Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, and Telugu families should plan the traditional pre-dawn Abhyanga Snanam before sunrise. This year needs extra care because Naraka Chaturdashi in the morning and Deepavali Lakshmi Puja in the evening fall on the same Gregorian date.
For Hyderabad, Drik Panchang lists the Abhyanga Snan window as 5:19 AM to 6:18 AM. The Chaturdashi tithi runs from about 10:47 AM on 7 November until about 11:27–11:28 AM on 8 November. Exact clock times can differ slightly between panchang systems and cities, so use your local Telugu Panchangam for the final household muhurtham.
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Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 at a Glance
- Date: Sunday, 8 November 2026
- Telugu tithi: Ashwayuja Bahula Chaturdashi in the Amanta calendar used in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- Chaturdashi begins: about 10:47 AM on Saturday, 7 November
- Chaturdashi ends: about 11:27–11:28 AM on Sunday, 8 November
- Hyderabad Abhyanga Snanam: Drik Panchang lists 5:19 AM to 6:18 AM
- Main practice: pre-dawn oil bath, prayers, new clothes, lamps, sweets, and family worship
- Also called: Narak Chaturdashi, Naraka Chaturdasi, Choti Diwali, Roop Chaudas, and Kali Chaudas in different regions
Multiple current panchang sources support the date. Drik Panchang’s Hyderabad page places the observance on 8 November. Dev Panchang’s Hyderabad calendar also shows Krishna Chaturdashi at sunrise on the same date.
Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 Date and Telugu Tithi
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana observe Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 on Sunday, 8 November. In the Telugu Amanta calendar, the relevant lunar day is Ashwayuja Bahula Chaturdashi, or the fourteenth tithi of the dark fortnight. North Indian Purnimanta calendars may label the same tithi under Kartika, which explains a common month-name mismatch online.
The tithi begins during the late morning of 7 November and continues past sunrise on 8 November. That sunrise presence is crucial for the pre-dawn observance. Since Amavasya starts later on 8 November, Lakshmi Puja can also fall on the evening of 8 November.
| Festival point | 2026 timing | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Chaturdashi starts | 7 November, about 10:47 AM | Clock can vary by a minute or more by source |
| Abhyanga Snanam | 8 November, before sunrise | Hyderabad source window: 5:19–6:18 AM |
| Chaturdashi ends | 8 November, about 11:27–11:28 AM | Amavasya follows |
| Deepavali Lakshmi Puja | 8 November, evening | Use city-specific Pradosh Kaal |
Why some pages show 7 November instead
Some 2026 pages still list Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday, 7 November. That usually happens when a calendar uses the tithi start date instead of the festival rule tied to pre-dawn Chaturdashi. For Telugu households, the practical observance is the oil bath before sunrise while Chaturdashi is still running, which places it on Sunday morning.
This is also why copying a generic “Chaturdashi starts on 7 November” line can mislead readers. The tithi starts on the 7th, yet the Naraka Chaturdashi morning observance falls on the 8th. Always separate the tithi start date from the observance date.
Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 Abhyanga Snanam Muhurtham
For Hyderabad, Drik Panchang gives 5:19 AM to 6:18 AM as the Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 Abhyanga Snanam muhurtham. This window follows the pre-sunrise period while Chaturdashi prevails. Do not copy it as a fixed time for every city in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana.
City sunrise and moonrise change across the Telugu states, so local muhurtham shifts too. Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Warangal, and other cities can differ by several minutes. If your family follows a printed Panchangam or a particular sampradaya, use that local convention when it differs from a national calendar.
Telugu quick reference
నరక చతుర్దశి 2026 తేదీ: ఆదివారం, 8 నవంబర్ 2026. తైలాభ్యంగన స్నానం: సూర్యోదయానికి ముందు, స్థానిక పంచాంగ సమయం ప్రకారం చేయడం సంప్రదాయం. హైదరాబాద్ కోసం Drik Panchang 5:19 AM నుంచి 6:18 AM వరకు సూచిస్తుంది.
Do not treat a single nationwide clock time as compulsory. The dependable rule is the pre-dawn bath while Chaturdashi is active. That rule is more useful than copying a Delhi or another-city muhurtham into a Telugu calendar.
Why Naraka Chaturdashi and Deepavali Fall on the Same Date in 2026
Naraka Chaturdashi and Deepavali can share one civil date when Chaturdashi remains at sunrise but Amavasya takes over before the evening Lakshmi Puja period. That is exactly the pattern in 2026. Naraka Chaturdashi belongs to the pre-dawn morning, while Lakshmi Puja belongs to the evening after Amavasya begins.
This corrects a weak line in the older version of this article, which said Naraka Chaturdashi is simply “the day before Deepavali.” That can be true in many years, yet it is not a safe rule for every Gregorian calendar date. Festival selection follows tithi and ritual time, not midnight.
If you are planning the evening worship too, the site’s Dhana Lakshmi Pooja procedure in Telugu covers the Lakshmi Puja sequence and its separate evening timing.
Why Is Naraka Chaturdashi Celebrated?
Popular Telugu and South Indian tradition links Naraka Chaturdashi with Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasura. Many retellings also give Satyabhama an important role in the battle. The festival therefore carries the theme of removing darkness, arrogance, and harm before the lights of Deepavali.
Families mark the morning with an oil bath, clean clothes, sweets, lamps, and prayer. These practices are religious and cultural traditions rather than guaranteed spiritual outcomes. Customs can differ by family, region, and sampradaya, so there is no single compulsory household ritual sequence.
Is Naraka Chaturdashi the same as Choti Diwali?
Often yes, but the regional meaning changes. North Indian calendars commonly use the name Choti Diwali for the day associated with Krishna Chaturdashi. Telugu families more often connect Naraka Chaturdashi directly with the early-morning Deepavali celebration, including the oil bath and festive start before sunrise.
Kali Chaudas and Roop Chaudas are also used in parts of India. These names may carry different local rituals, so avoid assuming every custom belongs to the Telugu observance.
How to Observe Naraka Chaturdashi at Home
A simple home observance can stay focused on the pre-dawn oil bath, prayer, lamps, food, and family tradition. You do not need an elaborate setup. If your family follows a specific vrata or priest-led procedure, keep that inherited practice rather than replacing it with a generic internet list.
- Prepare the night before. Keep sesame oil, bath items, clean clothes, lamps, flowers, and sweets ready so the pre-dawn period stays calm.
- Wake before sunrise. Check the local muhurtham first because city timings differ.
- Apply oil before the bath. Sesame oil is traditionally used for the Abhyanga Snanam in many families.
- Take a safe warm-water bath. Complete it before local sunrise if your family follows the standard Naraka Chaturdashi practice.
- Wear clean or new clothes. Families then offer prayers, light lamps, and share festive food.
- Follow household custom. Some families add Yama-related prayers, Krishna worship, or specific naivedyam based on tradition.
For related Deepavali worship, you may also want the Kedara Gowri Vratham 2026 guide. That observance is tied to Deepavali Amavasya and has its own fasting and puja rules.
What the Old 2022 Article Got Right — and What Needed Updating
The earlier post correctly recorded 24 October as the 2022 Naraka Chaturdashi date. That fact belonged to 2022, however, and should never be carried forward to 2026. Lunar festival dates shift each year, so a year-stamped timing page becomes stale unless every tithi is recalculated.
The old page was also too thin for a reader trying to plan the day. It gave the date but no usable Abhyanga Snanam window, no Telugu calendar explanation, and no warning about location-based muhurtham. It also said Naraka Chaturdashi is the day before Deepavali without explaining years when both observances share one civil date.
This refresh removes that link because Temples Map should remain an information guide, not a booking or priest-contact channel.
Common Date and Muhurtham Mistakes to Avoid
The biggest mistake is treating the tithi start date as the festival date. In 2026, Chaturdashi begins on 7 November, but the pre-dawn Naraka Chaturdashi observance falls on 8 November. Another mistake is copying one city’s sunrise-based muhurtham across all of India.
Do not mix the North Indian Purnimanta month label with the Telugu Amanta month label either. The same astronomical tithi can be called Kartika Krishna Chaturdashi in one system and Ashwayuja Bahula Chaturdashi in the Telugu Amanta system. The date can still be the same.
- Do not reuse 2022, 2025, or any older date for 2026.
- Do not assume Naraka Chaturdashi is always one Gregorian day before Lakshmi Puja.
- Do not use a Delhi muhurtham as Hyderabad or Vijayawada time.
- Do not treat a regional custom as a universal Hindu rule.
- Do not follow a social-media image unless its city, year, and panchang source are clear.
Deepavali Safety for the Early-Morning Celebration
Abhyanga Snanam can make bathroom floors slippery, so use extra care with children, older adults, and anyone with limited mobility. Warm water is a safer practical choice in cool weather, while family members with medical concerns should follow their doctor’s advice rather than force a ritual practice.
If your family uses fireworks, keep them outdoors and away from lamps, vehicles, balconies, dry leaves, and crowded entrances. Children need close adult supervision. Local firecracker and air-quality restrictions can change, so follow the latest municipal, police, and pollution-control directions in your city.
What Comes After Naraka Chaturdashi?
Deepavali evening follows on the same date in 2026, with Lakshmi Puja during the local Pradosh period. Telugu Karthika Masam begins only after the Amavasya phase clears and Shuddha Padyami takes over according to the local calendar. The site’s Karthika Masam 2026 guide for Andhra Pradesh explains that transition in detail.
This sequencing matters because many online calendars compress several observances into a simple five-day graphic. Those graphics are useful for overview, yet they can hide the tithi logic that decides the actual Telugu date.
Naraka Chaturdashi 2026: Final Planning Notes
Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 is best planned as a pre-dawn observance on Sunday, 8 November. For Hyderabad, Drik Panchang lists Abhyanga Snanam from 5:19 AM to 6:18 AM, while the Chaturdashi tithi continues until late morning. Confirm your own city’s Panchangam before fixing the clock time.
The most important 2026 detail is simple: Naraka Chaturdashi in the morning and Deepavali Lakshmi Puja in the evening share the same Gregorian date. Keep the ritual windows separate, follow your family tradition, and avoid copying older year-specific timings.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Naraka Chaturdashi 2026?
Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026 in India. The Chaturdashi tithi is active at sunrise that morning, which supports the traditional pre-dawn observance. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana families should still check their city-specific Panchangam for the exact bath window.
What is the Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 muhurtham in Hyderabad?
Drik Panchang lists the Hyderabad Abhyanga Snanam muhurtham as 5:19 AM to 6:18 AM on 8 November 2026. Other panchang systems can differ slightly because of calculation conventions. Treat this as a Hyderabad source timing, not a universal time for every Telugu city.
Does Naraka Chaturdashi fall on 7 or 8 November 2026?
The festival observance falls on 8 November 2026, although the Chaturdashi tithi begins on 7 November. The distinction matters because Naraka Chaturdashi is tied to the pre-dawn period while Chaturdashi prevails. A page that only quotes the tithi start can therefore show the wrong festival date.
What is Naraka Chaturdashi called in Telugu?
It is written as నరక చతుర్దశి and is associated with తైలాభ్యంగన స్నానం, the traditional oil bath before sunrise. In the Telugu Amanta calendar, the lunar day is Ashwayuja Bahula Chaturdashi. Family customs may add Krishna worship, lamps, sweets, and other inherited practices.
Are Naraka Chaturdashi and Deepavali on the same day in 2026?
Yes, they share the same Gregorian date in 2026. Naraka Chaturdashi is observed in the pre-dawn hours on 8 November, while Deepavali Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening after Amavasya begins. The ritual periods, not midnight, decide the observance.
Should Abhyanga Snanam be done before sunrise?
Yes, the common Naraka Chaturdashi tradition places Abhyanga Snanam before sunrise while Chaturdashi is still active. Exact city timing changes with local sunrise and panchang calculations. If your family Panchangam gives a different accepted window, follow that local tradition.
Why does the Telugu month name differ from some North Indian calendars?
Telugu calendars generally follow the Amanta month system, while many North Indian calendars use Purnimanta reckoning. Therefore, the same Chaturdashi can carry a different month label without being a different astronomical day. For Telugu readers, Ashwayuja Bahula Chaturdashi is the relevant label here.
Can I use the 2022 Naraka Chaturdashi timings for 2026?
No. The 24 October 2022 date and its muhurtham belonged only to that year’s lunar cycle. Naraka Chaturdashi 2026 falls on 8 November, so every timing must come from a 2026 Panchangam. Reusing an old festival calendar is one of the easiest ways to publish the wrong date.