Narak Chaturdashi
Also called Chhoti Diwali, Naraka Chaturdashi, Roop Chaturdashi, Abhyanga Snan
When
Sunday, 8 November 2026 in 59 days
New Delhi ยท change location
See the complete panchang for that day โ
Why this date?
Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi, taken by the PRE-DAWN. The defining act is the abhyanga snan โ the ceremonial oil bath before sunrise โ so the day is the one whose arunodaya, the pre-dawn watch, falls inside Chaturdashi. Kali Chaudas is the same tithi taken by the night instead, which is why the two can fall on different civil days.
- 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 โ
Dates in the coming years
- Sunday, 8 November 2026 in 59 days
- Thursday, 28 October 2027 in 413 days
- Tuesday, 17 October 2028 in 768 days
- Monday, 5 November 2029 in 1152 days
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The morning of the ceremonial oil bath, kept before sunrise. Sesame oil and ubtan are applied, the bath is taken in the dark, and in many households new clothes are worn afterwards. Where it falls with Diwali it is the morning of that day.
- Deity: Krishna; Yama
Why The reason behind it
Krishna's killing of Narakasura, whose dying request was that the day be kept as one of light rather than of mourning. The pre-dawn bath is the ritual form of that: the darkness is washed off before the sun comes up, and the lamps that follow are the answer to it.
Traditional basis
Bhagavata Purana, Narakasura episode โ Krishna and Satyabhama's defeat of Narakasura and the boon that the day be celebrated.
Dharmashastra nibandhas on abhyanga snan โ Prescribe the pre-dawn oil bath on the Kartik Chaturdashi and its arunodaya reckoning.
How At home, step by step
- Rise before dawn โ the bath is taken in the dark, which is the whole point of it.
- Apply sesame oil and ubtan before bathing.
- Light lamps afterwards; wear new or clean clothes.
- Where the household keeps it, offer tarpan to Yama.
What you'll need
- Sesame oil
- Ubtan (gram flour, turmeric)
- Earthen lamps
- New or freshly washed clothes
Fasting and breaking the fast
Not a fasting day. The observance is the bath and the lamps.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- North India yours
Widely called Chhoti Diwali, and in many households folded into the Diwali preparations. - Maharashtra (Marathi)
The abhyanga snan is the day's central act and is kept strictly before sunrise; faral sweets are eaten after. - Andhra & Telangana (Telugu)
Kept prominently as the Narakasura day; effigies are burnt in some places.
For children
The morning when you get up while it is still dark, have oil put in your hair and take a bath before the sun is up โ because that is when Krishna beat the demon Narakasura, and the darkness gets washed away before the light starts.
Common questions
- Why is it sometimes the same day as Diwali and sometimes the day before?
- Because Chaturdashi and the Amavasya that follows can fall either side of a sunrise. When Chaturdashi holds the pre-dawn and Amavasya arrives during the same day, the oil bath and the Lakshmi puja are both on that day. When they do not, they separate.
- Is it the same as Kali Chaudas?
- Same tithi, different observance and different reckoning โ one taken by the pre-dawn, the other by the night. See the Kali Chaudas page.
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.