Festival Guide
Diwali 2026 Calendar: Every Festive Day from Karva Chauth to Guru Nanak Jayanti
Last updated: October 16, 2026
Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November, with Dhanteras on 6 November and Bhai Dooj on 11 November. The season runs from Karva Chauth on 29 October to Guru Nanak Jayanti on 24 November. Every day is listed below.
Free, no login. Your photos stay on your phone.
Make your Diwali video — free, 2 minutes →Diwali 2026 calendar, day by day
| Date | Weekday | Day | What is done | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Oct | Thursday | Karva Chauth | Day-long fast, moon sighting, fast broken | Karva Chauth |
| 6 Nov | Friday | Dhanteras | Buy a utensil, coin or jewellery; light the first diyas | Dhanteras |
| 7 Nov | Saturday | Choti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi) | Early bath, diyas lit at dusk | Diwali |
| 8 Nov | Sunday | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Evening puja to Lakshmi and Ganesha, diyas, rangoli, sweets | Diwali |
| 10 Nov | Tuesday | Govardhan Puja (Annakut) | Mountain of food offered to Krishna | Diwali |
| 11 Nov | Wednesday | Bhai Dooj | Sisters apply tilak to brothers | Bhai Dooj |
| 13 Nov | Friday | Chhath: Nahay-Khay | Holy bath, one simple meal | Chhath Puja |
| 14 Nov | Saturday | Chhath: Kharna | Fast all day, kheer and roti at sunset | Chhath Puja |
| 15 Nov | Sunday | Chhath: Sandhya Arghya (main day) | Offering to the setting sun at the river or pond | Chhath Puja |
| 16 Nov | Monday | Chhath: Usha Arghya and Paran | Offering to the rising sun, then the fast is broken | Chhath Puja |
| 24 Nov | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti | Prayers at the gurdwara, kirtan, langar | Make a video |
Lunar dates can shift by a day between regions and calendars. Confirm the exact day and timings with your local panchang.
Karva Chauth: Thursday, 29 October
Married women fast from sunrise and break the fast after seeing the moon, so moonrise time depends on your city. A good video is the thali, the decorated hands with mehndi, and the moment of the moon. More ideas are in the Karva Chauth 2026 video guide.
Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj: 6 to 11 November
Dhanteras, Friday 6 November
Dhanteras opens the festival. People buy something new for the home, such as a utensil, a coin or jewellery, and light the first diyas. Film the new item beside a lamp.
Choti Diwali, Saturday 7 November
Also called Naraka Chaturdashi. Many families bathe early and light diyas at dusk. A short clip of the lamps being lit works well.
Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Sunday 8 November
The main night. The puja to Lakshmi and Ganesha is done in the evening, with diyas, rangoli and sweets. Use two or three photos of the rangoli, the lit house and the family, and post the video after the puja. See the Diwali video guide.
Govardhan Puja, Tuesday 10 November
Annakut: a mountain of food is arranged and offered to Krishna. This year most calendars put Govardhan Puja two days after Lakshmi Puja, on 10 November; some panchangs list it on 9 November, so check yours. Photograph the food spread.
Bhai Dooj, Wednesday 11 November
Sisters apply tilak to their brothers. Use an old childhood photo with a recent one and put the name on the video. See the Dhanteras and Bhai Dooj video guide.
Chhath Puja: 13 to 16 November
Chhath is a four-day festival to the Sun, kept mostly in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
- Nahay-Khay, Friday 13 November: a holy bath and a simple meal.
- Kharna, Saturday 14 November: a fast all day, broken at sunset with kheer and roti.
- Sandhya Arghya, Sunday 15 November: the main day. Offerings are made to the setting sun, usually at a river or pond.
- Usha Arghya and Paran, Monday 16 November: offerings to the rising sun, then the fast is broken.
Film the soop (offering basket), the ghat at sunset and the sunrise. Details are in the Chhath Puja 2026 video guide.
Guru Nanak Jayanti: Tuesday, 24 November
Also called Gurpurab. Families visit the gurdwara for prayers and kirtan and share langar. There is no ready message for this day yet, so open the maker and type your own wish in English or Punjabi. One source lists the day as 25 November, so confirm locally.
Diwali 2026 in the USA, UK and Australia
Most temples keep the same Diwali date, Sunday 8 November, though a few shift by a day. Puja timings (muhurat) are local, so check a local temple or panchang for your city, and note that a day such as Govardhan Puja may be listed a day earlier abroad. A video is an easy way to send wishes home across time zones: make it in two minutes and send the file in any chat app, where it plays when your family wakes up.
How to make a video for any day
- Open the link in the table for that day.
- Add two or three photos or a short clip.
- Pick a track, check the message and make the video.
Free, no login. Your photos stay on your phone.
Make your Diwali video — free, 2 minutes →The output is a vertical MP4 that works for WhatsApp Status, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Every video carries a small id8 mark.
Free, no login. Your photos stay on your phone.
Make your Diwali video — free, 2 minutes →Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Dhanteras is on Friday, 6 November and Choti Diwali on Saturday, 7 November.
What is the date of Bhai Dooj in 2026?
Bhai Dooj is on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, the day after Govardhan Puja on Tuesday, 10 November.
When is Chhath Puja in 2026?
Chhath runs for four days: Nahay-Khay on Friday, 13 November, Kharna on 14 November, Sandhya Arghya on Sunday, 15 November, and Usha Arghya with Paran on Monday, 16 November.
Are the Diwali dates the same in the USA, UK and Australia?
Most temples there keep 8 November, though a few follow a local calendar and shift by a day. Muhurat timings are local, and a few days, such as Govardhan Puja, may be listed a day earlier abroad. Check a local panchang or temple for your city.