Diwali (Deepavali) 2026
The festival of lights — the victory of light over darkness.
ℹ️ Lakshmi Puja (main Diwali) falls on Nov 8, 2026. The five-day festival runs Dhanteras (Nov 6) to Bhai Dooj (Nov 11).
🔔 Set a reminder
Add Diwali (Deepavali) to your calendar with a reminder one day before so you never miss it.
Share this festival
Festival overview
Diwali, the festival of lights, is the most widely celebrated festival in the Hindu calendar. Homes are lit with rows of diyas, families worship Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity, and the night sky fills with celebration. Spiritually, Diwali marks the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.
History & origin
Diwali commemorates Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile and his victory over Ravana — the citizens lit rows of lamps to welcome him home. In other traditions it honours the worship of Lakshmi, the slaying of Narakasura by Krishna, and (for Sikhs) Bandi Chhor Divas, the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment.
Spiritual significance
Each lamp lit on Diwali represents the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. The festival calls us to clear away the "darkness" of ego, greed and ignorance, and to invite the light of wisdom and gratitude into the heart and home.
Religious significance
Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs (as Bandi Chhor Divas), Jains (marking Mahavira's nirvana) and Buddhists. The main day, Lakshmi Puja, invites the goddess of wealth and auspiciousness into a cleaned and lamp-lit home.
Rituals & how it is observed
- Clean and decorate the home; draw rangoli at the entrance
- Light diyas and candles through the home at dusk
- Perform Lakshmi-Ganesha puja in the evening
- Exchange sweets and gifts with family and neighbours
✅ Do
- Clean the home thoroughly before Lakshmi Puja
- Light lamps at the entrance and keep them burning through the night
- Give to those in need — sharing prosperity invites it
🚫 Avoid
- Avoid gambling and over-indulgence despite the tradition of card games
- Avoid leaving the home dark on Diwali night
- Be mindful of noise and pollution from firecrackers
Bhagavad Gita teachings for Diwali (Deepavali)
The Gita speaks of light as knowledge and darkness as ignorance. Krishna teaches that the soul is "lit" by self-knowledge; Diwali externalises this inner truth. The festival's message — dispel darkness with light — is the Gita's message of replacing ignorance (avidya) with wisdom (jnana).
“But for those whose ignorance is destroyed by knowledge of the Self, that knowledge, like the sun, reveals the Supreme.”
“Out of compassion, I dwelling within destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.”
Krishna's guidance for this day
Ask Krishna what inner "darkness" Diwali is inviting you to release this year — a fear, a resentment, a habit — and what light you wish to carry forward. Diwali is a powerful day to set a spiritual intention for the year ahead.
Ask Krishna
Bring a real question about Diwali (Deepavali) — its meaning for your life, what to focus on spiritually, what Krishna teaches through it — and receive calm, verse-backed guidance.
Ask Krishna about Diwali (Deepavali) →📿 Mantras & prayers
- ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमले कमलालये प्रसीद प्रसीद (Lakshmi mantra)
- ॐ गं गणपतये नमः (Om Gam Ganapataye Namah)
🪷 Recommended activities
- Light a diya while setting one intention for the year
- Read the story of Rama's return from the Ramayana
- Share sweets and a kind message with someone you've drifted from
Make Diwali (Deepavali) meaningful this year
Add it to your calendar, share the guide with loved ones, and ask Krishna what this sacred day is inviting you toward.