Dhanteras 2026: what to do, what to buy and what to skip

Every Dhanteras, the jewellery shops fill up and so does the worry. How much should we spend? Is it bad luck if we buy nothing? Is steel okay, or must it be gold?

Relax. Dhanteras is much simpler than the advertisements make it look.

The short answer: clean the house, do a small puja in the evening, light a diya at the main door for Yama ji, and buy one useful thing you can afford. That is a complete Dhanteras.

When is Dhanteras in 2026?

Dhanteras is on Friday, 6 November 2026. Trayodashi tithi starts at 10:30 AM on 6 November and ends at 10:47 AM on 7 November.

The puja is done in the evening. Here are the timings for the big cities. If you live somewhere else, use the city nearest to you.

Why do we celebrate it?

Dhan means wealth. Teras means the thirteenth day. But here is something many people do not know. This day also belongs to Lord Dhanvantari, the god of health. It is said he came out of the ocean on this day, holding a pot of amrit.

So Dhanteras is about health first and wealth next. That makes sense. A house with money but no health is not a happy house.

What to buy

• Gold or silver, only if it fits your budget. Even a small silver coin is enough.
• A brass, copper or steel utensil for the kitchen.
• A new broom. It stands for sweeping poverty out of the house.
• Whole dhaniya seeds. Many families offer them in the puja and keep them with their money.
• Lakshmi Ganesh idols or coins for your Diwali puja.

One small custom worth following: do not bring a new utensil home empty. Put a little rice, water or mithai in it first.

What to skip

• Knives, scissors and other sharp things
• Things made of plain iron. Steel utensils are fine.
• Black clothes and black items
• Anything you have to borrow money for

These are family customs, so follow what your elders do. But do remember the last one. Nobody's luck ever grew because of a loan taken for gold.

Yama deepam: the diya many people forget

After sunset, one more diya is lit, and this one is not for Lakshmi ji. It is for Yama ji, and it is a prayer for the long life of your family.

There is a lovely old story behind it. King Hima's son was told he would die on the fourth night of his marriage. That night his young wife piled gold and silver at the door, lit lamps everywhere and kept him awake with stories. When Yama ji came in the form of a snake, the shine dazzled him. He sat on the pile, listened to the stories and left quietly in the morning.

1. 1Take a clay diya and fill it with mustard oil or til oil.
2. 2Add a cotton wick and light it after sunset.
3. 3Keep it outside the main door, facing south.
4. 4Say a short prayer for your family's health and long life.

A simple puja at home

1. 1Take a bath, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place.
2. 2Spread a red or yellow cloth on a small chowki.
3. 3Keep pictures or idols of Lakshmi ji, Ganesh ji and Kuber ji. Add Dhanvantari ji if you have one.
4. 4Light a ghee diya and some agarbatti.
5. 5Offer flowers, roli, rice and mithai.
6. 6Keep what you bought today in front of the idols.
7. 7Say Om Dhanvantaraye Namah and Om Kuberaya Namah 11 times each, or pray in your own words.
8. 8Do the aarti and share the prasad.

Three things people get wrong

• You must buy gold. No. Buy what you can afford.
• If you buy nothing, luck will leave. No. A clean home and a sincere prayer matter more than a shopping bag.
• Dhanteras is only about money. No. It is about health too.

Diwali is two days later. See how many diyas to light, where to keep them and how to do Lakshmi puja at home.

Read the Diwali guide