Diwali 2027

What this countdown tracks

Diwali 2027, with Lakshmi Puja landing on Friday October 29, 2027 – the second of three consecutive Friday-night Lakshmi Pujas in this decade. The five-day festival runs from Wednesday October 27 (Dhanteras) through Sunday October 31 (Bhai Dooj), observed across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Caribbean, East Africa, and the Indian diaspora.

About Diwali

The Sanskrit name Deepavali literally means "a row of lamps," and the festival's emotional core is exactly that: the lighting of diyas to bring light into the darkest night of the lunar month. The most widely told story behind Diwali is the return of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana to Ayodhya at the end of fourteen years of exile and the killing of Ravana – the city is said to have lit so many lamps along the streets and along the river that they outshone the new moon.

Different regions hold different threads. In Bengal and parts of eastern India, Diwali night is Kali Puja, the night-long worship of the fierce goddess Kali. In Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, the predawn ritual oil bath of Naraka Chaturdashi (the day before Lakshmi Puja) is central – it commemorates Krishna's defeat of the demon Narakasura. Jains observe Diwali as the date in 527 BCE on which Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, attained nirvana at Pavapuri. Sikhs observe Bandi Chhor Divas on the same day – the release of Guru Hargobind from Gwalior Fort in 1619. Across all of these, Diwali brings a single consistent message: the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil, of knowledge over ignorance.

How it's observed

Houses are deep-cleaned starting a week before Dhanteras; new clothes, jewellery, and utensils are bought on Dhanteras itself; rangoli patterns are drawn fresh each morning of the five days. The night of Lakshmi Puja begins with the lighting of diyas at every doorway and window, followed by the family puja in front of an image of Lakshmi and Ganesh, often with new account books opened (Chopda Pujan) by businesses and traders. After puja comes the evening of fireworks, sweets, and family meals.

The food calendar is dense: kaju katli, besan ladoo, gulab jamun, jalebi, and shankarpali are exchanged in decorative gift boxes; savoury chakli, sev, and chivda are made in bulk. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, faral – a shared platter of about a dozen sweet and savoury items – is given to neighbours. In Mauritius, Trinidad, and Fiji, Diwali parades and public puja in town squares involve the entire community.

Why this date specifically

Diwali always falls on the new moon (Amavasya) of the Hindu month of Kartik – the moment when Kartik Krishna Paksha (the dark fortnight) ends and Kartik Shukla Paksha (the bright fortnight) begins. In 2027, Kartik Amavasya occurs on October 29 in Indian Standard Time, and because Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening (after the new moon has set in), the universally accepted date is Friday October 29, 2027. In 2026 it fell on November 8; the eleven-day annual drift of the Hindu lunisolar calendar pulls Diwali back to late October in 2027 and to mid-October in 2028.

What to watch for / notable observances in 2027

• October 27 – Dhanteras, with traditional gold and silver buying
• October 28 – Naraka Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali; predawn oil bath in south India
• October 29 – Lakshmi Puja, the main night, on a Friday
• October 30 – Govardhan Puja and Annakut, with elaborate food offerings in Vrindavan and Mathura
• October 31 – Bhai Dooj
• Public holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Singapore, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, and Guyana
• Year of major Diwali galas in London, Toronto, Sydney, San Francisco, and Houston

Related festivals to track

In 2027, Diwali follows Navratri 2027 (September 30 – October 8) and Dussehra 2027 (October 9), and pairs with Karwa Chauth 2027 on October 18. For festivals of light comparators, see Hanukkah 2026. The family overview lives at the Hindu festival hub.

FAQ

When is Diwali in 2027? Lakshmi Puja, the main day, falls on Friday October 29, 2027; the five-day festival runs October 27 to October 31.

How is Diwali observed? Through diya lighting, Lakshmi-Ganesh puja, fireworks, sweets, gift-giving, and family gatherings over five days, with Bengali and southern variants centered on Kali Puja and predawn oil baths.

Is Diwali a public holiday? Yes, in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad, Singapore, Malaysia, and Guyana.

What is the typical greeting? "Shubh Deepavali," "Happy Diwali," or "Diwali ki shubhkamnayein."