The Five Days of Diwali

One short recitation for each day of Diwali, from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj: Kubera and Lakshmi, Hanuman on Choti Diwali, the full Lakshmi Puja set, Krishna on Govardhan Puja, and a closing prayer on Bhai Dooj.

5 days · about 8 min each time

Begin

Sankalp complete. You kept every step.

Day by day

Day 1
Vakratunda Mahakaya · Kuber Mantra · Om Jai Lakshmi Mata

Dhanteras. After sunset, worship Lakshmi and Kubera, then place a four-wick diya for Yama facing south (Yama Deepam).
Day 2
Hanuman Chalisa

Naraka Chaturdashi, or Choti Diwali. In Ayodhya and many North Indian and Gujarati homes, Hanuman is worshipped today. Tamil and many South Indian homes keep Deepavali itself at dawn today, with an oil bath before sunrise.
Day 3
Vakratunda Mahakaya · Shri Suktam · Mahalakshmi Ashtakam · Om Jai Lakshmi Mata

Diwali, Lakshmi Puja. Begin with Ganesh, then the Shri Suktam and the Ashtakam, and close with the aarti, in the muhurat for your city.
Day 4
Madhurashtakam · Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki

Govardhan Puja and Annakut, for Krishna who lifted the hill. In Gujarat this is also the new year, Bestu Varas.
Day 5
Vakratunda Mahakaya · Om Jai Jagdish Hare

Bhai Dooj. The sister does her brother's tilak and aarti in the early afternoon, and prays for him.

When to keep it

Diwali 2026: 6 – 11 November 2026

You can begin any day.

Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) →

Each day's festival page has the date and muhurat for your city, the home puja and a samagri list. This plan gives you the recitation for each day, in your script, in one place.

In 2026 India keeps Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj on 10 and 11 November, a day later than the USA, UK and Canada, because the new moon runs past sunrise on 9 November in India. When you start on Dhanteras, Nitya uses the dates for the city you chose in the calendar.

Where this practice comes from

The five days follow the lunar calendar. In the North Indian purnimanta calendar they are Kartik Krishna Trayodashi (Dhanteras), Chaturdashi (Naraka Chaturdashi), Amavasya (Lakshmi Puja), then Kartik Shukla Pratipada (Govardhan Puja) and Dwitiya (Bhai Dooj); amanta calendars name the first three days in Ashwin. Names for the days differ by region, and so do the customs. The texts here are ones commonly recited on each day, not a fixed rule.

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