2026 festival guide
Dhanteras countdown 2026: Friday, 6 November
Dhanteras 2026 is Friday, 6 November. The New Delhi Lakshmi–Kubera puja window is 6:02–7:57 PM IST. Use the countdown for that evening window, and the city table below if you live elsewhere.
Dates and times checked: · See sources
2026 dates and timings
| Observance / city | Date and time |
|---|---|
| New Delhi | 6 November · 6:02–7:57 PM |
| Mumbai | 6 November · 6:35–8:35 PM |
| Bengaluru | 6 November · 6:25–8:20 PM |
| Kolkata | 6 November · 5:28–7:26 PM |
| Chennai | 6 November · 6:14–8:10 PM |
| Hyderabad | 6 November · 6:15–8:13 PM |
| Trayodashi tithi | 6 November, 10:30 AM to 7 November, 10:47 AM |
These are evening puja windows for the named cities, all in IST. They are not a single nationwide shopping deadline. We checked the date and timings against Drik Panchang on 5 October 2026.
Puja time and shopping time answer different questions
The table follows the evening Lakshmi–Kubera puja observance. A shop being open earlier does not move that window. If your family also chooses a purchase muhurat, check that separately for your city and custom.
Keep errands out of the puja window. Choose what you need, decide a spending limit and finish the purchase with enough time to get home. A long jewellery queue is an avoidable part of the evening.
A manageable Dhanteras preparation list
Use your household's puja practice as the starting point. This list helps organise the evening without turning it into a mandatory shopping list.
- The day before: clean the puja space and check lamps, wicks and oil.
- In the morning: arrange flowers, offerings and the items your family uses for Lakshmi–Kubera worship.
- Before guests arrive: set out the thali and keep the source with your city's timing handy.
- Before the window: finish cooking and errands so the family can sit together.
What to buy without buying more than you need
A useful household purchase can be easier to plan than an expensive gift. Write down the item and budget before browsing festival offers. For jewellery, compare the final bill, purity information, making charges and return terms before paying.
If you are gifting a utensil or home item, check whether the recipient needs it. Buying something merely because a countdown is running makes a poor shopping plan. This page's timer is for puja, not a sales deadline.
Why Dhanteras opens the Diwali celebrations
Dhanteras is also called Dhantrayodashi. Lakshmi–Kubera worship and Dhanvantari Jayanti are associated with the day; Yama Deepam is a separate observance. Families do not all follow the same combination of rituals.
In 2026, Dhanteras falls two calendar days before Diwali on 8 November. Put both dates in your plans, especially if you are travelling between family homes.
Frequently asked questions
How many days are left until Dhanteras?
The live timer above shows days, hours, minutes and seconds until 6:02 PM IST on 6 November 2026, the start of the New Delhi puja window. It does not count to midnight.
Is Dhanteras on 6 or 7 November 2026?
The evening puja date is Friday, 6 November. Trayodashi continues into the morning of 7 November, which does not make that evening the Dhanteras puja date.
Can I use Delhi's timing in another country?
Use a local panchang for your place of worship. The timer represents one fixed moment in New Delhi; it does not calculate a local overseas puja window.
Date and timing sources
These calendars support the dates and timings above. Household and temple arrangements can differ. Select your city and the year 2026 when checking a source.