Diwali 2027: Date, Lakshmi Puja Time, Puja Vidhi & Sanskrit Mantras
Diwali 2027 is on Wednesday, October 20, 2027. The Lakshmi puja muhurat (Pradosh Kaal) is 5:43 PM – 8:15 PM. This is the complete guide: exact dates for all 5 days, step-by-step Lakshmi puja vidhi, Sanskrit mantras, and the deep meaning of Deepavali.
🪔 Diwali 2027 — All 5 Days
Dhanteras (Dhanatrayodashi)
Monday, October 18
Puja muhurat: 6:30–8:10 PM
Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)
Tuesday, October 19
Abhyang snan before sunrise
Diwali — Lakshmi Puja ⭐
Wednesday, October 20
Pradosh Kaal puja: 5:43–8:15 PM
Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Thursday, October 21
Also: Gujarati New Year 2084
Bhai Dooj (Yama Dwitiya)
Friday, October 22
Tilak between siblings
Timings are approximate IST. Confirm with your local panchangam.
What Does "Diwali" Mean in Sanskrit?
| Word | Sanskrit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| दीपावली | Dīpāvalī | The Sanskrit origin of Diwali. Dīpa (lamp) + Āvalī (row/series). "A row of lamps." From √dīp (to shine, to illuminate) + āvalī from ava + √lī (to lie arranged). The rows of diyas lighting every home, every street. |
| दीप | Dīpa | Lamp — from √dīp (to shine, to glow). The diya is the central symbol of Diwali. In Sanskrit philosophy, the lamp (jyoti) represents the Atman — the inner light that darkness cannot extinguish. |
| लक्ष्मी | Lakṣmī | The goddess of prosperity. From √lakṣ (to mark, to perceive, to observe) — she who is seen by all, the visible manifestation of abundance. Her name also connects to lakṣaṇa (sign/mark) — she is the auspicious mark of the divine. |
| कार्तिक | Kārtika | The 8th Hindu month (Oct–Nov). Named after the Kartika (Pleiades) constellation. Diwali falls on Kartik Amavasya — the new moon of this month. Kartik is the holiest month in the Vaishnava calendar. |
| अमावस्या | Amāvasyā | New moon — from ama (together) + vas (to dwell) — the night when the sun and moon dwell together. The darkest night of the month. Diwali deliberately celebrates on the darkest night — the rows of lights triumph over the greatest darkness. |
| धन | Dhana | Wealth — from √dhan (to gain, to succeed). Dhanteras = Dhana + Teras (13th tithi). The day of worshipping wealth as sacred rather than merely material. Lakshmi is not just money — dhana includes all resources: knowledge, health, relationships. |
Lakshmi Puja Vidhi — Step by Step
Clean and Decorate the Home
Clean the home completely before Diwali — Lakshmi does not enter dirty homes. Place rangoli at the entrance with auspicious symbols: lotus, swastika (a Sanskrit symbol of well-being from √su + asti = "may it be well"), and footprints leading inward. Light diyas at the door, windows, and puja room.
Set Up the Puja Altar
Place idols or images of Lakshmi, Ganesha, and Kubera on a red or yellow cloth. Ganesha is worshipped first (as remover of obstacles). Place coins, account books (Bahi Khata), and tools of livelihood near the idols — all will receive Lakshmi's blessing.
Panchamrita Abhishek
Bathe the Lakshmi idol with panchamrita (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) then with clean water. Wipe dry and dress in a new cloth or place a fresh flower garland. Offer lotus flowers, marigold, and white flowers — Lakshmi loves lotuses.
Offer 16 Upacharas
The full Shodashopachara puja (षोडशोपचार — 16 offerings): invite (Avahana), seat (Asana), water for feet (Padya), water for hands (Arghya), water for mouth (Achamana), bath (Snana), clothes (Vastra), sacred thread (Yajnopavita), sandalwood (Chandana), flowers (Pushpa), incense (Dhupa), lamp (Dipa), food (Naivedya), betel leaf (Tambula), circumambulation (Pradakshina), obeisance (Namaskara).
Naivedya — The Food Offering
Offer kheel (puffed rice), batasha (sugar drops), makhana (lotus seeds), dry fruits, mithai, and a glass of water or milk. After the puja, this becomes prasad. In South India, tamarind rice and coconut rice are traditional Diwali naivedya.
Lakshmi Aarti
Perform Lakshmi aarti with a 5-wick lamp (pancha-aarti). Sing "Om Jai Lakshmi Mata" during the Pradosh Kaal (5:43–8:15 PM). Ring the bell continuously. After the aarti, offer prasad to all family members and light all the diyas in the home.
Sanskrit Mantras for Diwali — Lakshmi Mantras
Maha Lakshmi Mool Mantra
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमले कमलालये प्रसीद प्रसीद ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः॥
Om Śrīṃ Hrīṃ Śrīṃ Kamale Kamalālaye Prasīda Prasīda | Om Śrīṃ Hrīṃ Śrīṃ Mahālakṣmyai Namaḥ ||
"Om. Śrīṃ (bija of Lakshmi), Hrīṃ (bija of Maya/power). She who dwells in the lotus, in the home of the lotus — be pleased, be pleased. Salutations to the great Lakshmi." Śrīṃ is the seed syllable of Lakshmi — the sound of her essence. Chant 108 times during puja.
Lakshmi Ashtakam — Key Verse
नमस्ते ऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते। शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते॥
Namaste'stu Mahāmāye Śrīpīṭhe Surapūjite | Śaṅkhacakragadāhaste Mahālakṣmi Namo'stu te ||
"Salutations to the great Maya who sits on the sacred seat, worshipped by the gods. Holding conch, chakra, and mace — O Great Lakshmi, I bow to you." From the Lakshmi Ashtakam. Recite all 8 verses on Diwali morning for year-round prosperity.
Kubera Mantra for Diwali
ॐ यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धन-धान्य-अधिपतये धन-धान्य-समृद्धिं मे देहि दापय स्वाहा
Om Yakṣāya Kuberāya Vaiśravaṇāya Dhana-Dhānya-Adhipataye Dhana-Dhānya-Samṛddhiṃ Me Dehi Dāpaya Svāhā
"Om, to the Yaksha, to Kubera, to Vaishravana, Lord of wealth and grain — give and grant me wealth and grain in abundance. Svaha!" Kubera is the treasurer of the gods. Chant during Dhanteras (Oct 18) and Diwali puja for financial prosperity.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Diwali 2027?
Diwali 2027 is on Wednesday, October 20, 2027. The Amavasya tithi begins October 19 at 7:12 PM and ends October 20 at 8:46 PM. The Lakshmi puja muhurat (Pradosh Kaal) is approximately 5:43 PM – 8:15 PM on October 20.
When is Dhanteras 2027?
Dhanteras 2027 is on Monday, October 18, 2027. The puja muhurat for buying gold, silver, and utensils and worshipping Dhanvantari and Kubera is approximately 6:30 PM – 8:10 PM on October 18.
What is the significance of lighting diyas on Diwali?
The diya (दीप) represents the Atman — the inner self. In the Chandogya Upanishad, Brahman (the supreme reality) is described as "smaller than the smallest, larger than the largest — a flame without smoke." Lighting a lamp on Diwali is not just decoration — it is the acknowledgment that the divine light lives within every being, and that light destroys darkness completely. One lamp can light a thousand others without losing its own light.
Why is Diwali on the new moon (Amavasya)?
The new moon (Amavasya) is the darkest night of the month — no moonlight at all. Diwali deliberately falls on this night to symbolise that even the greatest darkness can be defeated by a single lamp. The festival of lights is most powerful when the external darkness is greatest. This is also why ancestors (pitru) are remembered on Amavasya — Diwali includes the tradition of lighting a lamp to guide the ancestors' souls.
Is Diwali 2027 a public holiday?
Yes. Diwali is a gazetted national holiday across India. Schools, government offices, stock markets (BSE/NSE close at 6 PM for the muhurat trading session), and most businesses will be closed on October 20, 2027.
What are the 5 days of Diwali 2027?
Day 1 — Dhanteras (Oct 18): Buy gold, worship Dhanvantari and Kubera. Day 2 — Naraka Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali (Oct 19): Wake before sunrise, oil bath, firecrackers. Day 3 — Diwali / Lakshmi Puja (Oct 20): Main festival day. Day 4 — Govardhan Puja / Annakut (Oct 21): Also Gujarati New Year. Day 5 — Bhai Dooj / Yama Dwitiya (Oct 22): Siblings' festival.
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