Narak Chaturdashi in Ayodhya

Date and timing in this city

In Ayodhya (अयोध्या), Narak Chaturdashi falls on Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi, the fourteenth tithi of the waning fortnight of Kartik. For 2026, the date computed for Ayodhya is Saturday 7 November 2026. For 2027, it is Thursday 28 October 2027.

Ayodhya keeps Asia/Kolkata as its time zone, and the tithi is reckoned from the city's own sunrise. This is why the date printed for Ayodhya is the one to follow if you are observing there, rather than a date carried over from another region or from a general panchang.

The day is observed as Choti Diwali, with Abhyanga snan — the traditional oil bath — as the central observance. The deity associated with the day is Krishna.

Why the date can differ from India

A tithi is not a fixed clock interval. It is defined by the changing distance between the Moon and the Sun, and it begins and ends at moments that do not align with the civil day. Different cities have different sunrises, and a panchang for a city names the tithi that is running at that city's sunrise.

Because of this, the Narak Chaturdashi date for Ayodhya can differ from the date given for India as a whole, and from the date observed in other parts of the country. Traditions also differ on reckoning: some follow the amanta convention, others the purnimanta; Smarta and Vaishnava practice may place the observance differently within the same fortnight. Rather than treating one as correct, it is simplest to say that the conventions vary, and that the date above is the one computed for Ayodhya's own sunrise.

Where and how the community celebrates

Narak Chaturdashi is observed pan-India, and Ayodhya is no exception. The day is marked across the city in homes and neighbourhoods rather than at any single named venue.

Customarily the observance begins early, with the Abhyanga snan — an oil bath taken before sunrise or in the early hours, according to family practice. This is followed by the usual Choti Diwali customs: lamps, cleanliness in the home, and preparations for the main Diwali observance the next day. Because the day is associated with Krishna, devotees may include remembrance and recitation in their morning routine.

Households differ in the details — which oil, which order of rituals, whether the bath is taken before or after the household lamp is lit. These are family and regional conventions, not points on which the panchang rules.

Practical tips

• Follow the Ayodhya date for Ayodhya: Saturday 7 November 2026 and Thursday 28 October 2027.
• Check the local sunrise and tithi timings for the day you intend to observe, since the tithi may begin or end during the day.
• Take the Abhyanga snan in the early hours, as is customary, unless your family tradition specifies otherwise.
• If your family follows a different reckoning (amanta or purnimanta, Smarta or Vaishnava), keep to that convention.
• For anything tied to your own chart or personal practice, consult a qualified jyotishi.