Dhanteras
Also called Dhanatrayodashi, Dhanvantari Trayodashi, Yama Deepam
When
Friday, 6 November 2026 in 57 days
New Delhi · change location
See the complete panchang for that day →
Why this date?
Kartik Krishna Trayodashi. The puja belongs to the PRADOSH period — the roughly ninety minutes after sunset — so the day is the one on which Trayodashi prevails in the evening, which is not always the day it prevails at sunrise. That is why Dhanteras can sit on a day whose sunrise tithi reads Dwadashi.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- Governed by the whole day rather than a specific period
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate →
Dates in the coming years
- Friday, 6 November 2026 in 57 days
- Wednesday, 27 October 2027 in 412 days
- Thursday, 24 October 2030 in 1505 days
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The day the Diwali lamps begin. Households buy metal — traditionally silver or gold, in practice often a steel or brass vessel — and light the Yama deepam, a lamp set outside the door facing south.
- Deity: Dhanvantari; Lakshmi; Kubera; Yama
Why The reason behind it
Two strands run together. Dhanvantari, who rose from the churning of the ocean carrying the pot of amrita, is the physician of the gods, and the day is his; the Ayurveda profession keeps it as its own. Separately, the Yama deepam is lit for a death averted — the katha of King Hima's son, saved on the night his horoscope had marked, by his wife's heap of lamps and gold at the threshold.
Traditional basis
Bhagavata and Vishnu Purana, samudra-manthana — Dhanvantari's appearance with the amrita pot, from which the day takes its name and its association with health.
Yama deepam katha, regional recension — The Hima narrative that gives the south-facing threshold lamp its meaning.
How At home, step by step
- Clean the house and the entrance before the evening.
- Buy metal if the household keeps that custom — the intent is the auspicious acquisition, not the amount.
- Perform the Lakshmi and Dhanvantari puja at pradosh, after sunset.
- Light the Yama deepam OUTSIDE the door, facing south, and leave it to burn.
What you'll need
- A new metal vessel or coin
- An earthen lamp for the Yama deepam
- Mustard oil and a cotton wick
- Marigold and rangoli materials
- Sweets for naivedya
Fasting and breaking the fast
Not a fasting day in general practice; some keep a light fast until the evening puja.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice — if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- North India yours
The metal purchase is near-universal, and the Yama deepam is the older layer under it. - Gujarat (Gujarati)
Falls in the closing days of the trading year and carries strong commercial weight; the Lakshmi puja of the shop is prepared from here. - Maharashtra (Marathi)
Dhanvantari's association is prominent, and Ayurvedic practitioners keep the day professionally.
For children
The first night of Diwali lamps. People buy something made of metal, and one small lamp is put outside the door, facing south, and left to burn by itself.
Common questions
- Why does the site show Dhanteras on a day whose tithi reads Dwadashi at sunrise?
- Because the observance is decided by the evening, not the morning. Trayodashi begins during that day and prevails through the pradosh period when the puja is done. A site that picks the day by the sunrise tithi alone will sometimes put Dhanteras a day early.
- Do I have to buy gold?
- No. The custom is an auspicious acquisition of metal, and a steel or brass vessel for the kitchen satisfies it exactly as a coin does. The commercial framing around the day is recent; the vessel is the older practice.
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.