Diwali 2027 in India: dates, where to go and what to expect

The 2027 dates, day by day

The central government's 2027 holiday list, issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on 16 July 2026, fixes the main day of Diwali (Deepavali) on Friday 29 October 2027. It is one of the compulsory holidays of central government offices. The same list places the other festival days on its list of optional, or restricted, holidays, which gives the shape of the whole week:

Two more dates frame the week. Dussehra falls on Saturday 9 October, three weeks earlier, and Chhath Puja, the sun festival of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, is on the restricted list for Thursday 4 November, which matters for the trains (see below). Our India festivals calendar has the rest of the year.

What the five days look like

Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, and in the north above all the return of Rama to Ayodhya after his fourteen years of exile. Incredible India, the Ministry of Tourism's site, describes the five days in turn. The first is for cleaning the house and for Dhanteras, when families make the purchases meant to bring prosperity, and the markets bustle. On the second, homes are lit with diyas, the small clay oil lamps, and rangoli patterns in coloured powder appear at the doorsteps.

The third day, the main one, is Lakshmi Puja, when families pray to the goddess of wealth. This is the night of the fireworks and of the lamps on every ledge. The fourth day is for visiting, with gifts and boxes of sweets, and the fifth, Bhai Duj, belongs to brothers and sisters.

Diwali is not only a Hindu festival. Jains mark the nirvana of Mahavira, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, the release of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, from prison. As a visitor you will mostly see it in the streets: lit facades, crowded sweet shops and evening temple visits. Inside, it is a family festival, much like Christmas in Europe.

Where to be on the main night

Incredible India names Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, Ayodhya, Johari Bazaar in Jaipur, Lake Pichola in Udaipur, Mysore Palace, the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai and the Diwali Bazaar at Dilli Haat in Delhi among the places to see Diwali. These are the places that reward a trip for the festival week:

Ayodhya stages the most elaborate show, a Guinness record attempt in recent years. Its Deepotsav, organised by the Uttar Pradesh government on the eve of Diwali, set out to light more than 26 lakh (2.6 million) diyas on 56 ghats along the Saryu River, Ram Ki Paidi among them, in 2025, with a Saryu aarti, a procession of Ramayana tableaux and a laser and drone show in the evening, according to All India Radio. Security is heavy and the ghats fill early, so it suits travellers who like a crowd.

Incredible India promises grand celebrations in Varanasi, with lamps on the ghats and the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, and suggests staying on for Dev Deepawali (below). Rajasthan is the place for lit streets and markets. In Jaipur, the old city's bazaars are the draw, Johari Bazaar, the jewellers' street, above all; in Udaipur, Incredible India names the shores of Lake Pichola.

In Amritsar, Punjab Tourism describes the edge of the holy Sarovar at the Golden Temple lit with countless oil lamps and candles, and a fireworks display that is best seen from the rooftops around the temple. In Kolkata, the same new-moon night is Kali Puja: the community puja grounds fill with Kali images and flower decorations, the worship peaks at midnight, and the Dakshineswar and Kalighat temples draw the devout. In the south, Incredible India links the festival to Naraka Chaturdasi, Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura, which falls on 28 October in 2027; some states make that day their Diwali holiday.

Dev Deepawali in Varanasi, two weeks later

If you can stay on, the most spectacular night of the season in Varanasi comes after Diwali. Dev Deepawali, the Diwali of the gods, falls on Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the month of Kartik, fifteen days after Diwali, when lamps line the ghats and float on the Ganges and the gods are believed to come down to bathe in the river.

The 2027 date is expected on Sunday 14 November: the central government list puts Guru Nanak's Birthday, which Delhi Tourism says falls on Kartik Purnima, on that day. The full moon can straddle two dates, so wait for the city's announcement before you book any nights, and book the ghat-side rooms early. The best view is from a boat on the river; agree the price per boat before you board.

What closes and what stays open

On Friday 29 October, central government offices in Delhi close, and in each state the central offices follow a list drawn up locally. In some states the main holiday falls a day early, on Naraka Chaturdasi, if the state government declares that day instead of Diwali. State governments set their own holidays, so a bank or office in one state can be open while it is shut in the next. The markets are at their busiest in the days before the main night, which is the time to see them.

One closure catches visitors out: the Taj Mahal is closed every Friday, so it is shut on Diwali day in 2027. Go on Thursday 28 or Saturday 30 October instead; Agra Fort and the other Agra monuments open daily from sunrise to sunset, as our Agra guide explains.

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) notes that the sale of alcohol is often banned during major religious festivals and national holidays; rules vary by state, so do not count on a bar on the main night.

Trains, flights and the booking rush

Diwali and Chhath, six days later, bring India's heaviest festival travel, when many people go home to their families and long-distance trains fill first. Indian Railways opens reservations 60 days ahead, not counting the day of travel: for a train on Friday 29 October 2027, bookings open on 30 August 2027. Its last-minute Tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website and app need Aadhaar, India's resident identity number, so a visitor cannot count on them.

Foreign visitors have a better route. IRCTC's Foreign Tourist quota accepts bookings up to 365 days ahead, so Diwali 2027 is already open to requests; beyond the 60-day window, the berth is allotted only when that window opens, and IRCTC confirms it by international SMS. Registration costs INR 100 plus GST, and each ticket costs 1.5 times the normal fare plus INR 200 plus GST. Our guide to transport in India explains the account, the classes and the rules.

Indian Railways adds special trains for the season. In 2025, the Railway Minister announced more than 12,000 special trains for Diwali and Chhath, and the ministry notified over six thousand more for the return rush after the festivals, with extra ticket counters and holding areas at the busiest stations in Bihar. The 2027 specials are announced nearer the time. Chhath on 4 November keeps the rush going on the routes to Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Book domestic flights and rooms as soon as the trains are fixed.

Firecrackers, smoke and crowds

Diwali night is loud, and in the north smoky. The FCDO calls severe air pollution a major health hazard in India, especially in the winter months from October to February, with north Indian cities most affected. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) publishes the daily National Air Quality Index in six bands, from Good (0-50) to Severe (401-500), and its Sameer app gives hourly readings; its advice on Very Poor and Severe days is to minimise travel. If you have asthma or a heart condition, check the index before planning a day outdoors in Delhi around Diwali.

Firecracker rules in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) are set year by year. For Diwali 2025, the Supreme Court allowed only certified green crackers, sold at designated points and not online, between 18 and 21 October, and limited their use to 06:00-07:00 and 20:00-22:00, DD News reported on 15 October 2025. The 2027 rules will be decided closer to the festival. Elsewhere, expect fireworks on the main night, and ask for a room away from the street if you want to sleep.

Big crowds are the other risk. The FCDO advises particular care during periods of religious significance such as Diwali, when local authorities may impose curfews and other restrictions, and notes that stampedes have occurred at large religious gatherings. At a ghat, a temple or a Deepotsav, stay at the edge of the crowd and agree a meeting point. When you visit a temple or gurdwara at festival time, respect the local dress code, as the FCDO also asks, and dress modestly. Our health and safety guide for India covers the rest.