The Deepavali muhurat for 2026 is on the evening of Sunday, 8 November — 6:07 pm to 8:08 pm in Hyderabad. It begins at 6:00 pm in Vijayawada, 5:48 pm in Visakhapatnam and 6:09 pm in Tirupati. Even after the muhurat ends, the puja can begin while the pradosha period lasts.
It is 5:50 pm on 8 November and you are still stuck in traffic. At home the seat is set and the lamps are filled with oil. The muhurat starts at 6:07. You will reach home at 6:40. Can you still do the puja, or is the moment lost? This part is written for exactly that kind of question.
For the full map of the five-day festival, read our Deepavali 2026 complete guide.
Read the complete Telugu edition of this article.
When is the Deepavali muhurat in four Telugu cities?
All the times below were checked directly on the Drik Panchang pages on 21 October. The Amavasya tithi runs from 11:27 am on 8 November to 12:31 pm on 9 November, the same for every city.
| City | Pradosha period | Lakshmi Puja muhurat | Mahanishita period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyderabad | 5:42 pm – 8:13 pm | 6:07 pm – 8:08 pm | 11:35 pm – 12:25 am |
| Vijayawada | 5:34 pm – 8:05 pm | 6:00 pm – 8:01 pm | 11:26 pm – 12:16 am |
| Visakhapatnam | 5:23 pm – 7:54 pm | 5:48 pm – 7:48 pm | 11:16 pm – 12:06 am |
| Tirupati | 5:43 pm – 8:12 pm | 6:09 pm – 8:11 pm | 11:31 pm – 12:21 am |
These three columns are three different things. Once you know the difference, a late evening stops being a crisis.
What do pradosha and Vrishabha lagna mean?
The pradosha period is the twilight window of roughly two and a half hours that begins at sunset. In Hyderabad the sun sets at 5:42 pm on 8 November, so the pradosha period starts then. This is the time tradition recommends for Deepavali Lakshmi Puja.
Inside that window, panchangs mark the roughly two hours when the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising as the special muhurat. Vrishabha is a fixed sign, and tradition holds that worship in this window keeps Lakshmi steady in the home. The muhurat is simply a part of the pradosha period, never outside it.
The Mahanishita period is the midnight window. Drik Panchang says it mainly suits tantric practitioners and experienced priests, and recommends the pradosha period for ordinary household puja.
The muhurat is one part of the pradosha period; when the muhurat ends, pradosha may still be running.
Can you still do the puja after the muhurat?
Back to the traffic jam. If you reach home at 6:40, the Hyderabad muhurat (6:07 to 8:08) is still on. Nothing is lost. Even at 8:00, the pradosha period lasts until 8:13, so you can light the lamp, say the sankalpam and begin.
What if the pradosha period has also passed? The next window the panchang gives is the Mahanishita period, which it says is not meant for ordinary householders. In that case follow your family elders or your family priest. We cannot tell you that the puja must be dropped, or that a fault follows from being late; we have no source for either claim.
To avoid the rush, do one small thing. In the morning, put the seat, the picture, the lamps and a matchbox at the puja spot. In the evening all that should be left is to wash your hands and feet and sit down.
What if the power goes out during the muhurat?
A power cut on Deepavali evening is nothing new in Telugu towns. But the real light in this puja is the oil lamp, so a power cut does not stop it.
- Light the first lamp, the puja lamp, as soon as you begin. It does not depend on electricity.
- Keep a matchbox or lighter at the puja spot within reach, not in the kitchen.
- If you read the mantras or the ashtottaram on your phone, charge it fully beforehand, or keep the printed book nearby.
- When lighting lamps in the dark, keep the end of a saree or dupatta well away from the flame.
📖 Kolkata Durga Puja Secrets, Dasara Celebrations, and Clay Idol Philosophy
There is no need to wait for the power to return. As long as the puja lamp is burning, the puja goes on.
How to plan the whole of Sunday, 8 November
This year the Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath and Deepavali Lakshmi Puja fall on the same day. Splitting the day in advance takes the rush out of it. The times below are for Hyderabad.
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 5:19 am – 6:18 am | Naraka Chaturdashi oil bath with sesame oil. Get the oil, the sunnipindi bath powder and hot water ready the night before. |
| Morning to afternoon | Clean the house, draw muggulu, hang the thoranam, cook the naivedyam. The new moon begins at 11:27 am. |
| As your family does it | Families who keep Kedara Gowri Vratam perform the nomu at the time their elders follow. Some families keep this vratam on 9 November. |
| By 5:30 pm | Puja spot ready, oil and wicks in the lamps, bathed and ready. |
| 6:07 pm – 8:08 pm | Ganapati puja, Lakshmi Puja, aarti; then lamps all through the house. |
If you live elsewhere, keep the same order with your own city’s times, from the table above or by choosing your town on Drik Panchang as the main guide explains.
What time is the Dhanatrayodashi puja?
Two days earlier, on Friday, 6 November, comes Dhanatrayodashi. For Hyderabad, Drik Panchang suggests a puja muhurat of 6:15 pm to 8:14 pm, with the pradosha period from 5:43 pm to 8:14 pm. Families who light the Yama Deepam outside the house facing south do so in the same evening window. Part 4 covers that day in full.
Which time should you follow if you live abroad?
If your sister in America sets her puja by Hyderabad time, it will land in her early morning. A muhurat always depends on the sunset where you live. So:
- Choose the city you live in (Dallas, London or Dubai, for example) on Drik Panchang.
- Take the date from the same page. The day when the new moon and the pradosha period coincide may not be 8 November in that country.
- Joining family in India on a video call? Each home has its own muhurat. It is easier for everyone to do the puja at their own time and show each other the aarti afterwards than to force one shared time.
When should you check the times again?
Panchang times rarely change, but we cannot promise they never will. On 5 November we will check every time on this page against Drik Panchang again and note any change here. Look at this page once more the day before the festival.
One thing to do today: add your city’s muhurat to your phone calendar for 8 November, with a reminder 30 minutes before it begins.
You know the time and the day is planned. But what if you sit down at the puja seat that evening and find something missing? Which items truly stop the puja, and which can you do without? Part 3, tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Deepavali 2026 muhurat in Hyderabad?
Sunday, 8 November, from 6:07 pm to 8:08 pm. The full pradosha period runs from 5:42 pm to 8:13 pm.
Are the muhurat and the pradosha period the same?
No. The pradosha period is roughly two and a half hours after sunset. The muhurat is the roughly two-hour part of it when the Vrishabha lagna is rising.
Can I do the puja after the muhurat has ended?
Yes, while the pradosha period lasts. If the pradosha period has also passed, follow the advice of your family elders or family priest.
Should a household do the puja in the Mahanishita period?
There is no need. Drik Panchang says that window mainly suits tantric practitioners and experienced priests, and recommends the pradosha period for household puja.
What if the power goes out during the puja?
Carry on. The puja lamp burns on oil and does not need electricity. Keep a matchbox and a printed book or a charged phone nearby beforehand.
📖 Mysuru Dasara and the Divine Mystery of Goddess Chamundeshwari
How do I find the Deepavali muhurat in the US?
Choose the city you live in on Drik Panchang. Take both the time and the date from that page; do not use Indian time.
Sources
Drik Panchang — Lakshmi Puja 2026, Hyderabad
Drik Panchang — Dhanteras 2026, Hyderabad
Information checked: 21 October 2026. Final check on 5 November.
