Narak Chaturdashi in Chitrakoot

Date and timing in Chitrakoot

In Chitrakoot (चित्रकूट), Narak Chaturdashi falls on Saturday 7 November 2026. The following year it falls on Thursday 28 October 2027. These dates are computed for Chitrakoot's own sunrise, in the Asia/Kolkata time zone.

The tithi observed is Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi. The day is widely known as Choti Diwali, and the traditional observance includes Abhyanga snan — the oil bath taken before sunrise. The presiding deity of the observance is Krishna.

Why the date can differ from India

A festival date is not a single national number. It is worked out from the tithi's position at sunrise at a given place, and sunrise differs from city to city. Chitrakoot's date is therefore calculated for Chitrakoot, not borrowed from a general panchang.

Two further points explain most differences readers notice. First, traditions differ on when the day begins: some count the lunar day from new moon to new moon (amanta), others from full moon to full moon (purnimanta). Second, the school of reckoning — Smarta or Vaishnava, North Indian or South Indian — can place the observance on a neighbouring date. Where these traditions differ, the differences are best read as legitimate variations rather than errors. For your own family's practice, follow the panchang your household has always used, and consult a qualified jyotishi for personal chart questions.

Where and how the community celebrates

Narak Chaturdashi is observed pan-India, and Chitrakoot takes part in that wider pattern rather than in a separate local rite. The shape of the day is broadly consistent: the Abhyanga snan before sunrise, the lighting of lamps, and the preparations that lead into Deepavali the next day. Homes, courtyards and thresholds are cleaned and lit. Because the observance belongs to the Krishna paksha of Kartik, the mood is one of clearing away and making ready.

This is a general description of the observance. It does not name any temple, venue, organiser or event in Chitrakoot, since those details are not part of this brief.

Practical tips

• Treat Saturday 7 November 2026 and Thursday 28 October 2027 as the Chitrakoot dates for this observance.
• The Abhyanga snan is traditionally taken before sunrise, so plan the previous night accordingly.
• Check a panchang that gives Chitrakoot sunrise if you want the exact window for your own practice.
• If your family follows a different tradition on the amanta or purnimanta reckoning, keep to it; the difference is expected.
• For anything relating to your personal chart, speak with a qualified jyotishi.