Dhanteras 2026: Date, Puja Muhurat, Yama Deepam and What to Buy

Every year, a few days before Diwali, the same scene plays out in markets across India: jewellery shops fill up, steel-utensil stalls spill onto the pavement, and someone in every family quietly asks the practical question that decides the whole evening: what time is the puja, and when is it okay to buy?

Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, 6 November. The Dhanteras 2026 muhurat for the Lakshmi-Kubera puja in New Delhi is 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM, and the Trayodashi tithi, during which purchases are considered auspicious, runs from 10:30 AM on 6 November to 10:47 AM on 7 November. Here is the muhurat by city, the meaning of Yama Deepam, and what to buy.

Dhanteras 2026 Date and Trayodashi Tithi

Dhanteras, also called Dhantrayodashi, is observed on the Trayodashi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik, and it opens the five days of Diwali. In New Delhi:

Trayodashi tithi begins: about 10:30 AM, Friday, 6 November

Trayodashi tithi ends: about 10:47 AM, Saturday, 7 November

Pradosh Kaal: about 5:32 PM to 8:09 PM

Puja muhurat (Vrishabha Kaal): about 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM

Since the evening puja takes place during Pradosh Kaal on 6 November, that is the day Dhanteras is observed. It also happens to be a Friday, the day ruled by Venus, the planet of wealth and comfort.

Dhanteras 2026 Muhurat by City

The puja muhurat starts at local sunset, so it differs by city. These are approximate timings for 6 November from published panchangs:

Delhi: 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM

Mumbai: 6:35 PM to 8:34 PM

Kolkata: 5:28 PM to 7:26 PM

Chennai: 6:15 PM to 8:09 PM

Bengaluru: 6:26 PM to 8:20 PM

Hyderabad: 6:16 PM to 8:13 PM

Pune: 6:32 PM to 8:31 PM

Ahmedabad: 6:30 PM to 8:28 PM

Jaipur: 6:11 PM to 8:07 PM

Lucknow: 5:51 PM to 7:47 PM

Sources differ by a couple of minutes, so confirm your own city's timing on HiAstro's Panchang pages: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

Why Do We Worship Dhanvantari, Kubera and Lakshmi on Dhanteras?

The name joins dhan (wealth) and teras (the thirteenth day), but three deities give the day its meaning:

Lord Dhanvantari, the divine physician, is believed to have emerged from the churning of the ocean carrying a pot of amrit. He is the god of Ayurveda, which is why many people see Dhanteras as a day for health as much as wealth.

Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for prosperity and abundance, and her puja continues with greater ceremony on Diwali itself.

Kubera, the treasurer of the gods, is invoked for the safekeeping and wise use of wealth.

Together they offer a fuller idea of prosperity: health, abundance and good stewardship.

What Is Yama Deepam, and When Is It Lit?

Yama Deepam is a small lamp lit outside the home on Dhanteras evening in honour of Yama, the god of death, traditionally to seek protection from untimely death and misfortune for the family. In New Delhi, the usual window is about 5:33 PM to 6:51 PM on 6 November, during sandhya just after sunset, though timings vary by city.

A folk legend explains the practice. A young prince was fated to die of a snake bite four days after his marriage. On that night, his wife piled her jewellery and lamps at the doorway and stayed awake telling stories and singing. The glittering light dazzled Yama, who came as a serpent, and he left without taking the prince. Customs vary by family, but the lamp is commonly a clay diya with mustard oil, placed outside the main entrance, often facing south, the direction associated with Yama.

What to Buy on Dhanteras 2026

Purchases are considered auspicious throughout the Trayodashi tithi, from 10:30 AM on 6 November, so you don't have to wait for the evening muhurat, which is reserved for the puja. Popular choices include:

Gold or silver, from a coin or small ornament to larger jewellery

Utensils in brass, copper or steel, often the first purchase of the day

A new broom, associated in many households with sweeping out misfortune

Coriander seeds (dhaniya), commonly bought for the puja and later planted

Lakshmi-Ganesh idols or silver coins for the Diwali puja

Ayurvedic or wellness items, in honour of Dhanvantari

Venus is retrograde through Dhanteras until about 13 to 14 November, and some astrologers advise extra care with large jewellery purchases during this period, while many families treat smaller purchases like utensils or a silver coin as perfectly fine. Whether a major purchase suits you also depends on your personal chart.

Dhanteras Puja Vidhi at Home

Clean the home and decorate the entrance with rangoli.

Set up the puja space with images or idols of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera and Dhanvantari, facing east or north.

Light a diya and offer flowers, sweets, and a few coins.

Chant a mantra, such as Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah for Lakshmi or Om Dhanvantaraye Namah for Dhanvantari.

Perform an aarti and distribute the prasad.

Light the Yama Deepam outside the entrance after sunset.

Celebrating Dhanteras Abroad

Muhurat timings above are in Indian time. Pradosh Kaal begins at local sunset, so use a local Panchang for your city and consider a simple home puja at that time. Many temples and community groups abroad hold group pujas, sometimes on the nearest weekend.

A Balanced Note on Buying

Dhanteras is a day for gratitude and good intentions, not for stretching the budget. A small, meaningful purchase carries the same spirit as an expensive one, and borrowing or taking on debt to buy gold works against the idea of prosperity the day represents. Spend according to your means, and remember that this is also Dhanvantari's day, a good reminder that health is wealth.

Make Dhanteras Personal

If you'd like to know whether a particular purchase or investment suits your own chart this Dhanteras, speak with an astrologer on HiAstro for personal guidance on the Dhanteras 2026 muhurat and your planetary period.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is Dhanteras 2026?

Dhanteras 2026 is on Friday, 6 November. The Trayodashi tithi runs from about 10:30 AM on 6 November to 10:47 AM on 7 November.

2. What is the Dhanteras puja muhurat in 2026?

In New Delhi it is about 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM. In Mumbai it is about 6:35 PM to 8:34 PM. Check your own city's timing.

3. When should Yama Deepam be lit?

In the evening after sunset on 6 November. The Delhi window is about 5:33 PM to 6:51 PM, and it varies by city.

4. What is the best time to buy gold on Dhanteras 2026?

Any time during the Trayodashi tithi is considered auspicious, from about 10:30 AM on 6 November to 10:47 AM on 7 November. The evening muhurat is for the puja.

5. Why do we worship Dhanvantari on Dhanteras?

Dhanvantari is the divine physician who emerged from the ocean churning carrying amrit, and Dhanteras is also seen as a day for health and Ayurveda.

6. What should I buy on Dhanteras if I can't afford gold?

Utensils, a silver coin, a new broom, coriander seeds or a small Lakshmi-Ganesh idol are all traditional and affordable choices.

7. Is it okay to buy gold on Dhanteras during Venus retrograde?

Some astrologers advise caution with large jewellery purchases until Venus turns direct around 13 to 14 November, while others see no issue. A personal chart reading can help you decide.