Dhanteras 2026 is on Friday, 6 November 2026. By custom, new utensils, silver or gold, a broom, whole coriander and diyas are bought on this day, and for Diwali the new Lakshmi-Ganesha idols and puja samagri too. This is a folk custom, not a rule of the texts: Gita Press’s ‘Vrat-Parichay’ prescribes the Yama deepdaan and a lamp at the door burning all night. In New Delhi the puja muhurat is 6:03–7:58 PM.
What is traditionally bought
Each item is a folk custom, not a rule of the texts; only items named by at least two sources are listed. Follow your family’s practice.
New utensils Custom
Bringing home a new vessel is the most widespread Dhanteras custom: brass, copper, silver or steel, as the household uses. According to Bharatkosh, replacing old utensils and buying new ones is held auspicious on this day.
Sources: Bharatkosh: Dhanteras; Amar Ujala (Agra), 21 October 2022; Patrika, 2 October 2025
Silver or gold Custom
A silver coin, vessel or small ornament, or gold, as one can afford. Bharatkosh singles out silver vessels for this day. Many families keep silver coins in the Diwali puja; in the Gita Press vidhi ‘dravya-lakshmi’ (money or coins) is worshipped with Lakshmi.
Sources: Bharatkosh: Dhanteras; Amar Ujala (Agra), 21 October 2022; Gita Press, Nityakarma-Pujaprakash, pp. 243, 250, 256–257
A broom Custom
Many homes bring a new broom on Dhanteras. The articles below link it to cleaning the house and welcoming Lakshmi. Some articles tie it to a Purana; we could not verify that, so it is left out.
Sources: Amar Ujala (Agra), 21 October 2022; Patrika, 2 October 2025
Whole coriander seed Custom
A little whole coriander is bought and offered in the Lakshmi puja; many homes then keep it in the tijori or sow it later, and in villages coriander with jaggery is offered as bhog. The Gita Press Diwali puja has coriander too: in some places it is offered to Lakshmi instead of akshat, and it goes into the account-book bag with turmeric and lotus seeds.
Sources: DNA Hindi, 15 October 2022; Patrika, 2 October 2025; Gita Press, Nityakarma-Pujaprakash, pp. 243, 250, 256–257
Clay diyas, oil and wicks Custom
For the lamps of Dhanteras evening: the Yama deepdaan and the lamp at the door (below), and the Diwali diyas. Vrat-Parichay names clay lamps, sesame oil and new cotton wicks for the Yama deepdaan; according to Bharatkosh a lamp made of flour is placed at the main door for Yama, and the Amar Ujala article has a four-wick lamp at the door.
Sources: Gita Press, Vrat-Parichay (Pt. Hanuman Sharma), p. 155; Bharatkosh: Dhanteras; Amar Ujala (Agra), 21 October 2022
New idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha Custom
Many people bring the new Lakshmi-Ganesha idols or picture for the Diwali puja on Dhanteras itself. Gita Press and Drik Panchang both describe the worship of new idols on Diwali.
Sources: Bharatkosh: Dhanteras; Patrika, 2 October 2025; Drik Panchang: Lakshmi Puja Vidhi
Kheel-batashe and puja samagri Custom
According to Bharatkosh, things for the Diwali puja such as kheel-batashe are also bought on Dhanteras. In the Gita Press vidhi, puffed paddy (kheel) is offered on Diwali to Ganesha, Lakshmi and all the gods. The full list is on the Diwali puja vidhi page.
Sources: Bharatkosh: Dhanteras; Gita Press, Nityakarma-Pujaprakash, pp. 243, 250, 256–257
This page gives no prices, investment or shopping advice. Some articles also carry ‘what not to buy’ lists and claims about luck; we found no written source for them, so they are left out.
What the vrat book prescribes for the day
Yama deepdaan
According to Vrat-Parichay (citing the Skanda Purana), on the evening of Kartik Krishna Trayodashi clay lamps are filled with sesame oil, given new cotton wicks, lit, worshipped with sandal and the like, and offered to Yama facing south. It is done in Pradosh Kaal.
A lamp at the door
In Vrat-Parichay’s Dhanatrayodashi observance, a lamp filled with oil is lit in the evening, worshipped, and placed at the house door on a small heap of grain; it should burn all night.
Dhanvantari puja
This Trayodashi is also kept as Dhanvantari Jayanti. Drik Panchang’s Dhanvantari puja uses a ghee lamp, sandal paste, flowers, incense, a food offering and betel, and the dhyana is done on the flame of the ghee lamp.
New Delhi: Dhanteras puja muhurat, 6 November
- Dhanteras puja muhuratPradosh Kaal + Vrishabha lagna + tithi
- 6:03–7:58 PM
- Pradosh KaalFirst fifth of the night
- 5:33–8:10 PM
- Vrishabha KaalFixed ascendant
- 6:03–7:58 PM
- Yama DeepdaanAfter sunset, in Pradosh Kaal
- 5:33–8:10 PM
- Trayodashi tithi
- 10:32 AM to 10:49 AM (7 Nov)
In Indian Standard Time, SanatanBodh panchang calculation, checked against Drik Panchang. Muhurat for your city
Dhanteras 2026 choghadiya muhurat for purchases in New Delhi
Buying new utensils, gold and silver on Dhanteras is a folk custom. For buying gold on Dhanteras Drik Panchang gives the good choghadiyas (Amrit, Shubh, Labh and Char) that fall while Trayodashi lasts; those of Friday, 6 November 2026, and of the next morning while Trayodashi still runs, are below. The Dhanteras puja muhurat is set by Pradosh Kaal and Vrishabha lagna, given above.
Friday, 6 November 2026New Delhi
| Muhurat | Time | Choghadiya |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | 10:32–10:43 AM | Amrit Vaar Vela |
| Afternoon | 12:05–1:27 PM | Shubh |
| Afternoon | 4:11–5:33 PM | Char |
| Night | 8:49–10:27 PM | Labh Kaal Ratri |
| Night | 12:05–4:59 AM7 November | Shubh 12:05–1:43 AMAmrit 1:43–3:21 AMChar 3:21–4:59 AM |
| Morning | 7:59–9:21 AM7 November | Shubh |
Trayodashi: 10:32 AM, 6 November to 10:49 AM, 7 November (New Delhi). On ordinary days panchangs advise against starting auspicious work in Vaar Vela, Kaal Vela and Kaal Ratri; Drik Panchang keeps these choghadiyas in its list for this festival, so they are shown here with a mark.
Full panchang for 6 November: all 16 choghadiyas of the day and night · Choghadiya today
Source: Drik Panchang, auspicious time to buy gold on Dhanteras (drikpanchang.com); times from SanatanBodh’s calculation, checked against Drik Panchang for New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Jaipur (within 2 minutes).
For the puja
Frequently asked questions
When is Dhanteras 2026?
On Friday, 6 November 2026. The puja and the Yama deepdaan are done that evening, in Pradosh Kaal.
What is bought on Dhanteras?
By custom: new utensils (brass, copper, silver or steel), silver or gold as one can afford, a broom, a little whole coriander, clay diyas, and for Diwali the Lakshmi-Ganesha idols, kheel-batashe and puja samagri. These are folk customs; follow your family’s practice.
Is buying something on Dhanteras required?
Buying is a folk custom. Gita Press’s ‘Vrat-Parichay’ prescribes the Yama deepdaan and a lamp at the door for this day, not a purchase. Dhanteras is also kept as Dhanvantari Jayanti.
Why is coriander bought on Dhanteras?
It is a folk custom: a little whole coriander is offered in the Lakshmi puja, then kept in the tijori or sown in many homes. In the Gita Press Diwali puja too, coriander is offered to Lakshmi instead of akshat in some places, and goes into the account-book bag.
What is the auspicious time for purchases?
For purchases on Dhanteras Drik Panchang gives the good choghadiyas that fall while Trayodashi lasts; New Delhi’s are on this page, other cities’ on the Dhanteras page. The puja muhurat is set by Pradosh Kaal and Vrishabha lagna.
Sources
- Gita Press, Vrat-Parichay (Pt. Hanuman Sharma), p. 155
- Gita Press, Nityakarma-Pujaprakash, pp. 243, 250, 256–257
- Drik Panchang: Dhanvantari Puja Vidhi
- Drik Panchang: Lakshmi Puja Vidhi
- Bharatkosh: Dhanteras
- Amar Ujala (Agra), 21 October 2022
- Patrika, 2 October 2025
- DNA Hindi, 15 October 2022
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