Dhanteras 2026: Date, Puja Muhurat, Vidhi & Complete Guide

Dhanteras opens the five days of Diwali. It honours Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera as givers of prosperity and Lord Dhanvantari as the divine physician, and it is the most popular day of the year for buying gold, silver and new utensils.

What Is Dhanteras?

The name comes from Dhan (wealth) and Teras (thirteenth). The day is also called Dhanatrayodashi, as it falls on Trayodashi, the thirteenth lunar day of the dark fortnight of Kartik (in the purnimanta calendar used in North India; Ashvin in the amanta calendar). It is also observed as Dhanvantari Trayodashi or Dhanvantari Jayanti.

Dhanteras 2026: Date and Muhurat

City-wise Dhanteras puja muhurat, 6 November 2026

Source: Drik Panchang city calculations. Different panchangs may vary by a few minutes. If your city is not listed, use a panchang for your exact location.

The Deities of Dhanteras

Lord Dhanvantari

According to the Puranic story of the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan), Dhanvantari emerged on this day carrying the pot of amrit. He is revered as the physician of the gods and the patron deity of Ayurveda, and the Government of India observes the day as National Ayurveda Day. Devotees pray to him for wellbeing. Prayer is a devotional practice and not a substitute for medical care.

Goddess Lakshmi

Lakshmi, who also emerged from the churning of the ocean, is worshipped in the evening as the goddess of prosperity, abundance and good fortune.

Lord Kubera

Kubera is the treasurer of the gods and the guardian of wealth. He is worshipped alongside Lakshmi, and many families keep a Kubera yantra or coin in their safe.

Why People Buy on Dhanteras

Buying something new — especially metal — on Dhanteras is traditionally considered auspicious, a symbolic welcome to Lakshmi. A popular folk story tells of King Hima's son, who was destined to die on the fourth night of his marriage; his wife piled gold and silver at the door and kept lamps burning while singing all night, and Yama, dazzled, departed. The story also explains the custom of Yama Deepam.

Gold and silver

Gold and silver coins or jewellery are the most popular purchases. Silver coins with Lakshmi-Ganesha images are often used in the Diwali puja two days later.

Utensils

Brass, copper, steel or silver utensils are a traditional choice; many families buy a new vessel and fill it with something (rice or sweets) before bringing it home.

Other traditional purchases

• A broom (jhadu), considered a symbol of Lakshmi sweeping away poverty
• Whole coriander seeds (dhaniya), offered in puja and later sown
• Diyas, puja items and Lakshmi-Ganesha idols for Diwali
• Gomti chakra, cowries and other traditional puja items

What people traditionally avoid

Customs vary, but commonly avoided purchases or acts include sharp objects (knives, scissors), black items, glass and empty vessels brought home unfilled, as well as lending money on the day. These are folk beliefs rather than scriptural rules.

Home Preparation

• Clean the home thoroughly and decorate the entrance with rangoli and toran
• Draw small footprints of Lakshmi entering the home with rice paste or kumkum
• Arrange the puja space in the north or north-east

Dhanteras Puja Vidhi

Puja samagri

• Red cloth and chowki; images or idols of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera and Dhanvantari
• Kalash with water, mango leaves and coconut
• Roli, akshat, haldi, flowers, garland
• Ghee lamps (diyas), incense and camphor
• Newly purchased coins, jewellery or utensils
• Whole coriander, jaggery, sweets and fruits
• A four-wick earthen lamp for Yama Deepam

Steps

1. In the morning, some families perform a short Dhanvantari puja with tulsi, flowers and a prayer for wellbeing.

2. In the evening, during the muhurat, bathe and sit facing north or east.

3. Begin with Ganesha: offer akshat, flowers and a lamp.

4. Worship Lakshmi and Kubera with roli, flowers, sweets and the new coins or utensils placed before them.

5. Chant the mantras below, read the Dhanteras katha and perform aarti.

6. Light 13 diyas around the home, if that is your family custom.

Yama Deepam

After sunset, a four-wick lamp (often of flour dough or clay, fed with mustard or sesame oil) is lit outside the main entrance, facing south — the direction associated with Yama — with a prayer for the family's protection from untimely death. This is especially observed in North India; customs differ by region.

Dhanteras Mantras

Dhanteras and Diwali

Dhanteras is followed by Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali), Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj. Our guide to Rudraksha for Lakshmi Puja and Diwali explains how many devotees include the 7 Mukhi Rudraksha, traditionally associated with Goddess Mahalakshmi, in their Diwali worship.

Rudraksha on Dhanteras

Some families choose Dhanteras to bring home a sacred item instead of, or as well as, metal. Beads traditionally associated with prosperity include the 7 Mukhi (Lakshmi) and the 8 Mukhi and Ganesh Mukhi (Ganesha). See Wealth & Prosperity Rudraksha and our price guide. These are traditional associations, not guarantees of financial results.

Related Reading

• Pohela Boishakh 2027 guide
• Rudraksha for money: traditional guide
• Certified vs non-certified Rudraksha