Overview
- Drik Panchang lists the Amavasya tithi from 3:44 pm on October 20 to 5:54 pm on October 21, underpinning the date selection.
- Most of India will perform Lakshmi Puja on October 20, while Kolkata and Bhubaneswar observe it on October 21 with city muhurats around 5:06–5:54 pm and 5:19–5:54 pm respectively.
- The five-day festival spans October 18–23, with Dhanteras on October 18, Diwali on October 20, Govardhan Puja on October 22, and Bhai Dooj on October 23; many guides place Naraka Chaturdashi on October 19 with Abhyanga Snan rituals.
- Administrative updates include Rajasthan schools beginning Diwali holidays on October 13, with Bihar closing October 20–29 and Uttar Pradesh listing October 20, 22, and 23 as festival holidays.
- City guides highlight preparations such as Ayodhya’s Deepotsav from October 18–20, and related observances note Varanasi’s Dev Deepawali on November 5.