Festival · Krishna

Naraka Chaturdashi

Also called Choti Diwali. It remembers Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura. In South India it is the main day of Deepavali, celebrated at dawn.

Naraka Chaturdashi 2026
Sunday 8 November 2026
New Delhi

For New Delhi, Sunday 8 November 2026

Krishna Chaturdashi tithi

Begins
10:48 am, 7 Nov
Ends
11:28 am
Sunrise
6:38 am
Sunset
5:31 pm
Moonrise
Not this day
Moonset
4:35 pm

Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.

Full panchang for this day →

Puja times

For New Delhi, Sunday 8 November 2026

Abhyang Snan

5:41 am to 6:38 am

Moonrise
5:41 am
Sunrise
6:38 am
Chaturdashi begins
10:48 am, 7 Nov
Chaturdashi ends
11:28 am

Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.

How it is kept

Customs vary by region and family

  • Take an oil bath before sunrise (abhyang snan)
  • Light lamps at dusk to keep darkness away
  • In the South, wear new clothes and share sweets at dawn

What it remembers

Naraka Chaturdashi, the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight before Diwali, remembers Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura. Before sunrise, while the moon is up and Chaturdashi holds, families take the abhyang snan, an oil bath; in the south this dawn is the main Deepavali. In the north it is Choti Diwali, the little Diwali, with the first lamps and fireworks.

Krishna and Narakasura

Narakasura, the asura king of Pragjyotisha, conquered the three worlds, stole the earrings of Aditi, the mother of the gods, and imprisoned sixteen thousand women. Krishna, with Satyabhama driving his chariot, fought and killed him on Chaturdashi. Before dying, Narakasura asked that the day be remembered with lamps and joy.

Satyabhama’s part

Narakasura could be slain only by his mother, Bhudevi, the earth. Satyabhama was her incarnation, and in the Bengal and southern tellings it is she who strikes the final blow. Krishna bathed in oil after the battle to wash off the blood, and the dawn oil bath follows him.

Bali and the lamps for Yama

The day is also kept for Yama: lamps are lit at dusk to keep the family from naraka, hell, which gives the day its name. In some homes fourteen lamps are lit, and fourteen kinds of greens are eaten for the fourteen forms of Yama.

The abhyang snan

The oil bath is taken before sunrise, while the moon is up and Chaturdashi holds; the page shows that time. Families keep it in many ways; follow your own tradition where it differs.

  1. Rise in the dark before dawn. The eldest woman of the house applies warm sesame oil to each member’s head and body.
  2. Bathe with ubtan, a paste of gram flour, turmeric and sandalwood, in the abhyang snan time; many break a bitter fruit (karit or chirote) under the foot before the bath, for Narakasura.
  3. Wear new clothes, and worship Krishna and Lakshmi with a lamp.
  4. In the south, burst crackers and eat sweets at dawn: this is Deepavali proper.
  5. In the evening, light lamps at the door and around the house, and a lamp for Yama, facing south.

What you need

  • Sesame oil and ubtan (gram flour, turmeric, sandalwood)
  • New clothes
  • Diyas for the evening, and a lamp for Yama
  • Sweets for the morning

Across India

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra

Deepavali itself: the oil bath before dawn, new clothes, crackers at first light and sweets with neighbours.

Goa

Effigies of Narakasura, made through the night, are burnt before dawn; then the oil bath and the feast.

Maharashtra

The abhyang snan with utane, the bitter karit crushed underfoot, and faral (Diwali snacks) for breakfast.

North India

Choti Diwali: the first lamps and some crackers, and in some places Hanuman Jayanti is kept the same day.

Bengal

Bhoot Chaturdashi: fourteen lamps for the ancestors and fourteen greens eaten, on the eve of Kali Puja.

When it falls

Krishna Chaturdashi of Ashvina (Kartika in North India). Kept on the day this tithi holds at sunrise.

These are the usual rules. A few days can differ by a day in your tradition, so check with your temple.

Naraka Chaturdashi in the coming years

New Delhi, India time

  1. 2026Sunday 8 November 2026
  2. 2027Thursday 28 October 2027
  3. 2028Tuesday 17 October 2028

Questions

When is Naraka Chaturdashi in 2026?

Sunday 8 November 2026, in New Delhi. In a few places it can fall a day apart, so the date above is worked out for your city.

When does Naraka Chaturdashi fall?

Krishna Chaturdashi of Ashvina (Kartika in North India). Kept on the day this tithi holds at sunrise.

How is Naraka Chaturdashi kept?

Families take an oil bath before sunrise (abhyang snan), light lamps at dusk to keep darkness away and in the South, wear new clothes and share sweets at dawn. Customs vary by region and family.

Who is honoured on Naraka Chaturdashi?

Krishna. Also called Choti Diwali. It remembers Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura. In South India it is the main day of Deepavali, celebrated at dawn.

When is the abhyang snan taken?

Before sunrise, while the moon is up and Chaturdashi holds: from moonrise to sunrise. If Chaturdashi has ended by then, the bath is still taken before sunrise. The page works it out for your city.

Is Naraka Chaturdashi the same as Choti Diwali?

Yes. In the north it is Choti Diwali, the little Diwali before the main night; in the south it is Deepavali itself, kept at dawn. Some years it falls on the same day as Diwali.

Why is it called Roop Chaudas?

In Rajasthan and Gujarat the day is Roop Chaudas or Kali Chaudas: the ubtan bath is for beauty (roop) and health, and in Gujarat the night is kept for Kali and protection from evil.

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