Dhanteras in Ayodhya
धनतेरस · अयोध्या
Dates for Ayodhya are being computed; check back after the next daily update.
| City | Ayodhya, India |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Asia/Kolkata |
| Tithi / timing | Kartik Krishna Trayodashi |
| Deity | Dhanvantari / Kubera |
| Observance | Dhanvantari, buying metal |
| Where | Pan-India |
Date and timing in this city
In Ayodhya (अयोध्या), India, Dhanteras falls on Friday 6 November 2026. The following year it falls on Wednesday 27 October 2027. Ayodhya observes Indian Standard Time, the Asia/Kolkata time zone.
The day is reckoned by Kartik Krishna Trayodashi — the thirteenth tithi of the waning fortnight of Kartik. Dhanteras is tied to the sunrise of the place where it is observed, so the date is computed for Ayodhya's own sunrise rather than borrowed from another city or from a national calendar. For 2026 and 2027, that local reckoning gives the dates above.
The presiding figures of the day are Dhanvantari and Kubera. Dhanvantari is honoured as the divine physician and the giver of Ayurveda; Kubera is honoured as the custodian of wealth. The observance associated with the day includes Dhanvantari worship and the custom of buying metal.
Why the date can differ from India
A tithi is not a fixed clock interval. It is a segment of the lunar month, and it begins and ends at moments that do not line up with the civil day. Because the day is assigned according to the tithi prevailing at sunrise in a given place, and because sunrise differs from one longitude to another, the same festival can be listed on different dates in different parts of India.
This is why a panchang computed for Ayodhya is the reliable reference for Ayodhya, and a national list or a calendar printed for another region may show a different date. The difference is not an error in either reckoning; it follows from the method. Traditions also differ in how the lunar month is named and counted — amanta in some regions and purnimanta in others, with Smarta and Vaishnava conventions varying as well. These differences can shift how a festival is labelled and, at times, which day is observed. For one's own observance, a qualified jyotishi or a locally prepared panchang is the proper guide.
Where and how the community celebrates
Dhanteras is observed pan-India, and Ayodhya takes part in that wider observance rather than following a separate regional rite. Households worship Dhanvantari and Kubera, and many follow the custom of buying metal on this day. The day opens the Diwali period, so the atmosphere in the city is one of preparation and gathering.
Because the observance is shared across regions, the form it takes in any one home reflects family tradition. Some households give prominence to Dhanvantari, others to Kubera; both are named for the day. Readers unfamiliar with the distinctions may simply follow the practice of their own family or elders.
Practical tips
- Note the date for Ayodhya specifically: Friday 6 November 2026 and Wednesday 27 October 2027.
- Treat the tithi as Kartik Krishna Trayodashi, reckoned from Ayodhya's sunrise.
- If your family follows a different regional or sampradaya convention, follow that convention; the variations are legitimate.
- For personal questions about timing or observance, consult a qualified jyotishi rather than relying on a general calendar.