Hindu

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) 2026 नरक चतुर्दशी

Choti Diwali

Sunday, 8 November 2026

In 2027: Thursday, 28 October 2027

Naraka Chaturdashi, or Choti Diwali, recalls Lord Krishna's victory over Narakasura and is marked by a pre-dawn oil bath, lamps for Yama and the first diyas of Diwali.

How the date is fixed: Chaturdashi (14th day) of the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of Kartik in the North Indian purnimanta calendar (Ashwin in the amanta calendar), usually the day before the Diwali Amavasya

Why Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) is celebrated

Naraka Chaturdashi is the second day of the five day Diwali festival. In North India it is better known as Choti Diwali, the small Diwali, and in western India as Roop Chaudas or Kali Chaudas. It celebrates the defeat of the demon king Narakasura and stands for clearing darkness, dirt and evil from one's life and home.

The day is closely tied to cleanliness and health. Devotees believe that an oil bath with a herbal paste before sunrise on this day frees a person from sin and from the fear of hell, which is what "naraka" means. A lamp lit in the evening for Yama, the god of death, is meant to protect the family from untimely death.

In 2026 the festival falls on Sunday, 8 November. This year the Chaturdashi and Amavasya tithis sit so close together that many calendars place the morning bath of Naraka Chaturdashi and the evening Lakshmi Puja on the same date. Some regional panchangs mark the two a day apart, so families usually follow their own priest or local calendar.

History and story of Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)

The main story appears in the Bhagavata Purana and other Puranas. Narakasura was a mighty asura who ruled Pragjyotishpura, a kingdom that tradition places in present day Assam. Drunk on power, he attacked the heavens, seized the earrings of Aditi, mother of the gods, and held sixteen thousand women captive. Lord Krishna rode out against him on Garuda, with his wife Satyabhama beside him. After a fierce battle the demon was slain. In many versions Satyabhama strikes the final blow, because a boon said Narakasura could die only at his mother's hands, and Satyabhama is held to be a form of Bhudevi, the Earth goddess who bore him.

As he lay dying, Narakasura is said to have asked that his death be marked with lamps and joy instead of grief. Krishna returned at dawn and bathed with oil to wash off the grime of battle, which is why the pre-dawn oil bath became the heart of the festival. He also freed the captive women and, to protect their honour, accepted them as his queens.

A second tradition links the day to Yama. Several Puranic texts say that a lamp offered to Yama on this night shields the household from early death. In Bengal, the night is tied to the ancestors and to Goddess Kali, whose puja follows on Amavasya. Some North Indian traditions also observe Hanuman Jayanti on this date.

How Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) is celebrated

The day starts well before sunrise with abhyanga snan. Family members massage their bodies with sesame oil and then scrub with ubtan, a paste of gram flour, turmeric, sandalwood and herbs, before bathing. In Maharashtra, people crush a small bitter fruit called karit under the foot before the bath, a symbol of crushing Narakasura. Some families also follow the old custom of touching a twig of apamarga, a wild herb, to the body during the bath.

After the bath, people wear new or freshly washed clothes and visit temples of Krishna, Kali or Hanuman. Homes get a final cleaning, and rangoli is drawn at the entrance. In many North Indian homes, a four faced lamp for Yama is lit after dark and placed outside facing south, the direction linked with Yama, though some families light it on Dhanteras instead. Rows of earthen diyas are lit around the house as a lead up to the main Diwali night.

Food and customs vary. North Indian kitchens are busy with sweets and namkeen for Diwali. Women in many homes use the day for beauty rituals, which is why the name Roop Chaudas, the day of beauty, is popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Small crackers and sparklers are common in the evening, though many cities now limit them because of air pollution.

Important days and moments

Abhyanga snan (Before sunrise, Sunday 8 November 2026)
An oil massage and ubtan scrub are followed by a bath, believed to wash away sin and mark Krishna's victory over Narakasura.
Narakasura effigy burning (Pre-dawn, Goa)
Large paper and straw effigies of the demon, built by local youth, are set alight in streets and village squares.
Yama deepam (After sunset)
A four faced lamp is placed outside the home facing south as a prayer to Yama for the family's long life.
Lakshmi Puja (Evening of 8 November 2026 in many calendars)
In 2026 many calendars mark Diwali's main puja on the same date, so the Choti Diwali lamps lead straight into Lakshmi worship.

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) across India

In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh, Naraka Chaturdashi is the main Deepavali day. Tamil families wake before dawn for the Ganga snanam oil bath, wear new clothes, burst crackers early in the morning and share sweets such as adhirasam and murukku. Friends greet each other by asking "Ganga snanam aacha?", meaning "Have you had your holy bath?"

In Goa, villages and town wards build tall effigies of Narakasura from paper and straw and burn them before dawn. In Bengal, the day is Bhoot Chaturdashi. Families light fourteen lamps and eat a dish of fourteen leafy greens in memory of fourteen generations of ancestors. In Gujarat, Kali Chaudas is a day to pray to Hanuman and Kali for protection.

In Uttarakhand and the rest of North India, the day is simply Choti Diwali. In Dehradun, markets stay crowded till late as families finish their festive shopping, and homes light the first rows of diyas.

Diwali festival days in 2026

Dhanteras: Friday, 6 November 2026
Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali): Sunday, 8 November 2026
Lakshmi Puja: Sunday, 8 November 2026
Govardhan Puja: Monday, 9 November 2026
Bhai Dooj: Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Diwali (main day)

Other names and related festivals

Bhoot Chaturdashi
Choti Diwali
Choti Diwali
Kali Chaudas
Narak Chaturdashi
Naraka Chaturdashi
Roop Chaudas
Roop Chaudas

Dhanteras 6 Nov 2026
Lakshmi Puja 8 Nov 2026
Govardhan Puja 9 Nov 2026
Diwali 8 Nov 2026
Bhai Dooj 11 Nov 2026
Igas Bagwal (Budhi Diwali)

Frequently asked questions

When is Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) in 2026?

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026.

Is Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) a bank holiday?

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) falls on a Sunday in 2026, when banks are closed anyway.

Where is Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) a restricted holiday?

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) is a restricted (optional) holiday for state government employees in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Telangana in 2026: employees may take it off, but offices stay open.

Is Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) a central government holiday?

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) is a restricted holiday. Central government employees may take it as one of their two restricted holidays in the year.

Is the stock market closed on Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)?

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) falls on a Sunday, when the markets are closed anyway.

What are the other names of Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)?

Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) is also known as Bhoot Chaturdashi, Choti Diwali, Kali Chaudas, Narak Chaturdashi, Naraka Chaturdashi, Roop Chaudas.

Why is Naraka Chaturdashi celebrated?

It celebrates Lord Krishna and Satyabhama's victory over the demon Narakasura. The day stands for removing evil and impurity before the main Diwali night.

Why is an oil bath taken on Naraka Chaturdashi?

Tradition says Krishna took an oil bath at dawn after killing Narakasura. Devotees believe the pre-dawn bath with oil and ubtan cleanses body and mind and frees one from sin.

Is Choti Diwali the same as Naraka Chaturdashi?

Yes. North India calls it Choti Diwali, while it is also known as Roop Chaudas, Kali Chaudas and Bhoot Chaturdashi in other regions.

Are Naraka Chaturdashi and Diwali on the same day in 2026?

Many calendars list both on Sunday, 8 November 2026, with the oil bath in the morning and Lakshmi Puja in the evening. Some regional panchangs differ by a day, so check your local calendar.