Diwali 2026: Date, Meaning and How It’s Celebrated
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November — the main day of the festival, when Lakshmi Puja is performed. The wider celebration spans about five days, running from Dhanteras on Friday 6 November to Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November. Diwali is a gazetted public holiday in India and is celebrated by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, across Hindu, Jain, Sikh and some Buddhist communities.
Also called Deepavali, the festival’s name comes from the Sanskrit deepavali — “a row of lights”. That image is the heart of it: clay lamps lit at dusk to mark the victory of light over darkness, and of good over evil.
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali follows the Hindu lunar calendar, so its date shifts each year — usually landing in late October or November. In 2026 the main day is Sunday 8 November. A handful of countries observe it on Monday 9 November, and in Canada the main celebration falls on Friday 6 November.
| Day | Date (2026) | Festival day | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | 6 November | Dhanteras | Homes are cleaned; new kitchenware, gold and silver are bought to welcome prosperity |
| Saturday | 7 November | Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) | Early-morning oil baths, rangoli at the doorway, the first lamps lit |
| Sunday | 8 November | Diwali — Lakshmi Puja | The main day. Lamps, fireworks, feasting and prayers to Lakshmi, goddess of wealth |
| Monday | 9 November | Govardhan Puja / Annakut | In many regions, a day of gratitude and mountains of food offered and shared |
| Tuesday | 10 November | Bhai Dooj | Siblings exchange gifts and reaffirm their bond |
What Diwali actually celebrates
Diwali is not one story but several, layered together — which is part of why it’s celebrated so widely and so differently.
The return of Rama
The most widely told version comes from the Ramayana. After fourteen years of exile and a war in which he defeated the demon king Ravana, Prince Rama returned to the city of Ayodhya. The people lit rows of lamps along the road to guide him home. Diwali is that homecoming — the lighting of the way for light to return.
Lakshmi and prosperity
The goddess Lakshmi is believed to roam the earth on Diwali night, entering the homes that are clean, bright and welcoming. This is why the festival begins with a deep clean, why doorways are decorated with rangoli, and why lamps are left burning in every window. For many business communities, Diwali is also the start of a new financial year.
Different faiths, shared festival
Jains mark Diwali as the day Mahavira attained nirvana. Sikhs commemorate the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment. In southern India, Diwali often recalls Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura. The common thread across all of them is the same: light pushing back the dark.
How Diwali is celebrated
Celebrations vary enormously by region — the Diwali of Tamil Nadu looks little like the Diwali of Punjab, and the Diwali of Leicester or Toronto has its own flavour again. But a few things are near-universal.
- Light. Rows of clay diyas are lit at dusk, now usually alongside strings of electric lights. Windows, balconies and rooflines are outlined in brightness.
- Rangoli. Colourful patterns made from rice flour, coloured powder or flower petals are drawn on floors and at entrances — both decoration and a welcome mat for guests and deities.
- Food. Sweets (mithai) are central: ladoo, barfi, jalebi and kaju katli are made at home or bought in vast boxes to give as gifts. Savoury snacks and elaborate family meals fill the rest of the table.
- Fireworks. Diwali is loud. Firecrackers are set off through the evening, though many cities now restrict them because of air quality.
- New clothes and gifts. Families dress up, exchange sweets and gifts, and visit relatives. Debts are settled and new accounts opened.
Where to experience Diwali
Diwali is best experienced somewhere it’s part of the fabric of the city, not a staged event. These are the standouts.
India
Jaipur turns its markets into a blaze of light and runs a two-day Diwali fair; Varanasi holds Dev Deepawali about two weeks later, when the ghats of the Ganges are lined with a million lamps; Amritsar‘s Golden Temple is illuminated and reflected in the holy tank. Mumbai is the most full-on urban version, with fireworks over the bay.
Nepal
Diwali is celebrated as Tihar — five days that honour not just people but cows, dogs and crows. It’s less commercial than in India and, for many travellers, more atmospheric.
Malaysia and Singapore
In Kuala Lumpur, Brickfields becomes “Little India” with a lantern market that opens weeks early. Singapore lights up Serangoon Road and the Little India arcade with elaborate installations.
Dubai, London and Toronto
Dubai’s Diwali is big, commercial and easy to visit. In London, Diwali on Trafalgar Square draws tens of thousands. Toronto and the wider GTA host major celebrations — note that in Canada the main day falls earlier in 2026, on 6 November.
Travelling during Diwali: what to know
- Book transport and hotels months ahead. Domestic travel within India peaks hard, and trains sell out weeks in advance.
- Expect closures and noise. Government offices and many businesses close on the main day. Fireworks run late into the night.
- Air quality dips. In northern India, firecracker smoke combined with winter inversions can push pollution to unhealthy levels in the days around Diwali. If you have respiratory issues, plan around it.
- Go for the sweets. If you’re a visitor, a box of mithai is the standard gift when you’re invited into someone’s home.
If you’re shaping a trip around the festival, start with our guide to the best time to visit Japan for the holiday-overlap method, or browse other festivals and celebrations by month.
Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali in 2026?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November, the day of Lakshmi Puja. The five-day festival runs from 6 to 10 November, starting with Dhanteras and ending with Bhai Dooj.
Why does the Diwali date change every year?
Diwali is set by the Hindu lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian one. It falls on the new moon (Amavasya) of the month of Kartik, which lands in late October or November. That’s why the date shifts by up to a few weeks each year.
Is Diwali a public holiday?
Diwali is a gazetted public holiday in India and Nepal. It is not a nationwide public holiday in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia, though many cities there hold large public celebrations and some schools and businesses give staff the day off.
What’s the difference between Diwali and Deepavali?
They’re the same festival. “Deepavali” is the Sanskrit-derived form used more in southern India and in Malaysia and Singapore; “Diwali” is the more common north Indian and international name.
How long does Diwali last?
The main celebration is one day, but the festival officially spans five days. In some regions, festivities stretch to a week.
Our sources
Diwali dates are cross-checked against the Hindu lunar calendar and multiple astronomical sources, and reviewed annually. Last reviewed: 15 October 2026. Regional variations in observance are noted where they affect travel planning.