Narak Chaturdashi in Chennai

Date and timing in this city

In Chennai, Narak Chaturdashi falls on Saturday 7 November 2026 and on Thursday 28 October 2027. The observance rests on Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi, the fourteenth tithi of the waning fortnight of Kartik, and it is reckoned here by Chennai's own sunrise. Chennai keeps Asia/Kolkata time, so the clock reading is the same across India, but the tithi is matched to the local sunrise rather than to a national average.

The day is known as Choti Diwali, and its central rite is Abhyanga snan, the anointing bath taken before or around sunrise. The deity honoured is Krishna. Families who keep the vrata usually complete the snan first and then proceed to the lamps and festivities of the following day.

Why the date can differ from India

Panchangam dates are not fixed by the civil calendar; they follow the tithi, which shifts with the moon's movement. Because the tithi is tied to sunrise at a given place, a city further east or west can observe the same festival on a different civil date from another part of the country. This is why a general "India" listing and a Chennai listing may not always agree.

Chennai's sunrise is also earlier than in the far west of the country, so the window in which the Chaturdashi tithi is current at sunrise can differ. Traditions differ on which moment governs the observance — some follow the tithi prevailing at sunrise, others the tithi at a specified part of the day. Smarta and Vaishnava practice, and amanta and purnimanta reckonings of the month, may also place the day differently. Where customs vary, it is best to follow the family or sampradaya tradition, or to consult a qualified jyotishi for a personal reading.

Where and how the community celebrates

Narak Chaturdashi is pan-India in observance, and Chennai keeps it in the same broad way as elsewhere in the south. The morning centres on Abhyanga snan, taken with oil and customary preparations before the day's other activities. Homes are cleaned and lit, and the occasion leads into the Diwali celebrations that follow. Since the day is dedicated to Krishna, some households include remembrance and recitation in their morning routine.

Customs around the bath, the lamps and the order of the day are family matters and vary from house to house. No single format is required.

Practical tips

• Note the two dates for Chennai: Saturday 7 November 2026 and Thursday 28 October 2027.
• Plan the Abhyanga snan around local sunrise, which is the reference point for the tithi.
• Check a Chennai-specific panchangam closer to the date, as temple and family calendars may differ in detail.
• Follow your own family or sampradaya practice where customs diverge.
• For questions about your own chart or vrata, consult a qualified jyotishi.