Dhanteras 2026 is on Friday, November 6, 2026. This year it falls on the same Friday everywhere in the list below, from North America and the UK to India, the Gulf, Singapore, Australia and Fiji.
Dhanteras, also called Dhantrayodashi and Dhanvantari Trayodashi, is the first day of the five days of Diwali. It falls on the Trayodashi (thirteenth day) of the dark half of Ashwin in the Amanta calendar, which is Kartika Krishna Trayodashi in the Purnimanta calendar. On this day families worship Lord Dhanvantari, Mahalakshmi and Kubera. It is also a day when many people buy gold, silver or new vessels for the home, as a sign of prosperity for the year ahead.
Why we remember Dhanvantari
The Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana tell the story of the churning of the ocean of milk. The gods had lost their strength after the sage Durvasa cursed Indra, and the demons defeated them. Lord Vishnu told them to throw healing herbs into the ocean and churn it, with Mount Mandara as the churning stick and the serpent Vasuki as the rope, and he himself became a tortoise to hold the mountain on his back.
Many wonders rose from the ocean. Then came a young man, strong and dark, in yellow garments and pearl earrings, carrying a jar filled to the brim with amrita, the nectar of immortality. This was Dhanvantari. The Bhagavata Purana says he was a portion of Lord Vishnu himself and a master of the science of medicine. So on Dhanteras families pray to Dhanvantari as the giver of health, the one who came out of the ocean holding the medicine of the gods.
The lamps for Yama
Another telling is kept by the families who observe Dhanteras. King Hima's son was foretold to die of a snakebite on the fourth night after his wedding. On that night his young wife heaped her ornaments and gold and silver coins at the door, lit lamps all around, and kept him awake with stories and songs. Yama came in the form of a serpent, but the lamps and the shining gold dazzled him, and he went away at dawn. The prince lived. This is why, the families say, lamps are lit for Yama on this evening, and why the day is linked with gold and silver.
Dhanteras puja muhurat 2026, city by city
These are the Dhanteras puja times for Friday, November 6, for each city. Click your city for the full page, with the other good times of the day and the story of Dhanteras.
United States
- New York City, New York: Friday, November 6, 5:10 PM to 6:59 PM
- Jersey City, New Jersey: Friday, November 6, 5:11 PM to 6:59 PM
- Boston, Massachusetts: Friday, November 6, 4:54 PM to 6:41 PM
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Friday, November 6, 5:17 PM to 7:06 PM
- Arlington, Virginia: Friday, November 6, 5:27 PM to 7:17 PM
- Atlanta, Georgia: Friday, November 6, 6:07 PM to 8:00 PM
- Chicago, Illinois: Friday, November 6, 5:02 PM to 6:49 PM
- Dallas, Texas: Friday, November 6, 5:59 PM to 7:52 PM
- Houston, Texas: Friday, November 6, 5:59 PM to 7:54 PM
- Phoenix, Arizona: Friday, November 6, 5:58 PM to 7:51 PM
- Los Angeles, California: Friday, November 6, 5:22 PM to 7:14 PM
- San Francisco, California: Friday, November 6, 5:30 PM to 7:21 PM
- San Jose, California: Friday, November 6, 5:29 PM to 7:20 PM
- Seattle, Washington: Friday, November 6, 5:04 PM to 6:46 PM
Canada
- Toronto, Ontario: Friday, November 6, 5:24 PM to 7:10 PM
- Mississauga, Ontario: Friday, November 6, 5:25 PM to 7:11 PM
- Calgary, Alberta: Friday, November 6, 6:19 PM to 7:57 PM
- Vancouver, British Columbia: Friday, November 6, 6:01 PM to 7:42 PM
United Kingdom
- London, England: Friday, November 6, 4:42 PM to 6:20 PM
- Birmingham, England: Friday, November 6, 4:46 PM to 6:22 PM
- Manchester, England: Friday, November 6, 4:43 PM to 6:17 PM
India
- Delhi, India: Friday, November 6, 6:02 PM to 7:58 PM
- Mumbai, Maharashtra: Friday, November 6, 6:36 PM to 8:34 PM
- Pune, Maharashtra: Friday, November 6, 6:32 PM to 8:30 PM
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Friday, November 6, 6:30 PM to 8:28 PM
- Surat, Gujarat: Friday, November 6, 6:32 PM to 8:31 PM
- Jaipur, Rajasthan: Friday, November 6, 6:11 PM to 8:07 PM
- Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: Friday, November 6, 5:51 PM to 7:47 PM
- Chandigarh, India: Friday, November 6, 6:00 PM to 7:55 PM
- Kolkata, West Bengal: Friday, November 6, 5:28 PM to 7:26 PM
- Hyderabad, Telangana: Friday, November 6, 6:16 PM to 8:13 PM
- Bangalore, Karnataka: Friday, November 6, 6:26 PM to 8:19 PM
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Friday, November 6, 6:15 PM to 8:09 PM
Middle East and Singapore
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Friday, November 6, 6:06 PM to 8:03 PM
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Friday, November 6, 6:11 PM to 8:08 PM
- Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: Friday, November 6, 6:05 PM to 8:02 PM
- Singapore: Friday, November 6, 7:27 PM to 9:13 PM
Australia and Fiji
- Sydney, New South Wales: Friday, November 6, 8:13 PM to 9:31 PM
- Melbourne, Victoria: Friday, November 6, 8:46 PM to 10:00 PM
- Brisbane, Queensland: Friday, November 6, 6:53 PM to 8:17 PM
- Suva, Fiji: Friday, November 6, 6:57 PM to 8:28 PM
Your city is not here? Open mypanchang.com/dhanteras.php and choose your city.
The rest of Diwali 2026
- Dhanteras: Friday, November 6
- Naraka Chaturdashi: Saturday, November 7 in North America and the UK; Sunday, November 8 in India
- Lakshmi Puja (Diwali): Sunday, November 8
- Govardhan Puja and the Gujarati New Year: Monday, November 9 in North America and the UK; Tuesday, November 10 in India
- Bhai Dooj: Tuesday, November 10 in North America and the UK; Wednesday, November 11 in India
Some of these days fall a day apart between India and the West, so please check the date for your own city on each page.
The Dhanteras page is also in Hindi and Gujarati: धनतेरस · ધનતેરસ
For the full sankalpa for any day and your city: mypanchang.com/sankalpa
May Lord Dhanvantari bless your family with good health, and may Mahalakshmi fill your home with prosperity. Wishing you a happy Dhanteras and a blessed Diwali.
Pundit Mahesh Shastri
www.mypanchang.com
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