Chitragupta Puja 2026: 11 November, Kalam-Dawat Puja on Yama Dwitiya — Vidhi and Katha

2026-09-21

Chitragupta Puja 2026 is on Wednesday, 11 November, the same day as Yama Dwitiya or Bhai Dooj. Kartik Shukla Dwitiya runs from 14:01 on 10 November to 15:54 on 11 November. Kayastha families do the kalam-dawat (pen and inkpot) puja that day.

Chitragupta Puja 2026 falls on Wednesday, 11 November. It is observed on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya, the second lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik, which is also Yama Dwitiya, the day most people know as Bhai Dooj. Our panchang engine places the Dwitiya tithi from 14:01 on 10 November to 15:54 on 11 November. Kayastha families perform the kalam-dawat puja that day: the worship of pen, inkpot and a fresh page.

What is the date and time of Chitragupta Puja 2026?

A tithi is a lunar day in the Hindu calendar. Dwitiya is running at sunrise on 11 November, so the whole day counts as Dwitiya for festival purposes. The tithi itself ends at 15:54 that afternoon.

Here is the panchang for 11 November 2026, calculated for Delhi:

These timings are for Delhi. Sunrise and sunset move by a few minutes in other cities, but the tithi window is practically the same across India.

When should the puja be done?

If you follow the tithi strictly, finish the puja before 15:54 on 11 November. Everything from sunrise at 06:41 to 15:54 lies within Dwitiya.

Many families do the Bhai Dooj tilak in the morning and the Chitragupta Puja in the afternoon. By custom the day is observed even after the tithi ends, so a puja later in the afternoon or in the evening is also common. Both practices exist; follow what your family has always done.

Who is Chitragupta?

In the tradition, Chitragupta is the divine record-keeper of karma: the deity who keeps the account of every being's deeds. That is why his symbols are the kalam (pen), the dawat (inkpot) and the ledger, and why his pictures show him with them.

The Kayastha community regards Chitragupta as its kul-devata, the ancestral deity and protector of the lineage. People whose work is writing, accounts, teaching or office records also remember him on this day.

In the tradition, Yama Dwitiya, the day of Bhai Dooj, is also seen as a day of karma and its accounting. That is why the deity of records is worshipped on this same tithi.

How is the kalam-dawat puja done?

Kalam-dawat puja means worshipping Chitragupta with pen, ink and paper as the witnesses. The vidhi (procedure) is simple and takes about half an hour at home. No priest is needed.

What you need

• A pen: new if possible, otherwise the one you write with every day
• A dawat, meaning an inkpot (if you have none, the pen alone is enough)
• Plain paper, or the first page of a new notebook or ledger
• Ganga jal (Ganges water)
• Kumkum or roli (red vermilion paste)
• Sweets, for prasad
• A lamp and flowers (optional)

The 'pen-down' custom

In Kayastha homes nobody writes anything on this day until the puja is done: no accounts, no signatures, no notes. This is the 'pen-down' or kalam-band custom. The idea is that the pen which worked all year rests for a few hours and is then restarted with auspicious words.

Step by step

1. Bathe and wear clean clothes. Set a low stool or a clean cloth at your puja place.
2. Place the pen, inkpot and paper on it. Add a picture of Chitragupta if you have one.
3. Sprinkle Ganga jal on the pen and inkpot. Apply a tilak of kumkum.
4. Light the lamp and offer flowers.
5. Fold your hands and pray that whatever is written in the coming year stays true and clean.
6. Now write the first line of the year: 'Shri Ganeshaya Namah' or 'Om Chitraguptaya Namah'.
7. On the same page, write a short summary of the past year's income and expenses: total earned, total spent, and one resolve for the year ahead. Placing your own account before Chitragupta is the heart of this custom.
8. Offer the sweets and share them as prasad.

Children sit in too. Many families have them write 'Shri Ganeshaya Namah' on the first page of a school notebook; this is how respect for the pen passes to the next generation.

What is the katha of Chitragupta?

According to the katha, the traditional story, Brahma brought forth Chitragupta from his own kaya, his body, to keep the record of the deeds of all beings. From this word kaya came the name of his descendants: Kayastha.

The katha holds that this is the origin of the Kayastha community, and the reason the pen and inkpot became its identity. Details of the story vary a little from region to region, but the core is the same everywhere: Chitragupta is the writer of karma, and the pen is his symbol.

This story has been passed down in homes for generations. It is given here in that form, without citing any scripture chapter.

Bhai Dooj and Chitragupta Puja on the same day: how do you plan it?

Two observances share 11 November. The Bhai Dooj tilak and the Chitragupta Puja are both meant to be done within the Dwitiya tithi. Most Kayastha households arrange the day like this:

The full tilak vidhi and the story behind Bhai Dooj are in our Bhai Dooj 2026 article. This is also the last of the five days of Diwali; every date from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj is in one place in the Diwali 2026 five-day calendar.

If the family can only gather after the afternoon, the puja is done in the evening. In the tradition the day matters more than the minute the tithi ends. Do what you can, with sincerity; that is enough.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chitragupta Puja only for Kayasthas?

The tradition belongs to the Kayastha community, but anyone may do the puja. People who write, teach, keep accounts or work in offices also worship their pen on this day.

What if I only have time after 15:54?

By the tithi, Dwitiya ends at 15:54. But the date remains 11 November, and by custom the whole day is valid. Do the puja calmly in the evening.

What do I write on the first page?

The first line is 'Shri Ganeshaya Namah' or 'Om Chitraguptaya Namah'. Then a short account of last year's income and expenses, and one prayer or resolve for the year ahead.

Should I put off office work or signatures that day?

The custom is kalam-band: no writing until the puja. If you have essential work, do the puja early in the morning and write freely afterwards. The rule is one of reverence, not restriction.

How are Chitragupta Puja and Bhai Dooj connected?

Both fall on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya, which is Yama Dwitiya. Bhai Dooj is the festival of the family; Chitragupta Puja is the festival of karma and the pen. Keeping both on one day is an old Kayastha household tradition.

The complete panchang for 11 November, with tithi, nakshatra, sunrise and sunset, can be seen on our daily panchang page on the day.