Festival of lights
Diwali in India 2026
Diwali 2026: Sunday, 8 November 2026
Diwali 2026 in India is on Sunday, 8 November 2026. 1 Diwali event is listed below.
The biggest night of the Indian year: lamps, sweets, new clothes and fireworks. Abroad it is celebrated over the surrounding weekends, with one large public event in most big cities. Every Diwali event posted in India is below, grouped by city.
Diwali 2026 dates
Friday, 6 November
Dhanteras
Saturday, 7 November
Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)
Sunday, 8 November
Diwali β Lakshmi Puja
Monday, 9 November
Govardhan Puja and Annakut
Tuesday, 10 November
Bhai Dooj
Diwali events in India1 listed
Diwali is better with people near you
The Namaste Community app finds everything around you in India and in every other country β free.
- Groups near youJoin the Indian community groups in your city β chat, plans and people who get it.
- Events near youEvery festival, garba night and meetup, ranked by distance, with RSVP and reminders.
- Buy and sellSarees, kurtas, furniture, kitchen things β from people a few streets away.
- Rent near youRooms and flats from the community, with the person behind the listing one tap away.
What Diwali is
The biggest night of the Indian year: lamps, sweets, new clothes and fireworks. Abroad it is celebrated over the surrounding weekends, with one large public event in most big cities.
Diwali marks the return of Rama to Ayodhya and the victory of light over darkness; for many families it is also the day of Lakshmi Puja and the start of a new business year. Homes are cleaned and lit with diyas, sweets are exchanged, and the evening ends with fireworks.
If it is your first one in India
- Book restaurant tables two weeks ahead β the Diwali weekend fills every Indian restaurant in town.
- Check local fireworks rules before buying any; most European towns restrict them to New Year.
- Sweets (mithai) can be ordered from Indian grocers a week ahead; many deliver nationwide.
- The big city events sell tickets in advance and sell out; children under a certain age are usually free.
Questions people ask
- When is Diwali 2026 in India?
- Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. It is not a public holiday in India, so the community celebrates on the weekends around it β 1 event is listed on this page, each with its own date.
- Where can I celebrate Diwali in India?
- Community Diwali events in India are listed on this page as organisers post them.
- Can non-Indians go to Diwali events in India?
- Yes. Almost every community event is open to everyone and runs in English; temple and gurdwara celebrations welcome visitors too β dress modestly, and cover your head in a gurdwara.
More festivals in India
Organising something?
Post it from the app under Events, wherever you are. It is free, a moderator checks it, and it appears here and to every member nearby. Running several a year? Email hello@namaste.community for a listing invite.