Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) 2026 falls on Saturday, November 7, on Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi.
What the day marks
The day commemorates Lord Krishna’s slaying of the demon Narakasura. The story goes that Narakasura had terrorized the three worlds and imprisoned 16,100 women. Krishna, accompanied by Satyabhama, fought and killed him on this Chaturdashi. The demon’s own mother, Bhudevi, asked that the day be celebrated with light and joy rather than mourning, which is one reason it’s called Choti Diwali: the festivities start a day before the main Diwali night.
The Abhyanga Snan ritual
The defining ritual of Naraka Chaturdashi is the Abhyanga Snan, a head-to-toe oil bath taken before sunrise. Traditionally, sesame oil or coconut oil is warmed and massaged into the body, followed by an ubtan paste (usually a mix of turmeric, gram flour, and sandalwood). The bath is then taken with warm water. The symbolism: you’re washing away the “naraka” (hell or suffering) from your life, entering the Diwali celebrations clean in both body and spirit.
In Maharashtra, this ritual is especially elaborate. The mother of the house applies the oil and ubtan, and the aarti is done immediately after the bath, before the person enters the regular day. In the South, particularly in Karnataka and Goa, this is considered the actual Diwali day and is celebrated with more emphasis than the Lakshmi Puja night.
Why before sunrise?
The timing isn’t flexible. Brahma Muhurat, roughly 1 hour and 36 minutes before sunrise, is the traditional starting window. The idea is to complete the bath while it’s still dark, symbolizing the transition from darkness to light. If you’re in London or Toronto, where November sunrise is around 7 AM, that means setting an alarm for 5:15-5:30 AM. Yes, it’s early. But that’s the whole point of the ritual: you’re doing something deliberate, not convenient.
Yama Deepdan
In the evening, a single diya (oil lamp) is lit and placed outside the main door or near the doorstep, facing south. This is Yama Deepdan, a lamp for Yama, the god of death. The purpose is to seek protection from untimely death in the coming year. It’s a quieter observance compared to the rows of diyas that come on Diwali night, but many families consider it equally important.
Practical tips for NRIs
If you’re in a cold November climate (UK, Canada, northern US, Germany), the pre-sunrise oil bath sounds brutal. A few things help: warm the oil well beforehand, keep the bathroom heated, and use warm water for the final rinse. The ubtan paste (turmeric + gram flour + a bit of sandalwood powder mixed with milk or cream) doubles as a skin treatment that leaves you feeling genuinely refreshed. Many families adapt the timing slightly, doing the bath right at first light rather than in full darkness, which is a reasonable compromise if Brahma Muhurat falls at 4:30 AM in your time zone.
When the bath is taken
Abhyanga Snan is done before sunrise, during Brahma Muhurat. The exact time depends on your city’s sunrise. If you’re unsure of the Brahma Muhurat window for your location, the muhurat page will show sunrise time, and you can work backward from there (approximately 96 minutes before sunrise).
Check your city’s timing
Check the muhurat page with your city selected for that morning’s sunrise. For the full Diwali week schedule, including Dhanteras and Lakshmi Puja, see the festival calendar.