Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026. In India it is a gazetted public holiday, and the main evening, when Lakshmi Puja is performed, is set by the Hindu lunar calendar on the new moon (Amavasya) of the month of Kartik, which is why its Gregorian date changes every year.
The wider festival lasts about five days, beginning with Dhanteras and ending with Bhai Dooj. India’s 2026 holiday calendar lists Govardhan Puja on November 9 and Bhai Duj on November 11, although some regional calendars shift these by a day, and exact puja times vary by city. For comparison, Diwali was on October 20 in 2025 and will be on October 29 in 2027.
Source: timeanddate.com, “Diwali/Deepavali 2026 in India”.
Image: Diwali oil lamps in Darjeeling, photo by Benoy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.