Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) 2026 in the USA: Date, Abhyang Snan Time and Why It's a Day Before India

The day before Diwali has several names: Naraka Chaturdashi, Choti Diwali, Kali Chaudas, Roop Chaudas. In 2026 it falls on different days in the USA and India, so here is the date, the morning bath time for your city, and what the day is for.

When is Naraka Chaturdashi 2026?

• USA and Canada: Saturday, November 7, 2026
• India: Sunday, November 8, 2026 (the same day as Diwali Lakshmi Puja)

Naraka Chaturdashi is kept on Kartika Krishna Chaturdashi, the 14th lunar day of the waning Moon, on the day it is running in the pre-dawn hours before sunrise, when the Abhyang Snan (oil bath) is taken. Chaturdashi lasts from when the Moon is 24° behind the Sun to when it is 12° behind, just before the new Moon. I computed those times with the NASA JPL DE421 ephemeris (Lahiri ayanamsa):

In North America Chaturdashi has already begun before Saturday's dawn, so the oil bath belongs to Saturday morning. In India it starts only mid-morning on Saturday, so Saturday dawn is still Trayodashi (Dhanteras' tithi) and the dawn bath moves to Sunday. Drik Panchang lists the India date as Sunday, November 8, in line with our table.

Because the Moon is so close to the Sun, the next tithi, Amavasya, begins Saturday ~9:58 PM Pacific and the exact new Moon is Sunday, November 8 at ~11:02 PM Pacific. That is why Diwali Lakshmi Puja is Sunday evening in the USA (Diwali 2026 timings).

Abhyang Snan time for US cities

The traditional window, the one Drik Panchang uses, runs from moonrise to sunrise while Chaturdashi is running (the waning crescent rises shortly before dawn). Our calculation for Saturday, November 7, local standard time (clocks fell back on November 1):

Our New Delhi window (5:38 to 6:38 AM) is within three minutes of Drik Panchang's 5:41 to 6:38 AM, and the Chaturdashi times above match Drik's 10:47 AM on November 7 and 11:27 AM on November 8 within a minute. Moonrise and sunrise are calculated for each city center and can differ by a few minutes from your local panchang, so check your own temple's calendar if you follow it closely.

Can't be up before sunrise? Many families simply take the oil bath as early as they can on Saturday morning, then light the evening diyas. Doing it with the right intention matters more than the exact minute.

What is Naraka Chaturdashi?

According to the story, Lord Krishna, with Satyabhama, defeated the demon king Narakasura, who had imprisoned thousands of people. Narakasura's last wish was that his death be celebrated with light, which is how this day became the first lamp-lighting night of Diwali. In some traditions it is also Kali Chaudas, when Goddess Kali is worshipped at night to clear fear, especially in Gujarat and Bengal. In many North Indian homes it's Roop Chaudas, a day of beauty and self-care.

What to do on Choti Diwali at home

1. Abhyang Snan. Before sunrise, massage warm sesame or coconut oil into your body, then bathe. Many add a little ubtan (chickpea flour, turmeric, rose water).
2. Light Yama diyas. After dark, light a diya (traditionally 14) at the door or along the walls to clear fear and obstacles.
3. Clean and clear. Throw away one old, broken thing and clean the threshold before Lakshmi arrives.
4. Prepare for Diwali. Rangoli, flowers, and the puja shelf ready for Sunday.
5. Kali or Hanuman prayer if your family does it: a short mantra is plenty.

The astrology of Naraka Chaturdashi 2026

I calculated the sidereal (Lahiri) positions for early Saturday morning, November 7, in the US:

• The Moon is a day from the new Moon, moving from Virgo into Libra, in Chitra nakshatra, in a thin waning crescent. Dark Moons favor release more than beginnings.
• The Sun is in Libra, debilitated, in Vishakha, with a retrograde Mercury in Libra (Swati). Tomorrow's new Moon will join them.
• Venus is retrograde in the last degrees of Virgo, also debilitated, in Chitra. Mercury and Venus trade signs this week (dates here).
• Jupiter is at 1° Leo (Magha), freshly in its new sign. See Jupiter in Leo 2026 by Moon sign.

My reading: this is the day to clear, not to commit. Clean up the thing you have been avoiding, an old argument, an unpaid bill, an outdated plan, and keep new purchases for a more settled day. Mercury and Venus turn direct on November 13.

Frequently asked questions

Is Choti Diwali on November 7 or 8, 2026?

Saturday, November 7, 2026 in the USA and Canada, and Sunday, November 8 in India. The date follows the day when Chaturdashi is running before local sunrise.

What is the Abhyang Snan time in New York and California?

About 4:56 to 6:33 AM in New York, 4:50 to 6:18 AM in Los Angeles and 5:11 to 6:38 AM in the San Francisco Bay Area on November 7.

Is Naraka Chaturdashi the same as Kali Chaudas and Roop Chaudas?

They fall on the same tithi. Naraka Chaturdashi and Roop Chaudas are the morning bath traditions, while Kali Chaudas is the night worship of Goddess Kali, mostly in Gujarat and Bengal.

When is Diwali Lakshmi Puja 2026 in the USA?

Sunday, November 8, 2026, in the evening. See Diwali 2026 auspicious timings and, for Dhanteras on Friday, Dhanteras 2026 in the USA.

What comes after Diwali?

Govardhan Puja is Monday, November 9 in the USA, and Bhai Dooj is Tuesday, November 10.

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Want to know what the new Moon and Jupiter in Leo mean for you personally? Ask MissAstroGlow's AI astrologer (3 questions free), or book a live 1:1 with MissAstroGlow to go through your chart together. Happy Choti Diwali 🪔