Millions of people across India are marking Diwali 2026, the Hindu festival of lights, with oil lamps, coloured lights and fireworks lighting up homes, temples, offices and streets. Diwali 2026 falls on the darkest night of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, when the moon is not visible in the sky. The festival is widely seen as a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness.
How Diwali 2026 is being celebrated
The five days of Diwali 2026 began with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November, and the main night of Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday 8 November. Families perform prayers to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Homes are decorated with rows of diyas, electric lights and paper lanterns, rangoli patterns are drawn at doorsteps, and sweets and gifts are exchanged with relatives, neighbours and colleagues.
Traditions vary across regions and communities. In the north, Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. In Tamil Nadu, Deepavali is the main day of the festival. Sikhs mark Bandi Chhor Divas, the release of Guru Hargobind from Gwalior Fort, and the Golden Temple in Amritsar is lit up for the occasion. Jains and some Buddhists also observe the festival.
The five days of the festival each carry their own name and custom. After Dhanteras comes Choti Diwali, also called Kali Chaudas in parts of western India. The third day is the main night of Diwali itself, followed by Govardhan Puja and then Bhai Dooj, when sisters pray for the long life of their brothers. In Gujarat, the festival also marks the start of the new year.
Diwali 2026 and the air pollution question
The celebrations of Diwali 2026 come as air pollution rises across northern India. In Delhi, the air quality index reached 391 on Friday morning, a level classed as very poor. Mumbai has also recorded high pollution in recent weeks, with its index reaching 322 on 24 October. Fireworks add to the problem, and the smoke they produce can linger for days over cities in the north. Air quality across north India usually worsens sharply in the days after Diwali, as firework smoke adds to the seasonal haze.
India’s Supreme Court on Monday permitted the manufacture, sale and use of certified firecrackers. Courts and state governments have placed limits on firecrackers in past years, and the debate over their use returns each Diwali. The court has declined to impose a complete ban, while keeping curbs on the sale of uncertified firecrackers.
What Diwali 2026 means for families and towns
For most families, Diwali 2026 is a home festival. Shops close, relatives travel back to their hometowns, and the evening is spent with family around the lamps and the puja. The days before the festival are among the busiest of the year for markets selling diyas, lights, sweets and clothes.
In Ayodhya, the Deepotsav celebration on the eve of Diwali drew a record in 2025, when 26.17 lakh diyas were lit along the Saryu river. The event also set a record for 2,128 people performing aarti together. The town’s celebration along the Ram ki Paidi ghats has become one of the largest single Diwali events in the country, with rows of diyas set out on the steps leading down to the river.
More than a billion people around the world celebrate Diwali, including Indian communities in Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa. In many cities outside India, the festival is marked with public light displays and community events.
Diwali 2026 runs until Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November, the last day of the five-day festival. The main night on Sunday will see the most fireworks, as families light diyas and gather for Lakshmi Puja. For the millions celebrating, the festival closes a week of preparation that began with cleaning and decorating homes and ends with the new-moon sky lit by lamps and fireworks.