Kali Chaudash 2026: Date, Muhurat, Puja Vidhi, Vrat Katha and Significance
Kali Chaudash 2026 falls on Saturday, November 7, 2026, observed on Chaturdashi Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the Kartik month. Also known as Narak Chaturdashi, Choti Diwali, and Roop Chaudash, this is the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight and falls one day before Diwali. In Gujarat, the day is specifically called Kali Chaudash and is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Kali in her most powerful form. Across the rest of India, the same day is observed as Narak Chaturdashi — marking Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura — and Choti Diwali, the beginning of the main Diwali illumination. Below you will find the exact date, Tithi timing, Kali Chaudash Muhurat, puja vidhi, stories behind the day, and how it is observed across India.
Kali Chaudash 2026 At a Glance
| Detail | Timing / Info |
|---|---|
| Festival | Kali Chaudash / Narak Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali |
| Date 2026 | Saturday, November 7, 2026 |
| Hindu Month | Kartik |
| Paksha | Krishna Paksha |
| Tithi | Chaturdashi |
| Chaturdashi Tithi Begins | Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 10:47 AM |
| Chaturdashi Tithi Ends | Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 11:27 AM |
| Kali Chaudash Muhurat | 11:58 PM to 12:49 AM |
Kali Chaudash Date and Tithi 2026
Kali Chaudash is observed on Chaturdashi Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the Kartik month. It falls the day after Dhanteras and the day before Diwali, making it the second day of the five-day Diwali festival season. This year, the Chaturdashi Tithi begins at Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 10:47 AM and ends at Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 11:27 AM, with Kali Chaudash falling on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
The Kali Chaudash Muhurat this year is 11:58 PM to 12:49 AM. This is the recommended window for performing the Kali puja and the Abhyanga Snan rituals associated with the day. In Gujarat, the midnight hours are considered especially powerful for Kali worship on this night, as Goddess Kali is believed to be most accessible to her devotees during the darkest part of the night.
What Is Kali Chaudash
Kali Chaudash is the Gujarati name for the fourteenth day of Krishna Paksha in Kartik, a day that carries different names and distinct emphases across regions. In Gujarat, the day centres on the worship of Goddess Kali, the fierce, dark-complexioned form of Durga who destroys evil and protects her devotees from dark forces. In Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and North India, the same day is known as Narak Chaturdashi, marking the killing of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna. In household terms across all regions, it is also called Choti Diwali because it is the night when lamp-lighting begins in earnest before the main Diwali the following night.
The day carries the energy of darkness overcome. Whether through the destruction of Narakasura by Krishna, the victory of Goddess Kali over the forces of evil, or the simple act of lighting diyas to push back the dark, Kali Chaudash is about the triumph of light and good over the most entrenched forms of darkness.
The Story of Narak Chaturdashi — Krishna and Narakasura
The story of Narak Chaturdashi comes from the Bhagavata Purana. Narakasura, the demon king of Pragjyotishpura, had accumulated enormous power through boons and had imprisoned sixteen thousand women in his kingdom. He had also stolen the earrings of Aditi, the mother of the gods, and taken the royal umbrella of Lord Indra. Despite warnings and requests from the gods, Narakasura refused to return what he had taken and continued his reign of terror.
Lord Krishna, accompanied by his wife Satyabhama, waged war against Narakasura on this day. Satyabhama who in some accounts was a reincarnation of Bhumi Devi, the earth goddess who was also Narakasura's mother, struck the killing blow herself, fulfilling a prophecy that Narakasura could only be killed by his own mother. After the demon was slain, the sixteen thousand women imprisoned by him were freed, and the stolen earrings and umbrella were returned.
The day after the battle, which is now celebrated as Diwali, Krishna and Satyabhama returned to Dwarka. The citizens of Dwarka celebrated their return with lamps and festivities. This is one explanation for why Narak Chaturdashi is followed immediately by Diwali.
The victory over Narakasura is seen as more than just a military defeat of a demon. Narakasura represented accumulated greed, arrogance, and the oppression of the innocent. His killing is understood as the removal of darkness from within the same darkness that Kali worship also addresses in its own way.
The Story of Goddess Kali and Kali Chaudash
In Gujarat, the Kali aspect of this day takes precedence over the Narakasura story. Goddess Kali is the most intense and powerful form of the divine feminine. She emerges when ordinary forms of the goddess are insufficient to defeat the forces arrayed against her. When Durga fought the demons Chanda and Munda, she summoned Kali from her own forehead to deal with the most destructive adversaries. When the demon Raktabija multiplied himself from every drop of his blood that touched the ground, it was Kali who spread her tongue across the battlefield to drink the blood before it could fall, preventing infinite multiplication.
Kali is worshipped on this night because the darkest night of the Diwali fortnight, the deepest darkness of Krishna Paksha just before the new moon — is considered her domain. She who destroys darkness is worshipped in darkness, and her presence on this night is believed to burn away the accumulated negative energy, fears, and obstacles that stand between her devotees and the light of Diwali the following day.
In the Kali Chaudash tradition of Gujarat, families often worship Kali at midnight, when her power is considered greatest. The puja involves offerings of red hibiscus, black sesame seeds, red vermilion, and a special lamp. Tantric practitioners observe this as one of the most important nights of the year for Kali sadhana.
Abhyanga Snan on Kali Chaudash — Narak Chaturdashi
One of the most widely observed rituals associated with Kali Chaudash and Narak Chaturdashi is the Abhyanga Snan, a ritual oil bath taken before sunrise. This tradition is connected directly to the Narakasura story. When Krishna killed Narakasura, he was covered in the demon's blood. Satyabhama massaged him with scented oils and bathed him to cleanse him of the blood of battle. The Abhyanga Snan on Narak Chaturdashi re-enacts this ritual cleansing.
The practice involves applying sesame oil or any aromatic oil to the body before sunrise, massaging it in thoroughly, and then bathing before the sun rises. In traditional households, the oil is warmed and applied by a family member, and the bath is taken using ubtan, a paste made from gram flour, turmeric, and fragrant herbs as a cleanser rather than soap.
The Abhyanga Snan is believed to wash away sins, negative energy, and the accumulated spiritual residue of the past year. It is also understood as a preparation of the body and mind for the brightness and prosperity of Diwali, which follows the next day. Many people consider the Abhyanga Snan incomplete without applying a tilak of red vermilion and getting dressed in new clothes before going about the day.
Kali Chaudash Muhurat 2026
The Kali Chaudash Muhurat this year is 11:58 PM to 12:49 AM. For Kali puja in Gujarat, the midnight period of Chaturdashi Tithi is the most powerful time. Those performing the formal Kali puja should plan around the Muhurat, while those observing Abhyanga Snan should aim to complete the oil bath and washing before sunrise.
The day has two main ritual windows: the pre-sunrise window for Abhyanga Snan and the evening or midnight window for the lamp-lighting and Kali puja. Both have their own significance, and many families observe both bathing before sunrise and performing the puja in the evening or at midnight.
Kali Chaudash Puja Vidhi
For the Kali puja on Kali Chaudash, start by cleaning the puja space thoroughly and placing an image or idol of Goddess Kali. Kali is typically depicted with dark skin, a garland of skulls, and a fierce expression she is not a gentle goddess but a powerful protector. The puja thali for Kali Chaudash should include: red hibiscus flowers, black sesame seeds, Kumkum, sindoor, a diya, incense, rice, sweets, fruits, and a small lamp specifically for Kali.
Light the diya and incense. Offer red hibiscus flowers to the goddess. Apply sindoor to the idol. Offer black sesame seeds as they are specifically associated with Kali worship and with the removal of negative planetary influences. Light the special Kali lamp and recite the following mantra:
Om Krim Kalikayai Namah — the primary beej mantra of Goddess Kali, chanted for protection from evil, removal of fear, and the destruction of obstacles.
Also recite:
Sarva Mangala Mangalye Shive Sarvartha Sadhike, Sharanye Tryambake Gauri Narayani Namostute a mantra from the Devi Mahatmya, offered to the goddess in all her forms, including Kali.
After the mantra and offerings, light fourteen small diyas. The number fourteen is significant on Chaturdashi; fourteen diyas are traditionally lit on this night in many households, one for each of the fourteen worlds in Hindu cosmology. Place these diyas at the entrance, on the windowsills, and in the puja space. In many homes, a separate diya is also placed at a four-way crossroads nearby as an offering to spirits and ancestors.
Fourteen Diyas on Kali Chaudash
The tradition of lighting fourteen diyas on Kali Chaudash is one of the most specific rituals of the day and is observed across many parts of India. The fourteen lamps represent the fourteen worlds or realms in Hindu cosmology the seven upper worlds and seven lower worlds. Lighting all fourteen is a way of invoking protection and light across every plane of existence, not just the physical world.
In some traditions, one of the fourteen diyas is placed facing south toward the realm of Yama as an extension of the Yamadeepa tradition from Dhanteras. Another is placed at the threshold of the home. Another near the tulsi plant if there is one. Each lamp placement has its own protective significance in the household observance.
Choti Diwali — The Night Before Diwali
Kali Chaudash is called Choti Diwali across much of India because it is the night when families begin lighting their homes with diyas ahead of the main Diwali the following night. While the full illumination is saved for Diwali, many households light a preliminary row of diyas on Choti Diwali to mark the beginning of the festival's brightest phase.
Children typically burst firecrackers on Choti Diwali, and many families get fully dressed in new clothes and visit relatives. In cities, the markets are at their busiest this evening, with last-minute shoppers completing Diwali purchases. The Choti Diwali evening has a sense of anticipation — everything is set up for the main Diwali, and the Kali Chaudash night is the last stretch before the full celebration arrives.
Roop Chaudash and Beauty Rituals
Kali Chaudash is also called Roop Chaudash in some traditions, particularly in Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh. Roop means beauty, and the day is associated with the Abhyanga Snan tradition of applying oil, bathing, and beautifying oneself before Diwali. The belief is that those who bathe with oil and ubtan on this Chaturdashi will be blessed with good health, a radiant appearance, and freedom from illness through the year.
In older Rajasthani tradition, Roop Chaudash was the day when women would apply elaborate herbal pastes to their skin and hair, preparing for the festive Diwali celebrations the following night. The beautification aspect of the day has survived in the continued practice of Abhyanga Snan and the widespread tradition of wearing new clothes and applying mehendi on or before Diwali.
Kali Chaudash Across India
In Gujarat, Kali Chaudash is observed with specific Kali puja, midnight worship, and the lighting of diyas. It is one of the most significant nights of the Gujarati Diwali season and is taken seriously by households as a night of powerful spiritual protection before the brightness of Diwali.
In Maharashtra, the day is primarily Narak Chaturdashi. The Abhyanga Snan before sunrise is mandatory in most Maharashtrian households, and the story of Krishna and Narakasura is retold in family gatherings. Rangoli is drawn at the entrance and diyas are lit in the evening, but the full Diwali illumination is reserved for the next night.
In North India, the day is both Choti Diwali and Narak Chaturdashi. Children burst firecrackers, diyas are lit, and the household prepares for the main Diwali. In West Bengal and Odisha, this same Chaturdashi night is celebrated as the main Kali Puja the annual festival of Goddess Kali, which is the eastern counterpart of Diwali. Kali Puja in Kolkata is observed at the same time as Diwali in North India, with large public pandals set up for Kali worship and the streets lit up with lamps and fireworks.
In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Narak Chaturdashi is observed as a puja day with the Abhyanga Snan in the morning, though the day is less prominent than in North and West India. The Kali Puja connection is stronger in eastern India, while the Narakasura story resonates more in the southern and western states.
Kali Puja in West Bengal on Kali Chaudash Night
For millions in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Tripura, the night of Kali Chaudash is the most important night of the year the night of Kali Puja. Massive public pandals are set up across Kolkata, with elaborate idol installations depicting Goddess Kali in her various forms. The puja begins after midnight and continues through the night. Devotees throng to temples and pandals, making offerings and seeking Kali's blessings.
The Kali Puja in West Bengal is in many ways the eastern equivalent of Diwali it falls on the same night, involves the same lamp-lighting and fireworks, but centres on Goddess Kali rather than Goddess Lakshmi. The two traditions are geographically distinct expressions of the same belief: the fourteenth night of Krishna Paksha in Kartik is a powerful night for worship, and on that night, darkness is addressed through devotion.
Kali Chaudash Today
Kali Chaudash continues to be observed with depth in Gujarat, where it holds a distinct identity separate from the broader Diwali celebrations. The Kali puja tradition, the midnight worship, and the fourteen diyas remain central to how the night is observed in Gujarati households. Across the rest of India, the day is more widely known as Choti Diwali and Narak Chaturdashi, with the Abhyanga Snan before sunrise and the preliminary lamp-lighting in the evening being the two rituals most families retain. The Kali Puja in West Bengal draws enormous participation and media coverage each year, keeping the night's spiritual significance in the national consciousness alongside the more commercial aspects of the Diwali season.
