Quick overview — Dates at a glance (India, 2025)
Dhanteras (Dhantrayodashi): Saturday, 18 October 2025 —
puja muhurat (New Delhi example) 07:16 PM – 08:20 PM IST.
Naraka Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali: Sunday, 19 October 2025 (observances vary by region).
Lakshmi Puja / Diwali (Amavasya): Monday, 20 October 2025 —
Lakshmi Puja is performed during Pradosh/Nishita
timings:
New Delhi (Nishita/Mahanishita): 11:41 PM, Oct 20 → 12:31 AM, Oct 21
(muhurat are city-dependent),
Mumbai : 07:41 PM – 08:40 PM IST.
(Always check your city’s muhurat.)
Govardhan Puja / Annakut / Bali Pratipada: Tuesday, 22 October 2025 —
common muhurats:
Pratah (morning) 06: 35 AM – 08:54 AM
Sayankala (afternoon/evening) 03:51 PM – 06:10 PM (New Delhi, for example).
Bhai Dooj (Bhau Beej / Bhai Tika): October, 23 (2025) —
widely observed Thursday, 23 October 2025
(Dwitiya tithi, tilak/muhurat for tika varies by location and day/night tithi timing — check city panchang, many mainstream calendars list Bhai Dooj on 23 Oct 2025).
Important Note:
Hindu festival muhurats depend on the local sunrise/sunset and tithi, timings above are representative examples for major Indian cities (New Delhi / Mumbai).
Always confirm your local shubh muhurat on DrikPanchang or your trusted local panchang because small differences of minutes/hours can change the auspicious window for your town.
1) Dhanteras 2025 — meaning, rituals & muhurat
Why it matters:
Dhanteras (Dhantrayodashi) opens the five-day Diwali period,
it’s dedicated to Lord Dhanvantari (health) and Goddess Lakshmi (wealth).
Buying metal items (gold/silver/utensils), lighting diyas and cleaning the house are traditional acts to invite prosperity.
Muhurat
(New Delhi, for example): 07:16 PM – 08:20 PM IST on 18 Oct 2025 (Pradosh/Trayodashi timing, city-specific).
Simple Dhanteras puja steps :
- Clean and illuminate the entrance and puja area.
- Place an image/yantra/idol of Lakshmi–Ganesh or Kubera.
- Offer fresh sweets, rice, flowers, and coins; light diyas.
- Recite short mantras and a Dhanvantari mantra for health:
ॐ नमो भगवते धन्वतरये —
(OM Namo Bhagavate Dhanvantarye).
- Conclude with aarti and then place any new purchases (especially metals) in puja for blessing.
2) Lakshmi Puja (Diwali night) 2025 — muhurat, rituals & mantras
Date : Diwali (Amavasya) — 20 October 2025 (main Lakshmi Puja performed during Pradosh/Nishita spanning late evening → midnight depending on location).
Representative muhurats (city examples):
New Delhi (Nishita / Mahanishita): 11: 41 PM (Oct 20) → 12:31 AM (Oct 21) — this is the late-night Nishita window used by many for the main puja.
Mumbai example (Pradosh window): 07:41 PM – 08:40 PM IST (Oct 20).
How to perform Lakshmi Puja (practical, approachable) :
- Clean & decorate :
Sweep, rangoli at the entrance, and string lights (diyas/LED). - Setup:
Place idols or images of Maa Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha on a raised platform with fresh cloth, flowers, rice, incense. - Offerings (naivedya): Sweets, fruits, puffed rice, kheer, and cooked items arranged as ‘bhog’. Prepare small coin-plate (symbolic wealth).
- Puja steps (simple) : Sankalpa → Ganesh ji invocation → Sankalpa for Lakshmi ji→ 16-step (Shodashopachar) or simplified aarti → Archana/Mantra recitation → Aarti & distribution of prasad.
- Mantras (short, to be chanted respectfully):
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः
(Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah) — core bija-mantra invoking Lakshmi.
ॐ ह्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमल वासिन्यै नमः (short invocation).
- Lighting: Light diyas, place them in rows outside to welcome Lakshmi.
- After puja: Keep the pooja dish and prasad for family; if buying gold/silver today, many place it in puja for blessings.
Practical tip:
If the main Nishita muhurat falls after midnight in your city, you may perform Lakshmi Puja in the new-day,
Nishita window (DrikPanchang lists both fixed-lagna and city-specific windows).
Always check the muhurat for your exact town.
3) Govardhan Puja 2025 — date, significance & celebration guide
Date: 21 October 2025 (Annakut / Annakoot / Govardhan Puja) —
observed fast on Kartik Shukla Pratipada soon after Diwali,
in many regions it coincides with Bali Pratipada or Gujarati New Year traditions.
Representative muhurats (New Delhi, for examples):
Pratah (morning) muhurat: 06:26 AM – 08:42 AM IST (21 Oct 2025).
Sayankala (afternoon/evening) muhurat: 03:29 PM – 05:44 PM IST (21 Oct 2025).
Meaning & rituals:
Govardhan Puja commemorates Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill to shelter villagers from Indra’s fury,
it celebrates nature’s bounty and protection of the humble.
Annakut (mountain of food): Devotees prepare a large variety of vegetarian dishes (rice, vegetables, sweets, dals) and offer them at Krishna temples or home altars arranged like a ‘mountain’ (a symbolic Govardhan).
Ritual sequence:
Clean altar → make small Govardhan model (cow dung/earthen mound in some regions or arranged food) → offer the annakut → sing bhajans → parikrama/puja of cows (where practiced) → distribute prasad.
Regional notes:
In Maharashtra it’s often observed as Bali Pratipada,
in Gujarat it coincides with the Gujarati New Year (Best time for Annakut preparations and community feasts).
4) Bhai Dooj 2025 — muhurat, significance & gift ideas
Date: Largely observed 23 October 2025 in many regions (tilak/Tika is done on Dwitiya tithi,
the Dwitiya tithi window often begins on the evening of Oct 22 and continues into Oct 23 — check local panchang).
What Bhai Dooj celebrates:
The bond of siblings — sisters apply tilak on brothers’ foreheads, perform aarti, pray for their long life and prosperity; brothers give gifts or promise protection.
Typical Bhai Dooj muhurat :
The Tika muhurat is chosen when Dwitiya tithi is in effect and during daytime
shubh ghadiyas, many families schedule it mid-morning to early evening per local tithi rules.
Because tithi boundaries move by sunrise/sunset, check your city’s DrikPanchang for the exact Tika muhurat.
Gift ideas (modern & traditional):
Personal: Watches, cufflinks, accessories, wallets, a good perfume.
Experience gifts: Restaurant vouchers, trip fund contribution, concert tickets.
For sisters: Jewelry, sarees/ethnic outfits, personalized keepsakes.
For siblings who live far away: Curated care packages, gourmet hampers, tech gadgets (earbuds, Kindle), or a scheduled video-aarti + e-gift card.
Budget & symbolic: Silver coins, framed sibling photo with a note, indoor plants (symbolic of growth).
Presentation tip: Wrap with a small card explaining why you chose the gift — heartfelt notes make Bhai Dooj memorable.
5) Difference between Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) and Govardhan Puja (2025) —
Diwali (Lakshmi Puja / Amavasya):
Primarily worship of Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity, performed on Amavasya (new moon) night (in 2025 —
the main Diwali/Lakshmi Puja night is Oct 20).
Emphasis: lighting, home wealth, Lakshmi–Ganesha puja and family aarti.
Govardhan Puja (Annakut / Pratipada): Observed the day after Diwali (in most regions, 21 Oct 2025).
It commemorates Krishna’s lifting of Govardhan and emphasizes gratitude to nature and Annakut (offering a mountain of food).
Ritual focus is community/temple annakut and food offerings rather than the wealth-focused Lakshmi puja of Diwali night.
6) Diwali Week 2025 — Complete calendar (Dhanteras → Bhai Dooj)
Below is a practical calendar with representative muhurats for New Delhi / Mumbai.
Day 1 — Dhanteras (Dhantrayodashi)
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2025
New Delhi muhurat (example): 07:16 PM – 08:20 PM IST.
Day 2 — Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2025 — early morning rituals, wake up before sunrise for Naraka Chaturdashi observances.
Day 3 — Diwali / Lakshmi Puja (Amavasya)
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2025
New Delhi muhurat: Nishita/late-night 11:41 PM (Oct 20) → 12:31 AM (Oct 21).
Mumbai muhurat: 07:41 PM – 08:40 PM IST (Oct 20).
Day 4 — Govardhan Puja / Annakut / Bali Pratipada
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2025
New Delhi muhurats:
06:26 AM – 08:42 AM and 03:29 PM – 05:44 PM.
Day 5 — Bhai Dooj (Bhau Beej / Bhai Tika)
Likely Date: 22–23 Oct 2025 (widely observed on Thu, 23 Oct 2025 in 2025 — verify local Dwitiya Tithi & tika muhurat for your city).
7) Short mantras & sample invocations (use respectfully)
For Lakshmi (short):
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः
Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah.
For Ganesh (start of puja):
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye Namah.
For Dhanvantari (Dhanteras health):
ॐ नमो भगवते धन्वतराये
Om Namo Bhagavate Dhanvantarye.
(These are concise invocations suitable for household recitation, longer stotras may be used by those who follow traditional recitation styles.)
FAQs
(quick answers)
Q: Are muhurats same across India?
A: No — muhurats depend on local sunrise/sunset and tithi. The date is generally the same nationally, but the exact shubh window (minute to minute) changes by city; always check DrikPanchang or local panchang for your town.
Q: When should I buy gold in 2025 Diwali week?
A: Traditional advice: buy on Dhanteras (18 Oct 2025) during the Dhanteras pradosh muhurat (example New Delhi 07:16 PM – 08:20 PM IST), but check metals market timing and your city’s muhurat first.
Q: Can I perform Govardhan Puja at home?
A: Yes — create an Annakut of food offerings at home, arrange it as a hill/mound, perform arati, chant or sing bhajans and distribute prasad. Many temples also organize community Annakut events.
At Last –
Wishing You a Blessed and Prosperous Diwali Week 2025
As the lamps of Diwali illuminate every corner of your home and heart, may Goddess Lakshmi shower her divine blessings of wealth, wisdom, and well-being upon you.
From Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj, let each day remind us of the eternal light that conquers darkness, love that overcomes distance, and faith that sustains hope.
May your life glow with peace, prosperity, and positivity this festive week.
Divine Mantra to conclude your Diwali prayers:
ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै च विद्महे विष्णु पत्न्यै च धीमहि।
तन्नो लक्ष्मीः प्रचोदयात्॥ …..
….Happy Diwali
……param