Dhanteras 2026: Date, Puja Muhurat, What to Buy and What to Avoid

Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, 6 November 2026, two days before Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) on Sunday, 8 November. The Lakshmi-Kuber puja muhurat is in the evening Pradosh Kaal, about 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM in Delhi. This guide covers Dhanteras kab hai, the date and time for your city, when to buy gold, silver and utensils, what to avoid, the puja vidhi, Yama Deepam and the story behind the day.

Dhanteras is also called Dhantrayodashi and Dhanvantari Jayanti. Customs vary by region and family, so follow your own tradition where it differs.

Dhanteras 2026 Date and Time

• Dhanteras date: Friday, 6 November 2026
• Trayodashi tithi begins: about 10:30 AM on 6 November
• Trayodashi tithi ends: about 10:47 AM on 7 November
• Pradosh Kaal: begins after sunset (about 5:30 PM in Delhi) and lasts roughly 2 hours 24 minutes
• Lakshmi-Kuber puja muhurat (Delhi): 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM
• Yama Deepam: the evening of 6 November

Is Dhanteras on 6 or 7 November? The puja is done in Pradosh Kaal, the evening window after sunset, while Trayodashi is still running. The tithi starts on the morning of 6 November and the evening Pradosh Kaal falls that same day, so the main Dhanteras observance is on 6 November. If you see 18 October on an older page, that was the 2025 date.

Dhanteras 2026 Puja Muhurat in Other Cities

Muhurat times shift with your location. These are from Drik Panchang:

• New Delhi: 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM
• Pune: 6:32 PM to 8:31 PM
• Chennai: 6:14 PM to 8:10 PM

For Mumbai, Jaipur, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow or any other city, check a local panchang before you begin the puja.

What Is Dhanteras? Meaning of Dhantrayodashi

"Dhan" means wealth and "Teras" means the thirteenth day. Dhanteras falls on the Trayodashi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik and opens the five-day Diwali festival, which also includes Choti Diwali, Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj.

Three deities are worshipped:

• Goddess Lakshmi, for wealth and prosperity
• Lord Kubera, the treasurer of the gods
• Lord Dhanvantari, the divine physician and the source of Ayurveda, who appeared during the churning of the ocean with a pot of amrit. Read the full story in The Sacred Wisdom of Samudra Manthan.

So Dhanteras celebrates both wealth and health. As the saying goes, health is the first wealth.

Diwali 2026 Calendar (Dipawali Dates)

• Dhanteras: Friday, 6 November
• Choti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi): Saturday, 7 November
• Diwali (Lakshmi Puja, Deepavali): Sunday, 8 November
• Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj: follow in the days after Diwali. Check the panchang for exact dates.

See every upcoming date on our festival calendar, and prepare your home with our Vastu tips for Diwali 2026.

Best Time to Buy on Dhanteras 2026 (Kharidari Muhurat)

Buying is considered auspicious through the Trayodashi tithi, which runs from about 10:30 AM on 6 November to about 10:47 AM on 7 November.

• Best window: the evening Pradosh Kaal on 6 November, especially during the Vrishabha Lagna muhurat (about 6 PM to 8 PM in Delhi).
• Afternoon: also widely considered good, once the tithi has begun.
• Rahu Kaal: many people avoid starting new purchases in Rahu Kaal. On Fridays this falls in late morning, roughly 10:30 AM to noon in many cities. Check your local timing.
• Pushya Nakshatra: a separate auspicious buying time that does not fall on every Dhanteras. Check the panchang for whether it applies this year.

What to Buy on Dhanteras (Dhanteras Par Kya Kharidein)

The tradition is to bring home something new, because a new item invites Lakshmi into the house. You do not have to spend a lot. The intent matters more than the price.

Metals (the traditional favourites)

• Gold: coins, jewellery or a small piece
• Silver: coins, a silver Lakshmi-Ganesh idol, a silver bowl or a glass
• Brass, copper and steel utensils: especially a new kitchen utensil. Dhanvantari holds a kalash of amrit, which is why utensils are traditional.

For the puja

• A Lakshmi-Ganesh idol or picture (usually a clay or silver idol for Diwali)
• New diyas and a brass or clay lamp
• A kalash, puja thali or bell
• Sri Yantra or Kuber Yantra, if your family follows this tradition. Explore sacred items and Rudraksha.

Small and budget-friendly items

• A new broom (jhadu): a traditional purchase in many regions, symbolising Lakshmi and the removal of poverty
• Dhaniya (coriander seeds) with jaggery or batasha for the puja, a custom in many homes
• Kauri (cowrie shells) and small silver pieces
• Sweets, fruit, new clothes and a bag of rice

Modern purchases people consider auspicious

• Vehicles, electronics, appliances, property or investments. Many families time these for Dhanteras.

Smart buying tip: buy within your means and avoid taking on debt just for the occasion. The tradition is about prosperity, not pressure.

What Not to Buy on Dhanteras

Practices differ, but many families avoid:

• Iron items, though steel utensils are accepted in many homes
• Sharp objects like knives and scissors
• Black items, glass, plastic and aluminium
• Lending money or borrowing on this day
• Leaving the house dark. Light diyas in the evening.

If you are buying gold, remember to check the BIS hallmark and HUID, compare the making charges and keep a proper bill.

Dhanteras Puja Samagri (Checklist)

• Idols or pictures of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera and Dhanvantari
• Kalash with water, mango leaves and a coconut
• Roli, kumkum, haldi, akshat (rice) and moli
• Flowers (marigold and lotus), incense and camphor
• Diyas with ghee or oil, and wicks
• New coins or the item you bought
• Sweets, fruit, batasha and dhaniya
• A small flour or clay diya for Yama Deepam

Dhanteras Puja Vidhi: Step by Step

1. Clean the house in the afternoon. Many families also draw rangoli at the entrance.
2. Set up the puja space. See our guide to setting up a home puja space and the Vastu of the puja room.
3. Begin in the muhurat (Delhi about 6:02 PM to 7:57 PM). First remember Ganesha with Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha.
4. Place the new item or coin on a clean cloth in front of the idols.
5. Worship Lord Dhanvantari with flowers and prayer for good health, then Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera for prosperity.
6. Offer roli, rice, flowers, sweets and fruit, and light the diya and incense.
7. Chant the mantras below and finish with the aarti.
8. Light the Yama Deepam (see the next section) and place diyas around the home.
9. Share the prasad with the family.

Yama Deepam on Dhanteras: When and How

Yama Deepam is a lamp lit outside the home on the evening of Dhanteras for protection and the well-being of the family.

• When: the evening of 6 November, after sunset, during Pradosh Kaal
• How: light a lamp, traditionally of flour or clay with a mustard oil or ghee wick, and place it outside the main door or in the courtyard, facing south
• Prayer: pray for the health, safety and long life of all family members

Dhanteras Mantras

For a deeper practice, you can chant these, 11 or 108 times:

Lakshmi beej mantra
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः
Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah

Kubera mantra
ॐ यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धनधान्याधिपतये धनधान्यसमृद्धिं मे देहि दापय स्वाहा
Om Yakshaya Kuberaya Vaishravanaya Dhanadhanyadhipataye Dhanadhanya-samriddhim Me Dehi Dapaya Svaha

Dhanvantari mantra
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय धन्वन्तरये अमृतकलशहस्ताय सर्वामयविनाशनाय त्रिलोकनाथाय श्रीमहाविष्णवे नमः
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Dhanvantaraye Amrita-kalasha-hastaya Sarvamaya-vinashanaya Trailokya-nathaya Shri Maha-Vishnave Namah

Dhanvantari is an avatar of Vishnu, so you can also chant Om Namo Narayanaya. Browse more in our mantras library.

Dhanteras Katha: The Story Behind the Day

Dhanvantari and the amrit. During the Samudra Manthan, the gods and demons churned the ocean of milk. Lord Dhanvantari rose from it holding a pot of amrit, and Goddess Lakshmi also emerged. That is why Dhanteras honours both health and wealth.

The story of King Hima's son (Yamadeep). An astrologer predicted that the sixteen-year-old son of King Hima would die of a snake bite on the fourth day after his wedding. On that night his young wife did not sleep. She piled her jewellery and gold coins at the door and lit lamps all around, and she sang and told stories to keep her husband awake. When Yama came as a serpent, the glitter of the lamps and gold dazzled him. He sat listening to her songs and returned at dawn without taking the prince. This is the origin of lighting lamps on Dhanteras and of Yama Deepam.

Dhanteras in Jyotish: Friday, Shukra and Wealth

In 2026 Dhanteras falls on a Friday, a day associated in tradition with Shukra (Venus) and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. In Vedic astrology, wealth is read from the 2nd and 11th houses and the strength of Jupiter and Venus in your chart. If you want to know how the planets support your finances, generate your free Kundli or ask the DivineAdda AI assistant.

धनतेरस 2026 (हिंदी में संक्षेप)

धनतेरस 2026 कब है? धनतेरस 2026 शुक्रवार, 6 नवंबर को है। दिवाली (लक्ष्मी पूजा) 8 नवंबर को है।

पूजा मुहूर्त: दिल्ली में शाम लगभग 6:02 बजे से 7:57 बजे तक (प्रदोष काल)। अपने शहर का समय पंचांग से देखें।

त्रयोदशी तिथि: 6 नवंबर को सुबह लगभग 10:30 बजे से 7 नवंबर को सुबह लगभग 10:47 बजे तक।

क्या खरीदें? सोना, चांदी, पीतल या तांबे के बर्तन, लक्ष्मी-गणेश की मूर्ति, झाड़ू, धनिया, कौड़ी और दीपक।

क्या न खरीदें? लोहे का सामान, नुकीली वस्तुएं (चाकू-कैंची), काले रंग की चीजें, कांच, प्लास्टिक और एल्यूमीनियम।

यम दीपक: 6 नवंबर की शाम घर के मुख्य द्वार के बाहर दक्षिण दिशा में दीपक जलाएं।

What Comes Next

After Dhanteras comes Choti Diwali on 7 November and Diwali on 8 November. Read Why Diwali Marks Rama's Return to Ayodhya for the story of the festival. Before that, Karwa Chauth 2026 is on 29 October. Explore all festival guides on our festivals topic hub.