Dhanteras 2026 Date & Puja Muhurat: 6 November
Dhanteras 2026 is on Friday, 6 November 2026, the first day of the five-day Diwali festival. In New Delhi the Dhanteras puja muhurat is 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM (1 hour 56 minutes), within the Pradosh Kaal of 5:33 PM to 8:09 PM.
| Date | Friday, 6 November 2026 |
| Dhanteras puja muhurat (New Delhi) | 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM |
| Pradosh Kaal | 5:33 PM to 8:09 PM |
| Vrishabha Kaal | 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM |
| Trayodashi tithi begins | 10:30 AM, 6 November 2026 |
| Trayodashi tithi ends | 10:47 AM, 7 November 2026 |
| Yama Deepam | Evening of Friday, 6 November 2026 |
| Main Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) | Sunday, 8 November 2026 |
Timings are for New Delhi from Drik Panchang. Muhurat times shift by a few minutes in other cities.
What is Dhanteras?
Dhanteras, also called Dhanatrayodashi, falls on the Trayodashi (thirteenth day) of the waning moon in the month of Kartik, two days before Lakshmi Puja. The name joins dhan (wealth) and teras (thirteenth).
The day honours Lord Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, who in Puranic tradition emerged from the churning of the ocean holding a pot of amrit. It is also a day of worship of Goddess Lakshmi and Kubera, the treasurer of wealth, and of lighting a lamp for Yama, the god of death.
Yama Deepam: the lamp for Yama
On Dhanteras evening many families light a four-wick earthen lamp facing south outside the home, an offering known as Yama Deepam or Yamadeepdaan, praying for protection from untimely death. A commonly told story links this to the son of King Hima, whose death foretold for the fourth night of his marriage was averted when his wife kept him awake with lamps, songs and a heap of gold and silver at the door, so that Yama, arriving as a serpent, was dazzled and left at dawn.
How Dhanteras is celebrated
- Cleaning and decorating: homes and shops are cleaned, and rangoli and small footprints of Lakshmi are drawn at the entrance.
- Evening puja: during the muhurat, Dhanvantari, Lakshmi, Ganesha and Kubera are worshipped with lamps, flowers, sweets and naivedya.
- Yama Deepam: a lamp is placed facing south outside the house.
- Buying metal and new items: gold, silver, coins, utensils and other durable goods are traditionally bought, as a sign of welcoming prosperity.
- Business: many traders begin worship of new account books around Dhanteras and Diwali.
What do people buy on Dhanteras?
- Gold or silver coins and jewellery
- Brass, copper or steel utensils
- A new broom, associated in many homes with sweeping away poverty
- Whole coriander seeds, offered in the puja and later sown or kept
- Diyas, idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha for Diwali night
Customs differ by region and family. Buying is traditionally done once the Trayodashi tithi has begun, which in 2026 is from 10:30 AM on 6 November.
Simple Dhanteras puja vidhi
- Clean the puja area and place a red or yellow cloth on a raised platform.
- Set up images or idols of Dhanvantari, Lakshmi, Ganesha and Kubera, and a kalash with water.
- Light a ghee lamp and incense, and offer roli, rice, flowers, sweets and coriander seeds.
- Recite Dhanvantari, Lakshmi or Kubera mantras or prayers your family uses, then perform aarti.
- After the puja, light the Yama Deepam facing south outside the home.
These steps describe common practice; your family priest or tradition may follow a different order.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dhanteras on 6 or 7 November 2026?
Dhanteras is observed on Friday, 6 November 2026, because the Trayodashi tithi covers Pradosh Kaal that evening. The tithi continues until 10:47 AM on 7 November.
What time is Dhanteras puja in 2026?
6:02 PM to 7:57 PM in New Delhi. Check a panchang for your own city for local timings.
When is Diwali after Dhanteras?
Choti Diwali falls on 7 November, Lakshmi Puja on 8 November, Govardhan Puja on 10 November and Bhai Dooj on 11 November 2026. See the 5 days of Diwali guide.
Related guides
- Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja time
- 5 days of Diwali: day-by-day guide
- Importance of Lakshmi Puja
- Hindu Festival Calendar
