Diwali Calendar 1986
The Diwali festival calendar - the five days of Deepavali, from Dhanteras and Naraka Chaturdashi through Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, with the tithi for each day.
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 1986, from Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on 29 October through Labh Pancham on 6 November. November holds the most with 7 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2042 – 2043.
October 1986
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Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)
Tithi 6:59 PM, Oct 28 – 6:54 PM, Oct 29
The first day of Diwali, when cows and their calves are worshipped in gratitude for their nourishment — kept as Vasubaras in Maharashtra and Vagh Baras in Gujarat, where traders close the old account books.
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Dhanteras
Tithi 6:54 PM, Oct 29 – 6:03 PM, Oct 30
The first day of Diwali — gold, silver and new utensils are bought to invite prosperity.
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Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 6:03 PM, Oct 30 – 4:27 PM, Oct 31
On the eve of Kali Puja, fourteen lamps are lit and fourteen leafy greens eaten to honour ancestors and ward off evil spirits.
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Kali Chaudas
Tithi 6:03 PM, Oct 30 – 4:27 PM, Oct 31
The night before Diwali's Amavasya, Goddess Kali is worshipped to destroy negativity; sleep and laziness (alasya) are symbolically driven from the home.
November 1986
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Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan)
Tithi 4:30 PM, Oct 31 – 2:14 PM, Nov 1
Krishna's slaying of the demon Narakasura is marked with a pre-dawn ceremonial oil bath (abhyang snan, kept by Sindhis as Roop Chaudas) before the lamps of Diwali.
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Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)
Tithi 4:30 PM, Oct 31 – 2:14 PM, Nov 1
The festival of lights — homes glow with diyas and Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for wealth; Sindhis keep it as Diyari.
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Kali Puja
Tithi 4:30 PM, Oct 31 – 2:14 PM, Nov 1
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
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Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Tithi 2:19 PM, Nov 1 – 11:32 AM, Nov 2
Krishna lifting Govardhan hill is remembered with mountains of food offered to the deity.
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Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas)
Tithi 2:19 PM, Nov 1 – 11:32 AM, Nov 2
The Diwali Padwa honouring King Bali's return; wives perform aukshan (aarti) for their husbands and new account books and ventures are begun. In Gujarat this is Bestu Varas, the Gujarati New Year.
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Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej
Tithi 11:38 AM, Nov 2 – 8:31 AM, Nov 3
Sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' well-being, closing the Diwali festival.
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Labh Pancham
Tithi 10:55 PM, Nov 5 – 7:59 PM, Nov 6
The fifth day after Diwali (Kartik Shukla Panchami) — the auspicious day Gujarati traders reopen their shops and account books, praying to Lakshmi and Ganesha for profit (labh) in the new year.
Tithi start and end times are shown in your local time. Festival dates follow the standard Indian (sunrise) calendar and may vary by a day in other regions, and may differ slightly from regional almanacs (especially around an Adhik Maas).
What happened in the sky in 1986
Beyond the dates the Diwali Calendar lists, 1986 brought 4 eclipses - 2 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 were above the horizon somewhere in India. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) fell on 1 November, 11 days earlier in the year than in 1985 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 1986
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 11:50 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Chaitra Amavasya | Not visible |
| 24 Apr 6:12 PM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Vaishakha Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 4 Oct 12:35 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Ashwina Shukla Pratipada | Not visible |
| 18 Oct 12:47 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Kartika Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
Sutak Kaal was observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 1986
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jan 7:10 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Makara → Kumbha |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu entered Meena on 18 August 1986, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Related Calculators
Frequently asked questions about the Diwali Calendar 1986
How many festivals and vrats does the Diwali Calendar list in 1986?
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 1986. The first is Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on Wednesday, 29 October 1986, and the last is Labh Pancham on Thursday, 6 November 1986.
What are the main festival dates in the Diwali Calendar for 1986?
The first major observances of 1986 are:
- Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) - Wednesday, 29 October 1986
- Dhanteras - Thursday, 30 October 1986
- Bhoot Chaturdashi - Friday, 31 October 1986
- Kali Chaudas - Friday, 31 October 1986
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) - Saturday, 1 November 1986
- Kali Puja - Saturday, 1 November 1986
Which month of 1986 has the most observances in the Diwali Calendar?
November 1986 is the fullest month with 7 dates, including Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Kali Puja, Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan), Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas), Govardhan Puja / Annakut, Bhai Dooj / Bhau Beej, Labh Pancham.
Which traditional year does 1986 correspond to in the Diwali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 1986 spans Vikram Samvat 2042 – 2043. The traditional year does not begin on 1 January, so one Gregorian year usually covers the end of one era year and the start of the next.
Did 1986 have an Adhik Maas?
No. 1986 had twelve lunar months with no Adhik Maas, so its festival dates fall in their usual Gregorian window rather than being pushed later by an intercalary month.
Were there any eclipses in 1986?
1986 had 4 eclipses:
- 9 April 1986 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 24 April 1986 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
- 4 October 1986 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 18 October 1986 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal was observed
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 2 of these were kept in India.
Did Guru or Shani change sign in 1986?
Yes - 1 sign change among the slow grahas in 1986:
- Guru (Jupiter) entered Kumbha on 25 January 1986
Jupiter takes about a year to cross one sign and Saturn about two and a half, so these transits colour the whole year rather than a single week.
Are these 1986 dates the same everywhere?
The dates follow the standard Indian sunrise-based calendar. Because a tithi begins and ends at a fixed moment rather than at midnight, an observance can fall a day earlier or later where sunrise differs - most noticeably outside India. Set your city in the box at the top to see the start and end times in your own local time, and check the daily Panchang for the exact window on the day.
About the Diwali Calendar
The Diwali festival calendar - the five days of Deepavali, from Dhanteras and Naraka Chaturdashi through Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, with the tithi for each day.
Each entry lists the festival or vrat with its date, the prevailing tithi, and a short note on the observance. Use the year links to plan ahead into the coming years or to look up a date from the archive.
This list is the festival dates, not the daily five limbs. For sunrise, Rahu Kalam and the day's yoga, open the Panchang. Other calendars are on the Calendars index. The story of a fast is under Vrat Katha.
