Diwali / Lakshmi Puja in Amritsar

Date and timing in Amritsar

Diwali falls on Kartik Amavasya, the new moon of the Kartik month. In Amritsar, the date of observance is fixed by the tithi as it stands at the city's own sunrise, not by a single all-India calendar. For Amritsar (अमृतसर), the brief gives the following:

• 2026: Sunday 8 November 2026
• 2027: Friday 29 October 2027

Amritsar keeps Indian Standard Time (Asia/Kolkata). Lakshmi puja is observed in Pradosh kaal, the window around sunset. The deity honoured is Lakshmi, and Ganesha is worshipped alongside her. The tithi itself is Kartik Amavasya.

Why the date can differ from India

Panchang dates are not decided by a clock alone. They are decided by the tithi — the moon's progress through the lunar day — measured against the sunrise of the place where the observance is kept. Amritsar lies far to the north-west of the country, and its sunrise falls at a different moment from sunrise in the east or the far south.

When the Amavasya tithi touches two sunrises, or when it begins or ends close to one, cities can arrive at different dates, or at the same date with different puja windows. This is why a local panchang for Amritsar is more useful than a general national listing. It also explains why families in different parts of India sometimes keep Diwali a day apart.

Traditions also differ in how the lunar month is counted. Some follow the amanta reckoning, others the purnimanta; Smarta and Vaishnava practice may order the observances differently. These are recognised variations, not errors. Where a family's own custom is clear, that custom usually decides.

Where and how the community celebrates

Diwali and Lakshmi puja are observed pan-India, and Amritsar is part of that wider practice. Homes are cleaned and lamps are lit. In the evening, during Pradosh kaal, families sit for Lakshmi puja with Ganesha, offer light, flowers and simple naivedya, and ask for steadiness and well-being in the year ahead.

Observance is generally at home or within the family's own tradition rather than tied to one public venue. Customs of decoration, food and the order of ritual vary from household to household and from region to region.

Practical tips

• Confirm the puja window using a panchang computed for Amritsar's sunrise, not a general national calendar.
• Keep the Pradosh kaal timing for the actual puja; the date and the window are two separate checks.
• Follow your family's own tradition where it is clear, and note the amanta/purnimanta difference if you compare calendars.
• For questions about your own chart, timing or personal observance, consult a qualified jyotishi.