Narak Chaturdashi 2026: 7 or 8 November? Lamps, Abhyang Snan and the Two-Day Answer

2026-08-15

Is Choti Diwali on 7 or 8 November this year? The honest answer is: both — the diyas belong to Saturday evening and the abhyang snan to Sunday dawn, with Lakshmi Puja following the same Sunday evening. Here is the full two-day breakdown with verified Delhi timings.

Every few years the Hindu calendar hands us a festival that refuses to sit inside one civil date, and in 2026 it is Narak Chaturdashi — Choti Diwali — that does it. Search "Choti Diwali 2026 date" and you will find both 7 November and 8 November quoted, and both are correct. The tithi splits the festival cleanly into two halves: the lamps belong to Saturday evening, 7 November, and the abhyang snan belongs to Sunday dawn, 8 November — the very same Sunday whose evening brings Diwali Lakshmi Puja. This guide walks through why, with Drik-verified Delhi timings, plus the full vidhi, the katha and the complete Diwali-week calendar.

Choti Diwali 2026: 7 or 8 November? The Two-Day Answer

Light your Choti Diwali diyas on Saturday evening, 7 November 2026. Take the abhyang snan on Sunday morning, 8 November, between 05:41 and 06:38. That same Sunday evening is Diwali — Lakshmi Puja muhurat 17:54 to 19:50.

The confusion has one simple cause: Chaturdashi tithi begins at 10:48 on 7 November and runs until 11:28 on 8 November. It therefore covers Saturday's evening but also Sunday's dawn — and the two main rituals of Narak Chaturdashi are anchored to opposite ends of the day.

Deepdaan and diyas — 7 November (Saturday) evening. Lamps for Choti Diwali are offered during pradosh kaal, the period just after sunset. On Saturday evening Chaturdashi is already running (it began at 10:48 that morning), so the lamps go out on the 7th. Saturday is also Masik Shivratri, adding to the sanctity of the night.
Abhyang snan — 8 November (Sunday) morning, 05:41 to 06:38. The ritual oil bath must happen while Chaturdashi prevails at arunodaya — the pre-dawn hour — and after moonrise. On Sunday the moon rises at 05:41 and Chaturdashi lasts until 11:28, so the snan window opens at moonrise and closes at sunrise: 05:41–06:38.
Lakshmi Puja — the same Sunday evening, 17:54 to 19:50. Amavasya begins at 11:28 on 8 November and stretches to 12:32 on 9 November. Since Amavasya ends before Monday's evening, only Sunday 8 November gets Amavasya during pradosh — which is why Diwali 2026 is on 8 November, not 9. Pradosh kaal runs 17:31–20:09 and Vrishabha lagna 17:54–19:50, giving a Lakshmi Puja muhurat of 17:54–19:50.

So 8 November 2026 is a rare double-duty day: purification at dawn, Lakshmi's welcome at dusk. Neither date is "wrong" — they simply carry different rituals.

Narak Chaturdashi 2026: Key Timings at a Glance (Delhi)

Chaturdashi tithi: 7 November, 10:48 → 8 November, 11:28
Choti Diwali deepdaan: 7 November (Saturday), during pradosh kaal after sunset
Masik Shivratri: 7 November
Abhyang snan muhurat: 8 November (Sunday), 05:41–06:38
Moonrise on snan day: 05:41
Amavasya tithi: 8 November, 11:28 → 9 November, 12:32
Diwali Lakshmi Puja (same day): 8 November, 17:54–19:50 (pradosh 17:31–20:09)

All timings are for Delhi and verified against Drik Panchang. Your city's sunrise, moonrise and muhurat will differ by a few minutes — check your local timings on our daily Panchang before you begin.

Why Two Days? The Tithi Logic, Explained Simply

A tithi is a lunar day, and it almost never aligns with the midnight-to-midnight civil day. Shastra resolves this by assigning each ritual to the tithi that prevails at the ritual's own appointed hour — not at sunrise of a calendar date.

Deepdaan follows pradosh

The lamps of Choti Diwali, including the Yama deepak, are a twilight rite. The rule asks: on which evening does Chaturdashi cover pradosh kaal? In 2026 that is 7 November — by Sunday evening the tithi has already yielded to Amavasya.

Abhyang snan follows arunodaya

The famous oil bath is a pre-sunrise rite performed while the moon is still visible — Chaturdashi must be present at arunodaya, after moonrise. Saturday's dawn has no Chaturdashi (it starts only at 10:48), so the snan can only fall on Sunday, 8 November.

Two rules, two anchors, two days. This is the same style of reasoning that decides Karva Chauth's moonrise-linked vrat — we broke that down in our Karva Chauth 2026 guide.

Abhyang Snan Vidhi: Step by Step (8 November, 05:41–06:38)

Wake before the muhurat opens. The window is short — barely under an hour between moonrise (05:41) and sunrise (06:38) — so keep everything ready the night before.
Apply til (sesame) oil over the body, traditionally infused by the presence of Lakshmi in oil and Ganga in water on this dawn.
Follow with an ubtan of besan, haldi and a little cream or rosewater — this is why the day is also called Roop Chaudas, the day of restoring one's radiance.
Bathe before sunrise. Some traditions gently crush a bitter karit fruit underfoot, symbolising the crushing of Narakasura.
After the bath, wear fresh clothes, offer water to the rising sun, and remember Yamraj with a short prayer for protection from untimely death.
Offer tarpan for ancestors if your family tradition includes it, then begin the day's Diwali preparations — Lakshmi Puja is the same evening.

Deepdaan on 7 November: The Yama Deepak and the Fourteen Lamps

On Saturday evening, after sunset:

Light fourteen diyas around the home — at the entrance, near the tulsi, in the puja room, by the water source and in dark corners of the house.
Place one four-faced Yama deepak of atta or clay, filled with sesame oil, facing south outside the main door. This lamp is an offering to Yamraj, sought for freedom from akaal mrityu — untimely death — for the family.
Since 7 November is also Masik Shivratri, a simple evening abhishek or "Om Namah Shivaya" jaap adds merit to the night.

The Katha: Why We Bathe Before Sunrise

The story belongs to Narakasura, the asura king of Pragjyotishpura, who had grown so powerful that he imprisoned sixteen thousand one hundred princesses and terrorised the devas. On Chaturdashi of Kartik Krishna Paksha, Shri Krishna — with Satyabhama beside him in the chariot — destroyed Narakasura and freed the captives, restoring their honour by taking them under his own name.

Before dying, Narakasura asked one boon: that whoever bathes ritually at dawn on this tithi be spared the torments of narak. Krishna returned at dawn and cleansed himself of the battle with an oil bath — and that bath became the abhyang snan we take to this day. A second thread of tradition honours Yamraj on this evening, which is why the southern-facing lamp burns at the door. In Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan the same night is observed as Kali Chaudas, dedicated to Mahakali's destruction of negativity.

Significance: Roop, Raksha and Release

Narak Chaturdashi carries three layered meanings. As Roop Chaudas, the ubtan bath renews the body's radiance before the year's brightest festival. As the night of the Yama deepak, it is a prayer for protection and a fearless mind. And as the day of Narakasura's fall, it is the inner promise of Diwali itself: the small daily hells we build — resentment, laziness, ego — are to be defeated before Lakshmi is invited in. Purification first, prosperity after. The 2026 calendar makes that sequence literal: snan at dawn, Lakshmi Puja at dusk, on one Sunday.

The Full Diwali Week 2026 (Delhi Timings)

1 November (Sunday) — Ahoi Ashtami + Ravi Pushya Yoga. Ahoi puja muhurat 17:36–18:54, tara darshan around 18:00, moonrise 23:40. With Pushya nakshatra falling on a Sunday plus Sarvarth Siddhi, this is the biggest shopping muhurat before Dhanteras — the classical day for the first purchase of gold, a vehicle or an investment.
5 November (Thursday) — Rama Ekadashi.
6 November (Friday) — Dhanteras. Puja muhurat 18:02–19:57, pradosh kaal 17:32–20:09; Trayodashi runs 6 Nov 10:31 to 7 Nov 10:48. Also Dhanvantari Jayanti and Pradosh Vrat.
7 November (Saturday) — Choti Diwali diyas + Masik Shivratri. Deepdaan in pradosh kaal.
8 November (Sunday) — Narak Chaturdashi snan (05:41–06:38) and Diwali Lakshmi Puja (17:54–19:50).
9 November (Monday) — gap day. Amavasya ends at 12:32 and no festival falls today; the calendar simply pauses for a day.
10 November (Tuesday) — Govardhan Puja / Annakut. Pratahkal muhurat 06:40–08:50; Pratipada 9 Nov 12:31 to 10 Nov 14:00.
11 November (Wednesday) — Bhai Dooj. Aparahna muhurat 13:10–15:20; Dwitiya 10 Nov 14:00 to 11 Nov 15:53, with Amrit Siddhi and Sarvarth Siddhi Yoga gracing the day.

After Diwali: Chhath, Dev Uthani and the Wedding Season

The Kartik momentum continues well past Bhai Dooj. Chhath Puja sandhya arghya falls on 15 November (sunset 17:27; Nahay-Khay 13 Nov, Kharna 14 Nov, Usha arghya 16 Nov at 06:45 sunrise). Dev Uthani Ekadashi on 20 November ends Chaturmas and formally opens the vivah season, with Tulsi Vivah on 21 November and auspicious Sarvarth Siddhi days on 22 and 24 November — the 24th being Kartik Purnima and Dev Diwali, along with Guru Nanak Jayanti. Do remember: a wedding date is never picked off a generic list — it must be matched to both kundlis. Start with your free kundli, or book a consultation to have a muhurat fixed properly for your family.

Quick Answers

Is Choti Diwali on 7 or 8 November 2026?

Both, for different rituals: diyas and Yama deepak on the evening of 7 November; abhyang snan on the morning of 8 November, 05:41–06:38.

Is Diwali 2026 on 8 or 9 November?

8 November. Amavasya ends at 12:32 on the 9th, before evening — so pradosh-kaal Lakshmi Puja is only possible on Sunday the 8th, muhurat 17:54–19:50.

Can I do abhyang snan and Lakshmi Puja on the same day?

Yes — in 2026 you must. The dawn bath and the evening puja both fall on Sunday, 8 November. Treat the snan as the opening act of your Diwali day.

What is the best shopping day before Dhanteras?

1 November, when Ravi Pushya Yoga combines with Sarvarth Siddhi — the biggest shopping muhurat before Dhanteras, classically favoured for first purchases of gold, vehicles and investments.

For day-by-day tithi, nakshatra and muhurat details of the festive season's opening stretch, see our October 2026 Panchang calendar — and for November's live timings in your city, check the AstroVedansh Panchang. May the dawn bath wash the year's weariness away — and may the lamps of both evenings burn long and steady for your family.