roughly 5:56 PM to 7:52 PM for Delhi. Different panchang sources give slightly different windows based on the fixed ascendant (Taurus), so treat this as an approximate range, not the exact minute.
Why Taurus? Lakshmi Puja is traditionally performed when Vrishabh Lagna (Taurus ascendant) is rising, because Venus, the lord of Taurus, is associated with Lakshmi. That’s what sets the specific window within Pradosh Kaal. If your family’s pandit uses a different tradition, the window may shift by 15-20 minutes in either direction, and that’s perfectly normal.
What to keep ready before the muhurat window opens
The roughly two-hour window goes fast, especially if you haven’t prepped. Have the following ready well before 5:56 PM:
- Lakshmi and Ganesh murtis or images, cleaned and placed on a red cloth
- Fresh flowers, akshat (unbroken rice), and kumkum
- Diyas filled with mustard oil or ghee (ghee is preferred for Lakshmi Puja specifically)
- Sweets and fruits for the bhog offering
- A kalash filled with water, topped with mango leaves and a coconut
Starting the puja itself at the beginning of the Pradosh Kaal window gives you breathing room. Families that wait until the last 20 minutes often end up rushing through the aarti.
The five-day festival
- November 6: Dhanteras, the day for buying gold, silver, or utensils. This is when most families also do Dhanvantari Puja.
- November 7: Choti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi). Light the diyas in the evening; many families do an early morning abhyanga snan on this day.
- November 8: Diwali, Lakshmi Puja. The main event.
- November 9: Govardhan Puja. In many households, this is the day for the annakut offering.
- November 10: Bhai Dooj. Sisters apply tilak to brothers and exchange gifts.
How to check the exact time for your city
The precise Pradosh Kaal window depends on your city’s sunset, so it will differ by a few minutes from city to city. Mumbai’s sunset is typically 10-12 minutes later than Delhi’s in early November, and Kolkata’s is about 15 minutes earlier. Those minutes matter when you’re trying to fit the puja into a fixed window. Select your city on the muhurat page to see that day’s sunset and choghadiya, and keep the puja within the auspicious window with Rahu Kaal avoided.
For families living outside India, the shift is even larger. If you’re in London, Frankfurt, or Toronto, see our separate guides for CET timings to get a window computed for your local sunset.
A note on Rahu Kaal
Check that Rahu Kaal doesn’t overlap with your planned puja window. On Sundays, Rahu Kaal typically falls in the late afternoon, which can cut into the early part of Pradosh Kaal depending on your city. If there’s an overlap, simply start the puja after Rahu Kaal ends. A 15-minute delay to avoid Rahu Kaal is better than ignoring it entirely.