Diwali Countdown

About the Diwali countdown

How many days until Diwali? This page shows it live: days, hours, minutes and seconds until Diwali, on the clock of your own device. Diwali 2027 is on Friday, October 29, 2027.

Diwali, or Deepavali, is the Hindu festival of lights. Families light clay lamps (diyas), make rangoli, share sweets and pray to the goddess Lakshmi in the evening. It is also a big day for Sikhs, Jains and many Buddhists. The board counts to the main day, the day of Lakshmi Puja, or to its evening, with a row of glowing diyas.

Features

• Live countdown — days, hours, minutes and seconds, updated every second
• Day or evening — count to the start of Diwali day, or to the evening puja (about 6 pm)
• Diwali dates to 2035 — from Indian calendars, this year's and the next two shown under the board
• Glowing diyas — a row of clay lamps with flickering flames and rising sparks, which you can turn off
• Six styles — Diya glow, Rangoli, Marigold, Festival of lights, Royal purple and Minimal
• Sleeps — how many nights are left, for children waiting for the sweets and the lights
• Full screen and Keep the screen on — for a temple hall, a classroom, a shop or the family TV

When is Diwali?

Diwali falls on the new moon (Amavasya) of the Hindu month of Kartika, so its date changes every year, between mid-October and mid-November. The dates below are the day of Lakshmi Puja, as Indian calendars give it for New Delhi.

The date can differ by one day. The puja is done in the evening when the new moon day (the tithi) covers the time after sunset. That depends on where you are, so a calendar for the US, the UK or another part of India can give the day before or after — 2031 is on November 13 in some US calendars. Your local temple or family calendar has the final word.

The five days of Diwali

Diwali is the third day of a five-day festival. The days follow the moon, so they are usually, but not always, one day apart.

• Dhanteras — people buy gold, silver or new pots for good luck
• Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — the "small Diwali", with the first lamps
• Diwali, Lakshmi Puja — the main day: lamps, rangoli, the evening puja, sweets and fireworks
• Govardhan Puja — in Gujarat also the first day of the new year
• Bhai Dooj — sisters and brothers honor each other

Six styles

• Diya glow — a warm purple night with a golden glow at the bottom
• Rangoli — bright pink, orange and teal with circle patterns
• Marigold — a garland of orange flowers across the top
• Festival of lights — a dark night sky with soft colored lights
• Royal purple — deep purple with a gold frame
• Minimal — plain and clean, in your page's light or dark colors

Ideas for the countdown

• Family — count the sleeps with the children, then make rangoli and light the diyas together
• Temple or community hall — show the board on a big screen before the celebration
• School — teach the class about the festival of lights while the days count down
• Cards and gifts — make a Diwali card with the Greeting Card Maker
• Plan the sweets — plan the menu and the shopping with the Meal Planner

Frequently asked questions

How many days until Diwali?

The big numbers at the top of this page show it, live, on your own clock. By default they count to the start of the day of Lakshmi Puja.

When is Diwali 2027?

Diwali 2027 is on Friday, October 29, 2027, the day of Lakshmi Puja. Dhanteras is usually two days before.

Why does the Diwali date change every year?

Diwali follows the Hindu lunar calendar. It is on the new moon of the month of Kartika (Ashvin in some regions), so it moves around in October and November, like Easter or Ramadan in their calendars.

Why do some calendars say a different day?

The puja must be done when the new moon day covers the evening after sunset. Sunset is at different times in different places, so two cities can pick two different days. This page uses the dates for New Delhi; the note under the board says so.

Is Diwali on the same day in the US and the UK?

Usually yes, but not always. Calendars made for the US can be one day earlier, because the new moon starts on the evening before there. Check with your local temple.

When is Deepavali in South India and Singapore?

Deepavali in Tamil Nadu, Malaysia and Singapore is often celebrated a day earlier, on Naraka Chaturdashi, the day before Lakshmi Puja. Use Countdown to Date for that day.

Related tools

• Chinese New Year Countdown — another festival that follows the moon
• Hanukkah Countdown — the Jewish festival of lights
• Greeting Card Maker — make a printable Diwali card
• Moon Phase Calculator — see the new moon on any date
• Countdown to Date — count down to any day

How to use it

• Open the page — the countdown starts by itself
• Under Count down to, choose Diwali (the day) or Diwali evening (the puja)
• Pick a style: Diya glow, Rangoli, Marigold, Festival of lights, Royal purple or Minimal
• Turn the diyas and the sound on or off
• Press Full screen to show it on a big screen; press Esc to go back