Diwali 2026 Astrology: Lakshmi Puja Muhurat and What the Stars Say

Diwali is the brightest night of the Hindu year, and astrologically it is also one of the most interesting. It is celebrated on Kartika Amavasya, the new Moon when the Sun is in Libra, and the whole festival is built around the idea of lighting lamps in the darkest night so that Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance, can find her way home.

Here is everything you need for Diwali 2026: the date, the muhurat, the five days of the festival and what the planets are doing that evening.

When is Diwali 2026?

Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026.

According to Drik Panchang for New Delhi:

• Amavasya tithi begins: 11:27 AM IST on November 8, 2026
• Amavasya tithi ends: 12:31 PM IST on November 9, 2026
• Pradosh Kaal: 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM IST
• Vrishabha Kaal (fixed lagna): 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST
• Lakshmi Puja muhurat: 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST, about 1 hour 56 minutes

Our own ephemeris check agrees: computing the sidereal (Lahiri) Sun-Moon angle with the NASA JPL DE421 ephemeris, Amavasya (the last 12° before the exact new Moon) begins at 11:28 AM IST on November 8 and ends at the exact new Moon, 12:32 PM IST on November 9, within a minute of the published panchang. Amavasya always ends at the new Moon, and here both lights are in sidereal Libra.

Why the evening of November 8?

The rule for Lakshmi Puja is that it should be done in Pradosh Kaal, the roughly two and a half hours after sunset, while Amavasya is running. On November 8, Amavasya covers the whole evening in India. On November 9 it has already ended by sunset. So Diwali is the 8th.

The preferred window inside Pradosh is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna, because Taurus is a sthira (fixed) sign. A puja done in a fixed ascendant is believed to help Lakshmi stay in the home rather than visit and leave.

Muhurat in other Indian cities

Muhurat times change with sunset and location. Published city calculations give, for November 8 (IST):

Always confirm for your own city on a panchang before your puja.

Diwali 2026 in the USA

For the Indian diaspora, Amavasya's timing shifts with the time zone. Drik Panchang's fixed-lagna muhurat for San Jose, California on Sunday, November 8, 2026 gives a Vrishabha lagna muhurat of 5:23 PM to 7:14 PM PST, with Amavasya running from 9:57 PM PST on November 7 to 11:01 PM PST on November 8 (our ephemeris: 9:58 PM to 11:02 PM PST). For Wilmington, Delaware (Eastern time) it lists Vrishabha lagna from 5:12 PM to 7:01 PM EST; there Amavasya runs from about 12:58 AM EST on November 8 to the new Moon at about 2:02 AM EST on November 9. Most US temples are celebrating on the evening of November 8 as well, but check your local temple or panchang for your city.

US clocks fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026, so everything on and after that date is in standard time (PST is UTC-8 and EST is UTC-5; IST is UTC+5:30, 13½ hours ahead of PST and 10½ hours ahead of EST).

The five days of Deepavali 2026

Because the tithis fall unevenly in 2026, Naraka Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja share a day in the North Indian calendar, and there is a gap day on November 9. In the US and Canada the last two days come a day earlier than India: see Govardhan Puja 2026 in the USA and Bhai Dooj 2026 in the USA for city times. Regional calendars (Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati) can differ, so check the panchang your family follows.

Dhanteras is traditionally a day to buy gold, silver, utensils or something new for the home, and to light a lamp for Yama at the door in the evening.

What the stars say on Diwali night 2026

I calculated the sidereal (Lahiri) positions with Skyfield and the JPL DE421 ephemeris for 6:30 PM IST on November 8, 2026 (5:00 AM PST / 8:00 AM EST that morning), right in the heart of the Delhi muhurat:

Here is how I read the sky:

Sun, Moon and Mercury together in Libra. Libra is the sign of balance, beauty, partnership and trade, ruled by Venus. The Sun is debilitated here, which is the deeper symbolism of Diwali: the light is weakest in the outer world, so we light it ourselves. The Moon sits in Swati, a nakshatra linked with independence, commerce and the wind that carries seeds. It's a lovely star for new business ledgers (Chopda Puja) and for setting money intentions.

Mercury and Venus both retrograde. Mercury, the planet of trade and accounts, is retrograde from October 24 to November 13, 2026 by our calculations, and on Diwali evening it sits within a degree of the Moon. Venus, the planet of luxury and Lakshmi's own significator of wealth and beauty, has been retrograde since October 3, slipped back into sidereal Virgo on November 6 and turns direct on November 14 (India time; November 5 and November 13 in the US). Full dates in Mercury and Venus retrograde 2026. Astrologically this makes Diwali 2026 a review-and-gratitude Diwali rather than a splurge Diwali. Honour what you already have, clear old debts, reconcile with family, and save big new purchases or signing for after November 14 if you can. Traditional Dhanteras buying of a small coin or utensil is still lovely.

Jupiter fresh in Leo. Jupiter crossed into sidereal Leo on October 31, 2026, and sits in Magha, the nakshatra of the ancestors. Generosity, blessings from elders and honouring the family line are beautifully supported. Touch your elders' feet this year; it is very Magha.

Saturn retrograde in Pisces. Saturn is still walking back through Uttara Bhadrapada (see the Saturn 2026 guide). Quiet, steady spiritual practice is favoured over show.

Mars in Cancer. Mars is debilitated in Cancer and near the end of the sign, so tempers at home can run hot during busy festival preparations. Breathe, delegate, and keep fireworks safety in mind.

Simple Diwali rituals with astrological meaning

• Clean and declutter before Dhanteras. Lakshmi is said to enter clean, bright homes. With Venus retrograde, decluttering is especially apt.
• Light diyas at sunset. Ghee or sesame-oil lamps at the entrance, windows and the tulsi plant. Light is the essence of the festival.
• Do Lakshmi-Ganesha puja in the muhurat. Ganesha first for removing obstacles, then Lakshmi with lotus, sweets and coins.
• Write your money intentions. With the Moon in Swati, write clear, practical goals for the year: savings, debt, business, generosity.
• Give. Feeding people and giving to those in need is the oldest Lakshmi remedy of all.

Frequently asked questions

What is the date of Diwali 2026?

Sunday, November 8, 2026. Lakshmi Puja is performed that evening during Pradosh Kaal while Amavasya prevails.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Diwali 2026?

In New Delhi it is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM IST (Drik Panchang). Other cities differ, for example Mumbai 6:28 PM to 8:28 PM and Kolkata 5:20 PM to 7:19 PM.

When is Dhanteras 2026?

Friday, November 6, 2026. In the USA it's the same Friday; see Dhanteras 2026 in the USA for the puja muhurat in US cities.

Is it okay to buy gold on Diwali 2026 with Mercury and Venus retrograde?

Traditional Dhanteras purchases are a ritual and are generally kept. Astrologically, it is wiser to keep big-ticket financial decisions and contracts for after both planets turn direct (Mercury on November 13, Venus on November 13 in the US and November 14 in India).

When is Bhai Dooj 2026?

In India, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, with Govardhan Puja on Tuesday, November 10. In the USA and Canada both come a day earlier: Govardhan Puja on Monday, November 9 and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday, November 10.

Want to know what this Diwali means for your own chart, and how to set your Lakshmi intentions for the year ahead? Get your free Vedic birth chart, then ask Miss Astroglow's AI astrologer. Happy Deepavali, my loves 🪔