When Is the Next Diwali? 2026 Date and Holiday

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, the day of Kartika Amavasya. The observed bank holiday for most of India shifts to Monday, November 9, while western states see additional closures extending through November 10 and 11.

This page covers the exact date, bank closure details by region, related holidays in the Diwali corridor, and what you need to know for banking transactions around the festival.

Diwali 2026, Date and Day

Diwali falls on Amavasya (the new moon) of the Hindu month of Kartik, on Pradosh Kaal (evening twilight). In 2026, the Amavasya tithi falls throughout the whole of November 8 and hence there is no confusion regarding the date.

In Tamil Nadu, the main festival celebration is of Naraka Chaturdashi that falls on the previous day, which is Saturday, November 7. For the rest of India, the Amavasya-day Lakshmi Puja is the main Diwali festival.

Lakshmi Puja Muhurat

The auspicious period of Lakshmi Puja falls on Pradosh Kaal of November 8 when the Amavasya tithi is prevailing. The timings will be different for different cities since sunset will be at different times for each longitude.

Note: The timings provided above are approximate as Muhurat timings differ in each panchang (SmartPuja, DekoPanchang), hence use the timings as per your respective region or family panchang

Bank Holidays Near Diwali 2026

As Diwali falls on Sunday, the pattern of closures will be different from the rest of the years wherein it falls on a weekday. As such there will be no additional bank holiday created by Diwali as it already comes under the Sunday closure of banks.

At a Glance

Key point: In most parts of India, banks will remain closed only on Sunday (November 8) and Monday (November 9). November 7 is the 1st Saturday of the month and is therefore a normal working day under the RBI's Saturday holiday rule. Dhanteras (November 6) is not listed as an RBI-declared bank holiday at any centre.

November 9 (Monday), Diwali Observed

This is the main bank closure day. Banks will remain closed at most RBI centres across the country:

Agartala, Ahmedabad, Belapur (Navi Mumbai), Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla, Vijayawada.

Not confirmed for November 9: Chennai, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala). Tamil Nadu observes Diwali as Naraka Chaturdashi (November 7/8), while Kerala does not traditionally treat Diwali as a major bank holiday. If you are in any of these states, check directly with your branch before planning a visit.

November 10 (Tuesday), Govardhan Puja / Bali Pratipada

Banks will remain closed at four western centres:

• Ahmedabad – Bestu Varas / Gujarat New Year

• Belapur (Navi Mumbai)

• Mumbai

• Nagpur

For Gujarat and Maharashtra, this will be the third consecutive day of bank closure. Banks in the rest of the country will reopen on Tuesday.

November 11 (Wednesday), Bhai Dooj

The RBI holiday matrix confirms a bank closure at Ahmedabad for Vikram Samvat New Year. BankBazaar also lists Bhai Dooj as a holiday in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, although the centre-level RBI data confirms only Ahmedabad.

For banks in Gujarat, this extends the Diwali holiday period to four consecutive closure days, from Sunday through Wednesday.

Diwali Closure by Region

The Five-Day Diwali Festival

Diwali is the centerpiece of a five-day festival sequence. While only specific days within this window are bank holidays, the full span is relevant for planning.

Note on Govardhan Puja dates: Panchang sources differ on whether Govardhan Puja falls on November 9 or 10, depending on tithi calculation method (Udaya tithi vs traditional day-after-Diwali convention). The RBI matrix designates November 9 as "Diwali/Deepavali" (the observed bank holiday) and November 10 as "Bali Pratipada" at western centres. For banking purposes, this distinction does not change which days your branch is closed.

Bank Transactions During Diwali

What Works

• NEFT: 24x7, including on Diwali and all holidays (RBI Circular RBI/2019-20/111 dated 16 December 2019)

• RTGS: 24x7, including on holidays (RBI Circular RBI/2020-21/70 dated 14 December 2020)

• IMPS and UPI: Available round the clock, without any break

• ATMs: Available, but there may be shortage of cash in ATMs during closure corridor

• Mobile and internet banking: Generally available for transfers, bill payments, and account inquiry

What Stops

• Cheque clearance (CTS): Only works on working days. A cheque deposited before Diwali weekend will get cleared only once banks start functioning. For states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, where closure corridor goes up to November 10 or 11, clearance would be after that time period.

• NACH auto-debits: Auto-debits of your money which fall on holiday gets processed on the first working day after holiday. If your EMI or SIP debit date falls between November 8 and 11, maintain sufficient balance in account till then.

• In-branch operations: Counter operations, demand draft, locker transactions, and new accounts cannot be opened on closure days.

Plan Ahead

There is heavy use of ATMs during the Diwali season. If you are in Gujarat or Maharashtra where closure corridor goes up to 3-4 days, withdraw your cash before closure corridor starts. Make all your cheque deposits and other in-branch transactions by latest Friday i.e. November 6.

For majority of India, November 10 (Tuesday) is the first working day after Diwali break.

Related Holidays Near Diwali 2026

In Bihar, the Diwali break (Nov 8–9) is followed by a gap and then another three-day closure: 2nd Saturday (Nov 14) + Chhath Puja Sunday (Nov 15) + Chhath observed Monday (Nov 16). Plan accordingly if you need banking services in Bihar during mid-November.

Diwali Holidays in Your Branch

Here are 3 places where you can check the closure schedule:

1. RBI Holiday Matrix for November 2026 & your RBI centre for precise closure dates.

2. Your bank's website or mobile app – most banks issue a Diwali-specific holiday notice a couple of weeks ahead of time.

3. Your bank branch directly – you may contact and ask for confirmation as the southern states may have a different closure schedule than the national default.

The RBI publishes holidays according to the regional centre (city) – not state. This means that two cities within one state can be on different schedules. E.g., Mumbai shuts down on November 8-10 while other cities in Maharashtra which are under other RBI centres might shut down only November 8-9.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Diwali in 2026?

Sunday, November 8, 2026. Festival falls on the day of Kartika Amavasya. Amavasya tithi is from 12:08 AM to 9:47 PM on November 8. Therefore, the exact date of the festival is clear across all locations.

Is Diwali a bank holiday in 2026?

Yes, however the Diwali date (November 8) falls on Sunday, thus banks will be closed anyway as it is their weekly holiday. The Diwali bank holiday is observed on Monday, November 9, when the majority of banks are closed across India. Additionally, western centers (Gujarat, Maharashtra) close on November 10, and, moreover, in Gujarat, banks also close on November 11.

How many days are banks closed for Diwali 2026?

It varies depending on where you live. For most of India: 2 days (Sunday, November 8 + Monday, November 9). Maharashtra (Mumbai, Nagpur, Belapur): 3 days (November 8-10). Gujarat (Ahmedabad): 4 days (November 8-11). Southern states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu) do not close banks on November 9, check your location individually.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Diwali 2026?

It falls in Pradosh Kaal on November 8 evening. Rough timings are: Delhi 5:32–7:28 PM; Mumbai 6:05–8:04 PM; Kolkata 4:58–6:55 PM. Exact timings may differ based on the city and panchang. You should consult a local panchang.

Can I transfer money on Diwali?

Yes, it is possible. NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, and UPI are available 24/7 and function even during Diwali and any other holiday. What is paused is the cheque clearance, NACH transactions (will be processed the next working day) and other in-branch services. Digital banking remains unaffected.