Diwali and Lakshmi Puja fall on Sunday, 8 November 2026. In New Delhi, the evening Lakshmi Puja window is 5:54–7:50 PM IST. This guide explains how to prepare for a simple household puja and how the surrounding festivals fit together.
What Diwali celebrates
Lamps, family gatherings, worship and generosity take different forms across India. Many Hindu families remember Rama’s return to Ayodhya and worship Lakshmi with Ganesha. Regional and community traditions also give the festival other meanings. There is no need to make every household follow one identical sequence.
Lakshmi Puja samagri
Prepare a clean platform and cloth, images or murtis of Lakshmi and Ganesha, a diya, oil or ghee, cotton wicks, flowers, roli, rice, water, fruit and a simple sweet. A kalash, coins or account books may be included where customary. Keep lamps on stable surfaces away from curtains and children’s reach.
A simple home puja
- Clean and arrange the worship space in advance. Prepare the offerings before the evening window.
- Light a diya and take a quiet moment to express gratitude and an intention to act honestly and generously.
- Begin with a prayer to Ganesha, then offer flowers, water and the prepared food to Lakshmi according to your family practice.
- Recite a familiar prayer, read the Lakshmi aarti or sit together in reflection. A short, sincere prayer is suitable when Sanskrit recitation is unfamiliar.
- Perform aarti if customary, distribute prasad and share food with family or neighbours.
Why the five-day festival does not always occupy five consecutive dates
The names “five-day Diwali” refer to a group of observances. Lunar tithis and regional rules can put more than one observance on one civil date or separate them across dates. For New Delhi in 2026, the key dates covered in our guides are Diwali on 8 November, Govardhan Puja on 10 November and Bhai Dooj on 11 November.
Some holiday lists show Govardhan on 9 November. A public holiday listing and a city-specific puja date serve different purposes; our New Delhi ritual guide follows the 10 November Panchang observance.
Five principal observances in 2026
- 6 November: Dhanteras.
- 8 November: Naraka Chaturdashi.
- 8 November evening: Diwali and Lakshmi Puja.
- 10 November: Govardhan Puja and Annakut.
- 11 November: Bhai Dooj.
Planning the evening
Keep shopping and elaborate preparations outside the puja window so the family can sit together calmly. Respect the approach of your elders or temple, and treat prosperity as a wish expressed in worship rather than a promised financial result.
Common questions
Is Diwali on 8 or 9 November?
New Delhi’s Lakshmi Puja observance is on the evening of 8 November. Amavasya continuing into 9 November does not by itself move the evening puja to that date.
Do I need a priest for a simple home prayer?
A family can offer a simple prayer. For a formal ritual or a specific family tradition, seek guidance from your priest.
Related festival guides
Editorial sources
Dates and timings checked on 19 October 2026 for New Delhi, India, IST. For another city, select that location in the timing source; a time-zone conversion alone is insufficient. Kathas are concise traditional retellings, with regional variations.