Diwali 2026 in Jaipur: Dates, Market Lights and Things to Do

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November. In Jaipur the five days run from Dhanteras on Friday 6 November to Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November, by Drik Panchang’s calendar for the city. What sets Jaipur apart is its market lighting: for several nights the bazaars of the walled city are covered in lights and themed gateways paid for by the traders, and the whole city comes out to walk through them. This guide has the dates, where to see the lights, what else is on, the position on firecrackers and a plan for the week.

Diwali 2026 dates for Jaipur

Panchangs sometimes differ by a day for the smaller festivals. These are the dates from Drik Panchang, which publishes a calendar specific to Jaipur.

Festival	Date	Notes
Karwa Chauth	Thu, 29 Oct	Bangle and mehendi stalls in the old city are at their busiest
Lokrang at Jawahar Kala Kendra	Tue 27 Oct – Fri 6 Nov	Free folk dance evenings and a crafts fair
Dhanteras	Fri, 6 Nov	Jewellery and utensil shopping peaks
Chhoti Diwali / Narak Chaturdashi	Sat 7 – Sun 8 Nov	Drik Panchang lists Narak Chaturdashi on the 8th; many families light the first diyas on the 7th
Diwali / Lakshmi Puja	Sun, 8 Nov	The main night
Govardhan Puja / Annakut	Mon 9 or Tue 10 Nov	Calendars differ; check with your temple
Bhai Dooj	Wed, 11 Nov	Family visiting day

Because Diwali is on a Sunday, the big shopping weekend is 31 October – 1 November, and the best evenings for the lights are Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November.

See the lights

The walled-city bazaars

Jaipur’s Diwali reputation rests on the old city. Each market’s traders’ association funds its own decoration, so the designs differ from street to street: canopies of bulbs, illuminated gateways and façades outlined in light. The main stretches are:

• Johari Bazaar, from Badi Chaupar to Sanganeri Gate, the jewellers’ street and usually the most elaborate.
• Tripolia Bazaar and Chaura Rasta, between the two chaupars and running south from Tripolia Gate.
• Chandpole Bazaar, from Chandpole Gate to Chhoti Chaupar.
• Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar, along the southern wall.

A good walking route is to come out of Chandpole metro station, walk east through Chhoti Chaupar and Tripolia Bazaar to Badi Chaupar, turn south down Johari Bazaar to Sanganeri Gate, and finish along Bapu Bazaar. That is roughly 3.5 km and takes two hours or more in the crowd. Hawa Mahal and the gates are lit as well.

MI Road and beyond

MI Road, just outside the walls, is decorated from Ajmeri Gate to Panch Batti, and malls such as World Trade Park put up their own installations. Albert Hall in Ram Niwas Bagh is floodlit every night of the year and looks its best in festival week. For a view of the whole lit city, the ridge at Nahargarh is the traditional vantage point; check the fort’s closing time and the state of the hill road before you go up, and do not walk down after dark.

When to go

The lights are usually switched on around Dhanteras and stay up for several nights. Diwali night itself is the most crowded and many shops close early for Lakshmi Puja at home. If you want to see the display and still be able to move, go on Friday 6 or Saturday 7 November, between 7 pm and 10 pm.

Things to do before and during Diwali

Go to Lokrang

The best-timed event of the season is Lokrang, the national folk dance and crafts festival at Jawahar Kala Kendra. It runs from 27 October to 6 November 2026. Folk troupes perform on the open-air Madhyavarti stage from 7 pm to 10 pm, the Shilpgram crafts fair is open from 11 am to 9 pm, and entry is free. The fair is a sensible place to buy diyas, torans, textiles and gifts directly from artisans, and its last day is Dhanteras.

Shop for Dhanteras

Dhanteras is the day for metal: gold and silver in Johari Bazaar, steel and brass utensils in Tripolia Bazaar. Go in the morning, when jewellers are less rushed. For clothes and furnishings, Bapu Bazaar and the showrooms on MI Road and in C-Scheme are the usual stops. Fashion and lifestyle exhibitions in hotel ballrooms and at Birla Auditorium fill the fortnight before the festival; we list them on our flea markets and exhibitions page.

Eat the season

Halwais across the old city work round the clock before Diwali, and gift boxes of mithai and namkeen are stacked outside every sweet shop on Johari Bazaar and Chaura Rasta. For a sit-down break during a lights walk, Masala Chowk in Ram Niwas Bagh has 21 street-food stalls in one courtyard. Hotels run Diwali dinners and brunches, which we track in our food listings.

Visit the temples

Govind Dev Ji temple in the City Palace complex, the Moti Dungri Ganesh temple and Birla Mandir on JLN Marg are all decorated for the festival and draw heavy crowds on Diwali day. After Diwali, temples prepare Annakut, the mountain of food offered on Govardhan Puja; ask your temple which day it is observing in 2026.

With children

Diya-painting, rangoli and lantern-making workshops run in studios and malls in the two weeks before Diwali, and they keep children busy and away from crackers. Take them to see the lights on 6 or 7 November, not on Diwali night. Our kids and family page lists the workshops.

Parties and card nights

Card parties are a North Indian Diwali institution and mostly happen at home. If you would sooner go out, clubs, hotels and members’ clubs hold Diwali-themed nights on the weekend of 31 October – 1 November. They appear in our nightlife listings as they are announced.

Firecrackers: what to expect

Rules on firecrackers are set each year, close to the festival, and they have tightened across North India. In recent years the Rajasthan government has permitted only certified green crackers and limited bursting on Diwali night to a fixed evening window. Districts in the National Capital Region part of the state have faced stricter limits than Jaipur. The 2026 order had not been confirmed when this guide was written.

What that means in practice:

• Check the current order from the state government or the district administration before buying anything.
• Buy only from licensed stalls, which the administration sets up at designated grounds, and look for the green-cracker mark.
• Assume a time limit on Diwali night and plan your evening around it.

We will update this page when the 2026 rules are announced.

Safety on Diwali night

• Burns: keep a bucket of water and sand nearby. Hold a burn under cool running water for 10 to 20 minutes; do not use ice, toothpaste or butter. Call 112 in an emergency or 101 for the fire service.
• Children should handle sparklers only with an adult present, wearing cotton, never synthetics.
• Pets are distressed by noise. Keep them indoors in a quiet room.
• Air quality dips in Jaipur around Diwali, though far less severely than in Delhi. Anyone with asthma should carry medication and spend the late evening indoors.
• Crowds: in the old city, carry little, keep phones in front pockets and agree a meeting point with your group.

A Diwali-week plan

• Tuesday 27 October onwards: an evening at Lokrang. Go more than once; the troupes change.
• Thursday 29 October: Karwa Chauth. Old-city bangle and mehendi lanes are packed, so avoid shopping trips there.
• Saturday 31 October – Sunday 1 November: the main shopping weekend for clothes, décor and gifts, and for Diwali parties.
• Friday 6 November (Dhanteras): jewellery and utensils in the morning, the last evening of Lokrang, then a first look at the lights.
• Saturday 7 November: the best night for the full lights walk through the walled city.
• Sunday 8 November (Diwali): puja and family time at home. If you go out, go early; many shops shut by evening.
• Monday 9 – Wednesday 11 November: Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj visits. Leave early to beat the traffic.

Getting around

• Take the metro to the old city. The Pink Line stops at Chandpole, Chhoti Chaupar and Badi Chaupar, right inside the lit-up zone. Check the last train time before you set out.
• Do not drive into the walled city. In past years police have closed it to vehicles on Diwali evenings, and parking outside the gates fills by 6 pm.
• Expect surge pricing. Cabs are expensive and scarce between 7 pm and 10 pm on the three main nights.
• Book hotels early. Diwali is the start of Jaipur’s peak tourist season and rates rise sharply for the weekend.

After Diwali

The season does not stop on 11 November. The Pushkar Fair, about 145 km from Jaipur, is listed by Rajasthan Tourism for 17 to 24 November 2026, and December brings the Jaipur Jewellery Show and the run-up to New Year. See this week’s events, our New Year’s Eve guide and, for January, the Jaipur Literature Festival guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026?

Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday 8 November 2026, according to Drik Panchang's Jaipur calendar. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November. Govardhan Puja is shown as Monday 9 or Tuesday 10 November, depending on the calendar.

Why is Jaipur famous for Diwali?

For its market lighting. Traders' associations in the walled city decorate whole bazaars, including Johari Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar, Tripolia Bazaar and Chaura Rasta, with lights and themed gateways, and walking through them after dark is the city's main Diwali outing.

Are firecrackers allowed in Jaipur on Diwali 2026?

In recent years Rajasthan has allowed only green crackers within a limited evening window on Diwali night. The 2026 order had not been confirmed when this guide was written, so check the state government's announcement before buying any.

Are Jaipur's markets open on Diwali Sunday?

Old-city markets are generally closed on Sundays, but Diwali week is the exception and most shops trade through the festival. Many close early on Diwali evening for Lakshmi Puja.

What is on in Jaipur just before Diwali?

Lokrang, the free folk dance and crafts festival at Jawahar Kala Kendra, runs from 27 October to 6 November 2026, with a crafts fair that is useful for diyas and gifts.

How do I get to the lit-up bazaars?

Take the Pink Line metro to Chandpole, Chhoti Chaupar or Badi Chaupar. In past years police have restricted vehicles in the walled city on Diwali evenings, so do not plan to drive in.

Sources checked

• www.drikpanchang.com/diwali/diwali-puja-calendar.html?year=2026&geoname-id=12695
• www.drikpanchang.com/calendars/indian/indiancalendar.html?year=2026&geoname-id=1
• jkk.artandculture.rajasthan.gov.in/content/ArtandCulture/en/jawahar-kala-kendra/jkk-calendar/M
• jkk.artandculture.rajasthan.gov.in/
• www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/jaipur.html
• www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/fairs-and-festivals.html
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaipur_Metro
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaipur
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Hall_Museum
• allevents.in/jaipur/all

Researched and written by the jaipur2go editors. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.