Diwali 2026: Lakshmi puja timings in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and other cities

Diwali 2026 will be celebrated on Sunday, November 8, with devotees across India preparing to worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha for wealth, prosperity, happiness and good fortune. Also known as Deepawali, the festival of lights falls on Kartik Amavasya, the new moon day of the Hindu lunar calendar. Lakshmi Puja is traditionally performed during the evening Pradosh Kaal.

According to Drik Panchang, the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in New Delhi will be from 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM, providing an auspicious window of 1 hour and 56 minutes. The period coincides with Vrishabha Kaal, considered favourable for worshipping Goddess Lakshmi. Timings may vary across cities depending on local sunset and Panchang calculations.

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Diwali 2026: Date and puja timings

Diwali symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Families celebrate by cleaning and decorating their homes, lighting diyas, preparing sweets, exchanging gifts and performing religious rituals.

The key timings for Lakshmi Puja in New Delhi are:

• Diwali date: Sunday, November 8, 2026

• Lakshmi Puja muhurat: 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM

• Duration: 1 hour and 56 minutes

• Pradosh Kaal: 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM

• Vrishabha Kaal: 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM

• Amavasya Tithi begins: 11:27 AM on November 8

• Amavasya Tithi ends: 12:31 PM on November 9

The evening puja is considered significant as it coincides with Pradosh Kaal while Amavasya Tithi is prevailing. Devotees should check their local Panchang for accurate timings.

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City-Wise Lakshmi puja muhurat 

According to Drik Panchang, the city-wise Lakshmi Puja timings for November 8 are:

• New Delhi: 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM

• Mumbai: 6:27 PM to 8:27 PM

• Kolkata: 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM

• Chennai: 6:07 PM to 8:09 PM

• Bengaluru: 6:17 PM to 8:20 PM

• Hyderabad: 6:07 PM to 8:08 PM

• Jaipur: 6:03 PM to 7:59 PM

• Ahmedabad: 6:22 PM to 8:20 PM

• Chandigarh: 5:52 PM to 7:46 PM

• Noida: 5:54 PM to 7:49 PM

These timings are specific to each location and may differ according to regional Panchang calculations.

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Diwali puja vidhi: How to perform Lakshmi-Ganesh puja

Lakshmi Puja is one of Diwali's most important rituals. Devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi, associated with wealth and abundance, and Lord Ganesha, symbolising wisdom and the removal of obstacles.

Preparations begin with cleaning the house and decorating entrances with rangoli, flowers and diyas. Idols or pictures of the deities are placed on a clean platform. Flowers, incense sticks, rice grains, roli, fruits, sweets, coins and a kalash are arranged for the puja.

The rituals generally begin with prayers to Lord Ganesha, followed by Goddess Lakshmi's worship. Devotees offer flowers and sweets, recite mantras and perform aarti. Goddess Saraswati may also be worshipped for knowledge and wisdom. The puja concludes with distributing prasad and lighting diyas around the home.