Dhanteras

When is Dhanteras 2026?

Dhanteras 2026 is on Friday, November 6, 2026. It is the first of the five days of Diwali and is observed on Trayodashi, the 13th lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik. The evening Lakshmi-Kuber puja is done during Pradosh Kaal. In New Delhi, the recommended window is 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM. The main Diwali Lakshmi Puja follows two days later, on Sunday, November 8.

If you grew up in an Indian home, you already know what this Friday feels like. The house has been scrubbed top to bottom, the jewellers are crowded, and a steel utensil or a small silver coin is waiting to be brought home. As dusk falls, a clay lamp glows at the front door. Dhanteras is the day Diwali stops being a plan and starts being real.

Dhanteras 2026 information in Tabular Form

Dhanteras Dates: 2024, 2025, 2026 and the Next Few Years

If you are asking when Dhanteras was in 2025, it fell on Saturday, October 18, 2025. In 2024, it was on Tuesday, October 29. Here are the dates side by side, along with the next few years so you can plan ahead.

Why does the date change every year?

Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar, not the Gregorian one. A lunar year is about 11 days shorter than a solar year, so festival dates drift earlier each year until a leap month is added to bring the calendar back into line. That is why Dhanteras moved from October 29 in 2024 to October 18 in 2025, then jumped to November 6 in 2026.

Why is it November 6 and not November 7?

A tithi does not start and end at midnight. In 2026, Trayodashi begins at about 10:30 AM on November 6 and ends at about 10:47 AM on November 7. Because the main puja belongs to the evening Pradosh Kaal, and Trayodashi is still running that evening, November 6 is the day of Dhanteras. By the evening of November 7, Trayodashi has already ended. If a website shows a different date, it is usually a tithi-calculation slip.

Dhanteras 2026 Puja Muhurat by City?

The date tells you which day. The muhurat tells you when. The best time for Lakshmi and Kubera puja is Pradosh Kaal, the evening period that starts at sunset and lasts roughly 2 hours and 24 minutes. Within it, priests prefer Sthir Lagna (Vrishabha Lagna). “Sthir” means fixed or steady, and the belief is that if you worship in a steady moment, Lakshmi stays in your home.

Sunset differs from city to city, so the muhurat does too. These are the Dhanteras puja timings for 2026 from Drik Panchang, in local time:

Drik Panchang advises against using Choghadiya muhurats for the Dhanteras puja, since those are traditionally meant for travel. The Pradosh Kaal and Sthir Lagna window is the one to follow.

A Simple Plan for the Evening

• Look up your own city’s muhurat or ask your family priest.
• Lay out the puja items 30 minutes early so you start calm.
• Begin inside the muhurat window. It is fine if the aarti runs a few minutes over.
• Light the Yama Deepam after sunset, in the same Pradosh Kaal.

Yama Deepam time on November 6

Yama Deepam is lit in the evening during Pradosh Kaal

Yama Deepam is lit in the evening during Pradosh Kaal. In New Delhi, Pradosh Kaal runs from about 5:33 PM to 8:09 PM. Panchangs differ on how much of it to use. Some suggest a shorter window just after sunset, such as 5:33 PM to 6:51 PM, while others allow the full Pradosh Kaal. The safest plan is to light it soon after sunset.

When to buy Gold, Silver and Utensils on Dhanteras 2026?

Buy Gold, Silver and Utensils on Dhanteras 2026

There is no single “magic minute” for shopping. Most panchangs treat the whole of Trayodashi as auspicious, which means from about 10:30 AM on Friday, November 6 to about 10:47 AM on Saturday, November 7.

In practice, families choose one of three approaches:

During the day. Jewellers are open, and you avoid the evening crowd. One Delhi panchang lists Shubh Choghadiya from 12:04 PM to 1:26 PM and Char from 4:10 PM to 5:32 PM.

In the evening, close to the puja. Many families like to place the new purchase before Lakshmi during the puja itself.

The next morning. If you miss Friday, the purchase can still be made on Saturday morning until Trayodashi ends at about 10:47 AM.

Whichever you choose, the intention matters more than the exact minute.

What is Dhanteras? Meaning and Significance

Dhanteras, also called Dhantrayodashi or Dhanvantari Jayanti, is the first day of the five-day Diwali festival. “Dhan” means wealth and “Teras” means the 13th day of the lunar fortnight. The name is literal: it is the 13th day, and it is about wealth.

It is easy to reduce the day to gold and utensils, but the older idea is wider than money. In Hindu tradition, wealth includes health, food on the table, a peaceful home, and a family that is well. That is why the day honours two kinds of blessing:

Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera, the goddess of wealth and the treasurer of the gods, for prosperity and abundance.

Lord Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods and the divine source of Ayurveda, for health.

The thinking is simple. Wealth without health has no one to enjoy it.

Why is Dhanteras celebrated? Four Stories

Why is Dhanteras celebrated? Four major stories

1. Dhanvantari emerges from the ocean. During the Samudra Manthan, when the gods and demons churned the cosmic ocean, Lord Dhanvantari rose holding a pot of amrit (the nectar of immortality) in one hand and the sacred text of Ayurveda in the other. He is regarded as an avatar of Vishnu. His appearance on Trayodashi is why the day is linked with health and why people bring home a new vessel.
2. Lakshmi emerges from the ocean. Drik Panchang notes a tradition that Goddess Lakshmi also came out of the ocean on this day, which is why she and Kubera are worshipped on Trayodashi. The main Lakshmi Puja is done on Diwali night, two days later, and is considered the more significant of the two.
3. . King Hima’s son and the lamp for Yama. In a well-known folk tale, the 16-year-old son of King Hima was fated to die of a snakebite on the fourth night after his wedding. His young wife would not let him sleep. She piled her gold and silver ornaments and coins at the entrance, lit lamps all around, and sang songs and told stories through the night. When Yama, the god of death, arrived disguised as a snake, he was dazzled by the glitter and the light. He sat on the heap of coins, listened until dawn, and left without taking the prince. The Yama Deepam is a remembrance of that night.
4. Dhanya Teras (Dhyan Teras) in Jain tradition. Jains observe the day as Dhanya Teras or Dhyan Teras. According to Jain tradition, Lord Mahavira entered deep meditation on this day and attained nirvana on Diwali, three days later. For many Jains, the emphasis is on meditation and inner wealth.

Is Dhanteras still National Ayurveda Day?

No, Dhanteras is not a National Ayurvedic Day anymore. From 2016 to 2024, India’s Ministry of AYUSH observed National Ayurveda Day on Dhanvantari Jayanti, which is Dhanteras. The first one was on October 28, 2016. In March 2025, the government fixed the date at September 23 every year, so it no longer moves with the lunar calendar. The theme for 2026 was “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow.” Dhanteras is still Dhanvantari Jayanti, and many families still remember Dhanvantari on the day.

How do different regions celebrate Dhanteras?

This is how different regions celebrate Dhanteras

The heart of the festival is the same everywhere, but the details change from home to home.

• North India: Markets fill up with people buying gold, silver, and utensils. Clay lamps are lit in the evening, and in some homes they are kept burning through the night.
• Maharashtra: Families lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer the mixture to the deities as prasad. It is then shared with family and neighbours.
• Gujarat and Maharashtra: Many business families clean their shops, prepare fresh account books and get ready for the Lakshmi puja.
• Rural areas: In some regions, farmers worship their cattle, since livestock is a source of livelihood.
• Jain homes: The day is Dhanya Teras or Dhyan Teras, with a focus on meditation.

What to Buy on Dhanteras 2026 (and Why)?

Dhanteras is one of the biggest gold and silver buying days in India. The belief is that whatever you bring home on this day will multiply through the year. Each traditional purchase also carries a small meaning, which turns shopping into a ritual.

Don’t have a big budget? That is fine

The tradition is not about how much you spend. A small silver coin, a steel spoon, a broom or a handful of coriander seeds is considered enough. What matters is the intention to welcome prosperity into your home.

Smart  buying tips

• Decide before you go. Prices and crowds both peak around Dhanteras, so know what you want before you reach the shop.
• Check the hallmark. In India, gold jewellery should carry a BIS hallmark with a HUID. Keep the invoice and any purity certificate.
• Compare the full price. For jewellery, ask about making charges and wastage, not just the rate per gram.
• Digital options exist. Some families count digital gold or gold ETFs as a Dhanteras purchase. This is general information, not financial advice, so check the product and its risks first.
• Buy within your means. Treat the day as a celebration, not a reason to overspend.

What many families avoid buying?

Customs vary, but commonly cited items to avoid on Dhanteras are iron or black-coloured items, sharp objects such as knives and scissors, glass vessels, and oil or ghee. Some families also avoid lending money on the day. If your family follows a particular custom, follow that.

How to do Dhanteras Puja at Home: Step-by-Step Puja Vidhi Guide

You do not need to be an expert to perform the Dhanteras puja. Customs differ by region and family, so treat this as a friendly framework and adapt it to what your family does. If you have a family priest, follow their guidance.

Puja Samagri for Dhanteras Guide

Puja Samagri for Dhanteras

• Images or idols of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera and Dhanvantari
• A kalash with water, mango leaves and a coconut on top
• Clay lamps (diyas), ghee or oil, cotton wicks and incense
• Flowers, rice (akshat), turmeric and kumkum
• Sweets, fruit and prasad, plus coriander seeds and jaggery if that is your custom
• Your new purchase, such as coins, jewellery or a utensil

The Steps for Dhanteras Puja

1. Prepare the home. Clean the house and the puja area, since cleanliness is believed to invite Lakshmi. Draw a rangoli at the entrance and decorate with flowers and lights.
2. Set up the altar. Spread a clean red or yellow cloth. Place the idols or images, and put the kalash beside them. Many families place Kubera and Dhanvantari towards the north. Keep your new purchases close by.
3. Light the lamp. Light a diya and incense, and sit down calmly with your family.
4. Make the offerings. Offer flowers, rice, turmeric, and kumkum to each deity, then place sweets and fruit before them.
5. Chant or pray. You can chant short mantras such as Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah for Lakshmi, Om Kuberaya Namah for Kubera, and Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Dhanvantaraye Namah for Dhanvantari. Prayers in your own words are just as welcome.
6. Perform aarti. Wave the lit lamp or camphor before the deities while singing or listening to an aarti, then share the flame with everyone present.
7. Offer prasad. Offer sweets and coriander seeds with jaggery if it is your custom, then distribute them among family and neighbours.
8. Light the Yama Deepam after sunset

Some families do a short prayer in the morning and keep the full ceremony for the evening muhurat. Both are common.

Yama Deepam: How to light the lamp for Yama?

The Yama Deepam, also called Yamadeepdaan, is a lamp lit outside the home on Dhanteras evening to seek protection from untimely death for the family. It is one of the oldest and simplest rituals of the day, and it takes only a few minutes.

When: In the evening, after sunset, during Pradosh Kaal. For 2026, that is the evening of Friday, November 6.

Where: At the main door, the entrance, or the courtyard, outside the house.

Direction: Facing south, the direction associated with Yama.

How: Use an earthen diya with oil and a cotton wick. Many families use mustard oil and a lamp with four wicks. Some light 13 lamps, one for each day of the tithi.

The exact practice varies by family. If you are unsure, a single lamp at the door, facing south, lit after sunset is the widely followed version.

Diwali and Dhanteras: The Five Days of 2026

Dhanteras is the doorway to Diwali. The other four days follow in a row, each with its own mood. Dhanteras is about welcoming wealth and health. The main Lakshmi Puja on Diwali night is the larger celebration.

If Diwali is the party, Dhanteras is the moment you open the door and turn on the first light.

Celebrating Dhanteras outside India

The date, November 6, stays the same for Hindu families abroad. The muhurat does not, because Pradosh Kaal depends on local sunset. For example, Drik Panchang lists the 2026 puja for Lancaster, California, at 5:22 PM to 7:14 PM local time, with Pradosh Kaal from 4:54 PM to 7:35 PM. Those times are very different from the India times in the table above.

If you live abroad, pick your own city on a panchang site rather than using India times. If your family is in India, you may want to do your puja at your local muhurat and join them on a video call afterwards.

Dhanteras in Nepal: How it fits into Tihar?

In Nepal, Dhanteras is not a separate festival the way it is in India. It sits inside Tihar, Nepal’s five-day festival of lights. Hindu families mark it by buying gold, silver, or utensils and remembering Lord Dhanvantari, the god of health.

Nepali calendars list Dhanwantari Jayanti alongside Kaag Tihar, the first day of Tihar. In 2026, that is Saturday, November 7, a day after India’s Dhanteras on November 6. The two calendars count the lunar day differently, so a one-day gap is common.

Kaag Tihar is about crows, who are seen as messengers of Yama, the god of death. Families set out rice and sweets for them, much like the Yama Deepam lamp lit in India on the same lunar day.

Tihar 2026 dates in Nepal:

Kaag Tihar and Dhanwantari Jayanti: Saturday, November 7
Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja: Sunday, November 8
Gai Tihar: Monday, November 9
Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja: Tuesday, November 10
Bhai Tika: Wednesday, November 11

Dogs are garlanded and honoured on Kukur Tihar, the second day. If you want to see the festival in person, the Nepal Dog Festival Tour is built around it. To explore more celebrations through the year, see our guide to festivals in Nepal.

Conclusion

Whether you are buying a gram of gold or a single steel spoon, Dhanteras is a quiet reminder to be grateful for what you have and to wish well for the year ahead. Mark Friday, November 7, 2026; check your city’s puja muhurat, light that first lamp at the door, and let Diwali begin.

Happy Dhanteras to you and your family!