Diwali Calendar 2036
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 2036, from Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on 16 October through Labh Pancham on 24 October. October holds the most with 11 dates. The year runs through Vikram Samvat 2092 – 2093.
October 2036
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Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)
Tithi 3:43 AM, Oct 16 – 1:04 AM, Oct 17
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 1:02 AM, Oct 17 – 10:19 PM, Oct 17
The first day of Diwali — gold, silver and new utensils are bought to invite prosperity.
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Bhoot Chaturdashi
Tithi 1:02 AM, Oct 17 – 10:19 PM, Oct 17
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 1:02 AM, Oct 17 – 10:19 PM, Oct 17
The night before Diwali's Amavasya, Goddess Kali is worshipped to destroy negativity; sleep and laziness (alasya) are symbolically driven from the home.
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Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan)
Tithi 10:19 PM, Oct 17 – 7:40 PM, Oct 18
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 10:19 PM, Oct 17 – 7:40 PM, Oct 18
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 10:19 PM, Oct 17 – 7:40 PM, Oct 18
On Diwali's new-moon night, Goddess Kali is worshipped through the night across Bengal.
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Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Tithi 5:15 PM, Oct 19 – 3:18 PM, Oct 20
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 5:15 PM, Oct 19 – 3:18 PM, Oct 20
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 3:12 PM, Oct 20 – 1:51 PM, Oct 21
Sisters apply a tilak and pray for their brothers' well-being, closing the Diwali festival.
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Labh Pancham
Tithi 12:52 PM, Oct 23 – 1:48 PM, Oct 24
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 the sky brings in 2036
Beyond the dates the Diwali Calendar lists, 2036 brings 5 eclipses - 3 solar and 2 lunar - of which 2 are above the horizon somewhere in India. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) falls on 18 October, 11 days earlier in the year than in 2035 - a lunar year runs about eleven days short of a solar one.
Eclipses of 2036
| Date (IST) | Eclipse | Hindu date | Seen from India |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 3:41 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Magha Krishna Pratipada | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 27 Feb 10:15 AM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Phalguna Amavasya | Not visible |
| 23 Jul 4:00 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Shravana Amavasya | Not visible |
| 7 Aug 8:21 AM | Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan) | Shravana Purnima | Yes - Sutak observed |
| 21 Aug 10:54 PM | Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan) | Bhadrapada Amavasya | Not visible |
Sutak Kaal is observed for 2 of these.
Guru and Shani in 2036
| Date | Graha | Sign change |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 4:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mesha → Vrishabha |
| 27 Aug 8:40 PM | Shani (Saturn) | Karka → Simha |
| 10 Sep 12:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Vrishabha → Mithuna |
| 17 Nov 6:00 AM | Guru (Jupiter) | Mithuna → Vrishabha re-entry while retrograde |
Jupiter takes about a year to cross a sign, Saturn about two and a half. Rahu enters Karka on 24 March 2036, carrying the eclipse axis with it.
Frequently asked questions about the Diwali Calendar 2036
How many festivals and vrats does the Diwali Calendar list in 2036?
The Diwali Calendar lists 11 dates in 2036. The first is Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) on Thursday, 16 October 2036, and the last is Labh Pancham on Friday, 24 October 2036.
What are the main festival dates in the Diwali Calendar for 2036?
The first major observances of 2036 are:
- Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi) - Thursday, 16 October 2036
- Bhoot Chaturdashi - Friday, 17 October 2036
- Dhanteras - Friday, 17 October 2036
- Kali Chaudas - Friday, 17 October 2036
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) - Saturday, 18 October 2036
- Kali Puja - Saturday, 18 October 2036
Which month of 2036 has the most observances in the Diwali Calendar?
October 2036 is the fullest month with 11 dates, including Vasubaras / Vagh Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi), Bhoot Chaturdashi, Dhanteras, Kali Chaudas, Diwali (Lakshmi Puja), Kali Puja, Narak Chaturdashi (Abhyang Snan), Bali Pratipada (Diwali Padwa / Bestu Varas).
Which traditional year does 2036 correspond to in the Diwali Calendar?
The Gregorian year 2036 spans Vikram Samvat 2092 – 2093. 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.
Will there be an Adhik Maas in 2036?
No. 2036 has 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.
Will there be any eclipses in 2036?
2036 has 5 eclipses:
- 12 February 2036 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
- 27 February 2036 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 23 July 2036 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
- 7 August 2036 - Total lunar eclipse (Chandra Grahan), visible in India, so Sutak Kaal will be observed
- 21 August 2036 - Partial solar eclipse (Surya Grahan), not visible from India
Sutak Kaal is observed only for an eclipse actually visible where you are, so 2 of these will be kept in India.
Will Guru or Shani change sign in 2036?
Yes - 4 sign changes among the slow grahas in 2036:
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Vrishabha on 15 April 2036
- Shani (Saturn) enters Simha on 27 August 2036
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Mithuna on 10 September 2036
- Guru (Jupiter) enters Vrishabha on 17 November 2036, moving retrograde
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 2036 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.


