Chhoti Diwali 2024: Know date and timings for Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj

Diwali — often dubbed the ‘festival of lights’ — will be celebrated on October 31 this year. The multi-day festival will begin next week with Dhantrayodashi and conclude with Bhai Dooj. 

The festival represents the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is celebrated annually on the darkest night of the year — falling on the 15th day of the month of Kartik as per the Hindu lunar calendar.

Chhoti Diwali will be celebrated on the evening of October 30 this year. Govardhan Puja will fall on November 2 while Bhai Dooj (dwitiya) will be marked on November 3.

Festival timings

According to the dates and muhurat timings shared by Drik Panchang, Diwali festivities will begin on October 28 with Govatsa Dwadashi. 

It is pertinent to note that the timings given here are with reference to New Delhi and may require some adjustments depending on your location. 

• Dhanteras
  The puja muhurat will be from 6:31 pm to 8:13 pm on October 29
• Kali Chaudas or Bhut Chaturdashi
  The muhurat will be for less than an hour around midnight on October 30. It will start at 11:39 pm and end 52 minutes later at 12:31 am on October 31.
• Hanuman Puja
  The Diwali Hanuman puja muhurat will follow the same timings — from 11:39 pm on October 30 to 12:31 am the next day.
• Narak Chaturdashi or Chhoti Diwali
  The abhyang snaan muhurat will be from 5:20 am to 6:32 am on October 31. The chaturdashi tithi will begin at 1:15 pm on October 30 and end at 3:52 pm the next day. Choti Diwali is celebrated in the evening, so this festival will be celebrated on October 30.
• Kali Puja
  The Kali Puja nishita time will be from 11:49 pm to 12:40 am on November 1. The amavasya tithi will begin at 3:52 pm on October 31 and end the next day at 6:16 pm. 
• Lakshmi Puja and Diwali
  The third day of Lakshmi Puja is the most important of the five day festivities and often referred to as ‘Diwali Puja’. This year it will be marked on November 1 with the Lakshmi Puja muhurat from 5:36 pm to 6:16 pm.
  Pradosh Kaal - 05:36 PM to 08:11 PM
  Vrishabha Kaal - 06:20 PM to 08:15 PM
  Amavasya Tithi Begins - 03:52 PM on Oct 31, 2024
  Amavasya Tithi Ends - 06:16 PM on Nov 01, 2024
• Govardhan Puja or Bali Pratipada
  The Govardhan Puja pratahkala muhurat will be from 6:34 am to 8:46 am on November 2. The Govardhan Puja sayankala muhurat will be from 3:23 pm to 5:35 pm on the same date. The pratipada tithi will begin at 6:16 pm on November 1 and end at 8:21 pm the next day.
• Bhai Dooj
  The bhai dooj aparahna time will be from 1:10 pm to 3:22 pm on November 3. The dwitiya tithi will begin from 8:21 pm on November 2 and end at 10:05 pm the next day.