When to light the ‘Yama Deepaka’ (lamp for Yama) on Naraka Chaturdashi; find out the auspicious timing for the ritual.

Bhopal. The five-day festival of Diwali has started. After Dhanteras on Friday, curiosity has increased among the devotees about the dates of Chhoti Diwali, Narak Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas and Yam Deepdan. This year, religious traditions related to Chhoti Diwali will be held at different times on 7th and 8th November. According to the Panchang, Kali Chaudas will be worshiped on the night of Saturday, November 7, while Abhyang Snan of Narak Chaturdashi will take place on the morning of Sunday, November 8. At the same time, there may be a difference in the date according to local beliefs regarding the tradition of Yama Deepdan.
According to the religious calendar, the Chaturdashi date of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month will start on 7 November 2026 at around 10.47 am. This date will last till around 11:27 am the next day i.e. on 8th November. Due to Chaturdashi Tithi falling in two days, the timings of different religious rituals have also been fixed separately. According to the local calendar of Bhopal, Kali Chaudas will be celebrated on 7th November and Narak Chaturdashi will be celebrated on 8th November. Narak Chaturdashi is also known as Chhoti Diwali and Roop Chaudas. This festival is related to the mythological story of the killing of Narakasura by Lord Shri Krishna. This time the most important thing for the devotees is that the time of night worship of Kali Chaudas and morning Abhyanga bath of Naraka Chaturdashi is different.
Kali Chaudas puja will be performed in Bhopal on Saturday night, 7th November. For this, the time of Nishith Kaal has been said to be around 11:39 pm to 12:30 midnight of 8th November. This duration will be approximately 51 minutes. However, a difference of a few minutes is possible according to the local calendar and worship tradition. Kali Chaudas is mainly associated with the worship of Goddess Kali. According to religious beliefs, by worshiping Goddess Kali on this day, one prays for protection from negative powers and fear. This festival is celebrated with different traditions in different parts of the country.
In some areas, worship of Lord Hanuman on the occasion of Kali Chaudas is also considered to have special significance. Devotees offer prayers wishing for the happiness, peace and safety of their families. At the same time, the main ritual of Narak Chaturdashi, Abhyang Snan, will be performed on the morning of Sunday 8th November. According to an almanac for Bhopal, the auspicious time for Abhyang Snan will be around 5.32 am to 6.30 am. In this way devotees will get approximately 58 minutes time for bathing. The start time is also stated a few minutes earlier in different almanac calculations.
Abhyanga bath has special significance in Hindu religion. According to religious tradition, on Narak Chaturdashi, before sunrise, the body is bathed with oil and paste. Taking bath on this day is considered a symbol of health and purity. In many families, sesame oil is used for Abhyanga bath. There is a tradition of applying ubtan on the body before bathing and then wearing clean clothes and worshiping.
Narak Chaturdashi is also called Roop Chaudas. There are beliefs behind this name related to cleanliness, beauty and health of the body. Especially women consider bathing and makeup important on this day. According to religious belief, taking bath in the morning on Narak Chaturdashi removes negativity and infuses positive energy. However, it is a matter of religious belief.
The mythological story of Lord Shri Krishna and Narakasura is also associated with this festival. It is believed that Lord Krishna freed people from his atrocities by killing Narakasura. The festival of Narak Chaturdashi is celebrated to commemorate this victory. There is also a tradition of lighting lamps in homes on the occasion of Chhoti Diwali. Many families light lamps at the main entrance of the house, courtyard and place of worship on this day. According to religious beliefs, lighting the lamp symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
Yama Deepdaan is also included in the important religious traditions of Diwali festival. In this, a lamp is lit outside the house towards the south. It is believed that by donating a lamp for Yamraj, one prays for the protection of the family from untimely death. However, it is important to understand an important difference regarding the date of Yam Deepdaan. In the Drik Panchang, Yam Deepdan for the year 2026 has been linked to Dhanteras i.e. the evening of 6 November. At the same time, in some local and family traditions, lamps are lit for Yama even on the evening of Chhoti Diwali. Therefore, devotees who donate lamps on November 7 should keep in mind their family traditions and the instructions of the local priest.
Generally an earthen lamp is taken for offering Yam Deepdaan. A lamp is lit by placing oil and wick in it. The tradition of lighting a four-faced lamp is also prevalent in many homes. Along with keeping the lamp at a safe place, it is also important to take care of fire safety. The lamp should especially be kept out of the reach of children and pets.
This year the main Lakshmi Puja of Diwali will take place on Sunday 8th November. Therefore, the rituals of Narak Chaturdashi and main Diwali are falling at different times on the same day. After taking Abhyanga bath in the morning, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha will be worshiped in the evening. For Bhopal, the auspicious time for Lakshmi Puja on 8th November has been said to be from around 6.03 pm to 8.01 pm. This time will be approximately 1 hour 58 minutes.
In this way, during the Diwali festival, the major religious rituals will be the Abhyanga Snan of Kali Chaudas on the night of 7th November and the Abhyang Snan of Narak Chaturdashi on the morning of 8th November. Devotees can donate lamps and perform puja as per their family traditions. It is worth noting that the major Muhurat mentioned here is as per the Panchang calculation of Bhopal.