Bestu Varas 2026: Gujarati New Year on 10 November, Why It Falls on Govardhan Day
Bestu Varas 2026 is Tuesday, 10 November: Kartik Shukla Pratipada runs 9 Nov 12:32 to 10 Nov 14:01 and holds at sunrise on the 10th, same day as Govardhan Puja. Chopda Pujan is on Diwali night, 8 Nov.
Bestu Varas 2026, the Gujarati New Year, falls on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. It is the day Vikram Samvat 2083 begins under the Kartik-adi reckoning used in Gujarat. Our panchang engine places Kartik Shukla Pratipada from 12:32 on 9 November to 14:01 on 10 November. Pratipada is the tithi at sunrise on 10 November, so that is the New Year, and it is also the day of Govardhan Puja.
The full sequence runs like this: Diwali with Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November, Somvati Amavasya on Monday 9 November, Bestu Varas on Tuesday 10 November. In Gujarat, Chopda Pujan, the puja of the account books, is done on Diwali night, 8 November, and the new books are opened on the morning of Bestu Varas.
When is Bestu Varas 2026, and how is the date fixed?
Bestu Varas is the Gujarati name for the New Year. It falls on Kartik Shukla Pratipada. Pratipada is the first tithi (lunar day) after amavasya, the new moon, when the moon begins to grow again. Kartik is the month; Shukla means the bright, waxing half.
In 2026 this tithi spreads across two calendar dates. The panchang settles that by looking at the tithi running at sunrise. Whichever day has Pratipada at sunrise is Bestu Varas.
| Item | Time (Delhi) |
|---|---|
| Kartik Shukla Pratipada begins | 9 November, 12:32 |
| Kartik Shukla Pratipada ends | 10 November, 14:01 |
| Sunrise on 10 November | 06:40 |
| Tithi at sunrise | Shukla Pratipada |
| Bestu Varas 2026 | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 |
Times are for Delhi. Sunrise in your city may differ by a few minutes, but the date does not change.
Why does the Gujarati New Year fall on Govardhan Puja day?
It is not a coincidence. Govardhan Puja is observed every year on Kartik Shukla Pratipada. The Gujarati Vikram Samvat year also begins on Kartik Shukla Pratipada. Same tithi, so always the same day. In tradition this tithi is also called Bali Pratipada.
So on the morning North India prepares for Govardhan Puja and Annakut, Gujarat is saying "Saal Mubarak". In 2026 that morning is 10 November. The vidhi and katha of Govardhan Puja are covered separately in our Govardhan Puja 2026 article.
Kartik-adi and Chaitra-adi: two ways of counting the Vikram Samvat
Vikram Samvat is the year count of the Hindu calendar. "Adi" means beginning. In the Kartik-adi count the year starts with the month of Kartik; Gujarat follows it, which is why the New Year comes right after Diwali. In the Chaitra-adi count the year starts with the month of Chaitra; North India follows it, which is why Samvat 2083 there already changed at Chaitra.
The result: on 10 November 2026 Gujarat's samvat becomes 2083, while North Indian panchangs have been showing 2083 since Chaitra. The number is the same; only the day the year turns is different. That is why a Gujarati calendar prints "New Year" on this date and a North Indian one prints only "Govardhan Puja".
Why not 9 November, when Pratipada begins that day?
In the panchang, the tithi of a day is the one running at sunrise. This is called udaya tithi, the sunrise tithi. On 9 November sunrise is at 06:39 and amavasya is still running; Pratipada begins only at 12:32. So 9 November counts as amavasya, and the New Year is 10 November.
This is why Gujarat often has a quiet day between Diwali and Bestu Varas. In 2026 that day has its own identity: an amavasya falling on a Monday, which makes it Somvati Amavasya. By tradition it is a day for a holy bath and charity (snan-daan).
From Diwali to Bestu Varas: the three-day sequence
Here is the panchang for all three days from our engine, for Delhi. The "tithi window" is the span in which that tithi begins and ends.
| Date | Tithi at sunrise | Tithi window | Sunrise / Sunset | Observance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 November, Sunday | Krishna Chaturdashi | 7 Nov 10:48 to 8 Nov 11:28 | 06:39 / 17:30 | Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali), Diwali Lakshmi Puja, Chopda Pujan |
| 9 November, Monday | Krishna Amavasya | 8 Nov 11:28 to 9 Nov 12:32 | 06:39 / 17:29 | Somvati Amavasya, snan-daan |
| 10 November, Tuesday | Shukla Pratipada | 9 Nov 12:32 to 10 Nov 14:01 | 06:40 / 17:29 | Bestu Varas, Govardhan Puja, Annakut, new books opened |
On 8 November the morning is Chaturdashi, amavasya begins at 11:28, and Lakshmi Puja is done in the evening. In Gujarat, Chopda Pujan happens the same night. The exact windows by pradosh kaal, sthir lagna and choghadiya are in our Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja muhurat article.
The moon and nakshatra (lunar mansion) positions are worth a look too. The Sun is in Tula (Libra) on all three days.
| Date | Nakshatra | Moon sign | Moonrise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 November | Swati (Pada 1) | Tula (Libra) | 05:36 |
| 9 November | Swati (Pada 4) | Tula (Libra) | 06:35 |
| 10 November | Vishakha (Pada 4) | Vrishchik (Scorpio) | 07:33 |
By the engine, the Moon is in Vrishchik on 10 November and the nakshatra has moved from Swati to Vishakha. Around amavasya the moon rises close to the sun, which is why the moonrise times sit near sunrise.
When is Chopda Pujan, and when are the new books opened?
Chopda is the Gujarati word for the account ledger, the book of accounts. In Chopda Pujan, traders place the fresh ledgers for the coming year before Lakshmi during the Diwali puja. In Gujarat this is done on Diwali night, 8 November 2026.
By tradition, a swastik is drawn in kumkum (vermilion) on the first page of the new red ledger. A pen, a few coins, marigolds and a lit lamp are kept beside it. After the puja the book stays closed.
On the morning of Bestu Varas, 10 November, that ledger is opened and the first entry of the year is written. Opening the shop, the first sale, the first entry: for Gujarati business, the year begins here.
The order is simple: puja on the night of 8 November, a pause on 9 November, the fresh start on 10 November.
What happens on Bestu Varas?
Saal Mubarak
"Saal Mubarak" is the Gujarati New Year greeting, meaning "a blessed year". The morning begins with touching the feet of elders, then visits to relatives and neighbours, sweets, and phone calls. The day is spent meeting people.
Annakut darshan
Swaminarayan and Vaishnav temples set up the Annakut on this day. Annakut means "a mountain of food": a large spread of many dishes arranged before the deity. Going to the temple for Annakut darshan on the morning of Bestu Varas is a settled Gujarati family tradition.
Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja falls on the same day. According to the katha, the day is linked to Govardhan hill, and it too centres on offering Annakut. The Gujarati New Year and the Govardhan Puja of Braj share the Annakut as a common thread.
Questions about Bestu Varas 2026
What is the date of Bestu Varas 2026?
Tuesday, 10 November 2026. Kartik Shukla Pratipada is running at sunrise on 10 November (06:40, Delhi) and lasts till 14:01.
Do Bestu Varas and Govardhan Puja always fall on the same day?
Yes. Both are fixed to the tithi Kartik Shukla Pratipada, so the day is always the same.
When does Vikram Samvat 2083 begin?
In Gujarat's Kartik-adi count, from 10 November 2026. In North India's Chaitra-adi count, 2083 already began at Chaitra.
When should Chopda Pujan be done in 2026?
On Diwali night, 8 November, along with Lakshmi Puja. Open the new books on the morning of 10 November, Bestu Varas.
What is 9 November?
Somvati Amavasya, an amavasya that is running at sunrise on a Monday (Somvar). It is a day for a holy bath and charity. In Gujarat it is the quiet day between Diwali and the New Year.
Keep the 2026 order in mind: 8 November Diwali and Chopda Pujan, 9 November Somvati Amavasya, 10 November Bestu Varas and Govardhan Puja. Sunrise and tithi timings for your own city are in the AstroVedansh daily panchang. Saal Mubarak!