2026 dates — Dasara in October, Diwali in November
Autumn on marathipanchanga.in splits into two major festival blocks: Sharadiya Navratri ending in Dasara (Ashwin month, October) and the Kartik Diwali cluster (November). They are related in spirit — victory, renewal, prosperity — but distinct in ritual calendar. Do not treat “Dasara leave” as interchangeable with “Diwali week”; HR teams and train bookings differ by three weeks.
| Date | Observance | Marathi / English |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 2026 (Tue) | Maha Navami / Ayudha Puja | महानवमी / अस्त्र (आयुध) पूजा — tool & vehicle worship |
| 21 Oct 2026 (Wed) | Vijayadashami / Dasara | विजयादशमी / दसरा — शमी पूजन, new beginnings |
| 8 Nov 2026 (Sun) | Naraka Chaturdashi / Deepavali | नरक चतुर्दशी / दिवाळी — abhyang snan, lamps, Laxmi Puja |
| 9 Nov 2026 (Mon) | Kartik Amavasya | कार्तिक अमावस्या — dark moon between Chaturdashi & Padwa |
| 10 Nov 2026 (Tue) | Balipadyami / Padwa | बळीपाडवा — Vikram Samvat new year for many |
Cross-check: October 2026 calendar, November 2026 calendar, All Festivals 2026, and Government Holidays 2026. Wedding halls reopen after Diwali — see Marriage Muhurat 2026 for November shubh dates.
Dasara 2026 — Navratri climax and शमी पूजन
Vijayadashami (विजयादशमी), popularly Dasara (दसरा), falls on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. The previous day, 20 October, is Maha Navami — in Maharashtra often combined with Ayudha Puja (आयुध पूजा), when families worship tools of livelihood: laptops for students, stethoscopes for doctors, spanners for mechanics, and vehicles for commuters. Clean the item, apply kumkum–turmeric, offer flowers, and defer heavy use until aarti if your tradition requires it.
Morning rituals on Dasara
Marathi households typically begin Dasara with:
- Shami puja (शमी पूजन): Worship of the Shami tree — leaves exchanged with “gold-like” wishes (prosperity, victory). Urban flats use a sprig from the market or symbolic substitute when no tree is nearby.
- Aparajita puja (अपराजिता): Honouring the “undefeated” Goddess form — common in Deccan homes before other outings.
- Simollanghan (सीमोल्लंघन): Symbolic crossing of a boundary — historically leaving the village limit; today a walk to the society gate or temple with Shami leaf in hand.
Dasara is culturally excellent for new beginnings: children’s fresh notebooks, business ledger worship, starting a course, or symbolic “first day” messages to clients. It is not the Marathi calendar new year (that is often Gudi Padwa in March or Padwa in November depending on tradition). Our muhurat list treats October as closed for weddings because of Navratri — Dasara itself is auspicious for many starts, but not vivaah in most pandit tables.
Navratri context (October build-up)
From 11 October 2026, Sharadiya Navratri fills evenings with garba, home ghatasthapana, and fasting rhythms across Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, and Nagpur. Mahalaya Amavasya (10 Oct) precedes the nine nights. By Navami–Dasara, pandals dismantle, schools resume intensity, and offices shift to Diwali bonus conversations. Read October month guide for Gandhi Jayanti, Ekadashi, and full Navratri table.
Marathi Diwali sequence — more than one “Diwali night”
English media often collapses everything into “Diwali Sunday,” but Maharashtra families observe a tithi-linked sequence across several days. Understanding the order helps plan oil baths, guest lists, and society cracker circulars without exhaustion.
Pre-Chaturdashi (late Oct / early Nov)
Many homes mark Vasubaras (cow/calf honouring) and Dhanteras (धनत्रयोदशी) — buying metal utensils, symbolic “wealth,” or gold coin substitutes before the main lamp night. Exact English dates sit in the overlap week before 8 November; confirm tithi on November calendar or local panchanga print.
Naraka Chaturdashi — 8 November 2026 (Sunday)
This is the main Diwali public holiday for most Maharashtra offices. The day opens with:
- Abhyang snan (अभंग स्नान): Early-morning oil bath before sunrise when possible — ubtan (utane), scented oil, and new or freshly washed clothes. Children remember the chill of pre-dawn baths; elders say it mirrors Krishna’s victory over Narakasura.
- Kandeel and deep cleaning: Lamps at doorways, rangoli, and thorough house cleaning completed before evening puja.
- Evening Laxmi Puja: After sunset on Chaturdashi — see next section.
Chaturdashi is also when cracker restrictions and fire-safety rules peak — municipalities publish timed windows; do not rely on colony WhatsApp forwards alone.
Kartik Amavasya — 9 November 2026 (Monday)
The dark-moon night between Chaturdashi and Padwa. Some families extend ancestral lamp offerings (pitru diya), keep extended silence, or rest after Chaturdashi intensity. It is not always a separate paid holiday but remains spiritually significant in Kartik maas discourse.
Balipadyami — 10 November 2026 (Tuesday)
Padwa (पाडवा) / Balipadyami — second common public holiday. Vikram Samvat new year greetings, husband–wife rituals in some communities, and business owners opening fresh accounts. Distinct from Chaitra Gudi Padwa but equally important for ledger symbolism.
Laxmi Puja night customs — 8 November evening
Laxmi Puja (लक्ष्मी पूजा) anchors Diwali for most Marathi homes on the evening of Naraka Chaturdashi, 8 November 2026. Timing follows Pradosh Kaal after sunset — exact muhurat minutes differ by panchanga publisher; consult your priest or Choghadiya page for Sunday slots. Avoid scheduling puja during Rahu Kaal (Sunday approx. 4:30–6 PM Mumbai) if your household defers inauspicious starts.
Typical home setup
- Clean altar and cash box — new cloth, rice rangoli (ओं), kalash, coins, account books.
- Ganesha first — no Lakshmi puja without Ganesh avahan in Maharashtra convention.
- Lakshmi idol or image — silver coin, paan-supari, flowers, diyas (prefer cotton wicks + ghee/oil).
- Chopda pujan — businessmen annotate new ledgers; salaried families may symbolically worship passbook or laptop.
- Aarti and distribution — karanji, chakli, shankarpali, anarsa — regional sweets vary (Konkan vs Desh).
Urban adaptations: flat dwellers use balcony diyas with fireproof trays; housing societies sometimes organise collective aarti before individual home puja. NRIs streaming puja to parents in Thane or Kolhapur should confirm IST muhurat — “Sunday evening abroad” may not match Mumbai Pradosh.
Padwa and Bhau Beej — 10 & 11 November
Balipadyami (10 Nov) is Padwa — couples rituals in some castes, special meals, and visits to in-laws. Business communities treat it as fiscal new year opening after Diwali lamp night. Greet with “नवीन वर्षाच्या / पाडव्याच्या शुभेच्छा” where appropriate.
Bhau Beej (भाऊ बीज) — typically 11 November 2026 in Marathi practice — sisters perform aarti for brothers, apply tilak, and share a meal (basundi-puri in some homes). Exact tithi can shift by region; if a sister travels from another city, book tickets for Padwa–Bhau Beej block together. Mentioned lightly here because it closes the Diwali social cycle before Kartik vrata rhythm resumes (Utpanna Ekadashi precedes Diwali on 6 Nov — see Ekadashi 2026 guide).
Travel and leave planning — two windows, one season
Smart Maharashtra families plan two leave clusters:
- Dasara long break (20–21 Oct 2026): Native-place travel for Shami puja, short Konkan trips, or school holiday overlap. Western Express Highway sees spikes on 19–20 Oct evening returns.
- Diwali week (7–11 Nov 2026): Core holidays 8 and 10 Nov; many take 9 Nov bridge leave for five-day native visits. Train and MSRTC bookings fill by early October — do not wait until Navratri ends.
Corporate policy: confirm whether your employer grants both Dasara days, only Diwali pair, or optional floating leave. Cross-reference Holidays 2026 with HR circular — gazette text beats calendar apps. IT parks in Hinjewadi and Navi Mumbai often allow “work from native place” for Diwali; negotiate before September.
Post-Diwali weddings resume on our November muhurat list (e.g. 20, 25–27 Nov) — decorators and pandits compete for the same fortnight; book at Padwa if possible.
Safety and eco-friendly Diwali
Diwali joy should not come at the cost of burns, smoke, or neighbour conflict. Practical Maharashtra notes:
Fire and cracker safety
- Follow official municipal timing (BMC, PMC, NMC publish Diwali cracker windows — typically evening hours, category bans on loud strings).
- Keep water bucket, sand, and fire extinguisher accessible on society terrace rules permitting.
- Never relight failed crackers; children supervised away from loose clothing near diyas.
- Balcony diyas: stable clay holders, no hay or paper near railings — high-rise fires in Mumbai suburbs often start from wind-blown curtains.
Eco-conscious choices
- Deep over firework: LED akashkandil, reusable clay diyas, and community laser shows reduce PM2.5 spikes that choke asthmatic elders.
- Rangoli without toxic colours: Rice flour, turmeric, beetroot dye — biodegradable.
- Noise sensitivity: Pet owners and infants — announce society “silent hour” on WhatsApp after reading official rules, not instead of them.
- Waste: Separate flower-nirmalya for compost; avoid plastic garlands that clog beach visarjan spots post-festival.
This guide is educational; for medical emergencies use local emergency numbers. See Disclaimer for site limits.
Why dates can vary by tithi — Amanta and sunrise rule
Festival dates on marathipanchanga.in follow the Amanta month system standard in Maharashtra — not Purnimanta labels used in much of North India. The English date for Dasara or Diwali is determined by which tithi (lunar day) prevails at local sunrise in Mumbai IST, and when the previous tithi ends.
Example scenarios that confuse families:
- Amavasya boundary: If Chaturdashi extends past midnight but Amavasya starts before Monday sunrise, Monday rituals may differ from a calendar that labels “Diwali” only by evening.
- Laxmi Puja muhurat vs holiday: Office holiday on 8 Nov does not automatically mean your priest’s Pradosh window matches — always confirm minutes.
- Bhau Beej drift: Dwitiya tithi after Padwa can land on 11 or 12 Nov in edge years; Marathi convention often keeps 11 Nov for 2026 on our tables.
- Geography: Pune and Mumbai usually align; rare divergence appears for Konkan villages using temple-specific almanacs.
Read the full explainer: Amanta vs Purnimanta and What is Marathi Panchanga?. We compile methodology on About.
Planning checklist — Dasara through Diwali 2026
- Mark 20–21 Oct (Dasara) and 8–10 Nov (Diwali core) on home calendar.
- Verify public holidays with employer; book trains by early October.
- Navratri: plan fasting and garba around October page; Ayudha Puja cleaning for tools/vehicles on 20 Oct.
- Diwali shopping before 6 Nov — Laxmi Road, Dadar, Sitabuldi crowds peak.
- Schedule abhyang snan supplies (oil, ubtan) for 8 Nov pre-dawn.
- Confirm Laxmi Puja muhurat with priest; note Sunday Rahu Kaal (~4:30–6 PM).
- Padwa greetings and ledger prep for 10 Nov; Bhau Beej family meet on 11 Nov.
- Society firecracker notice + eco diyas; pet/animal care plan.
- Post-Diwali weddings: check Marriage Muhurat Guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is Dasara 2026?
Wednesday, 21 October 2026 — Vijayadashami. Maha Navami / Ayudha Puja is 20 October.
When is Diwali 2026 in Maharashtra?
8 November (Naraka Chaturdashi / main Diwali), 9 November (Kartik Amavasya), 10 November (Balipadyami / Padwa). See November 2026.
Is Dasara the same as Diwali?
No — Dasara ends Navratri in October; Diwali is the November lamp festival. Different rituals, different leave windows.
What happens on Dasara morning?
Shami puja, Aparajita puja, Simollanghan — symbolic victory and new beginnings. Ayudha Puja is often on Navami (20 Oct).
When is Laxmi Puja 2026?
Evening of 8 November (Chaturdashi), typically in Pradosh Kaal — confirm exact minutes locally.
Why do some calendars show different Diwali dates?
Tithi end times, Amanta vs Purnimanta, and sunrise rules shift observance. See Amanta guide.
Are crackers allowed?
Subject to municipal restrictions — use official circulars; prefer lamps and reduced noise for safety and air quality.
Can we marry on Dasara or Diwali?
October weddings are closed on our muhurat list (Navratri). November post-Diwali dates reopen — see list.