Narak Chaturdashi and Diwali on the Same Day: Why Abhyang Snan Is Done at Dawn
Most years, Choti Diwali and Badi Diwali sit on two separate days. One morning for the oil bath, the next evening for Lakshmi puja. In 2026, they fold into one. Sunday, November 8 begins with Narak Chaturdashi’s sacred bath before sunrise in the dark and ends with the main Diwali puja after sunset. In New Delhi, the Abhyang Snan window runs from about 5:41 AM to 6:38 AM. Families living in the USA, Canada and the UK will take the bath a day earlier, on Saturday, November 7, because of the time difference.
Why Two Festivals Share One DayHindu festivals are tied to tithis, lunar days, not to the solar calendar. A tithi can begin and end at any hour, and its length varies.
This year, Chaturdashi begins at about 10:47 AM on November 7 and ends around 11:30 AM on November 8. Amavasya starts right after and continues until about 12:31 PM on November 9.
Take the Abhyang Snan when Chaturdashi is running before sunrise. That condition is met on the morning of November 8. Lakshmi puja needs Amavasya during the evening twilight. That’s also met on November 8. So both observances land on the same Sunday.
This happens every few years. It doesn’t reduce the importance of either one. It simply makes the day longer and fuller.
The Story Behind the Dawn BathNarak Chaturdashi marks the victory of Lord Krishna over Narakasura, a powerful demon who had imprisoned thousands of women and terrorised the gods. Krishna fought him with help from his wife, Satyabhama, who, in many versions, struck the final blow.
The battle ended just before dawn. As Narakasura died, he asked that people remember his death with lamps and celebration rather than mourning. Krishna, after the fight, took an oil bath to cleanse himself.
That bath became the model for the Abhyang Snan. By bathing with oil before sunrise on this day, people symbolically wash away the impurities and negative forces that Narakasura represents.
There’s another belief too. Taking this bath at the right time is said to protect a person from Naraka, the realm of suffering after death. Hence the name of the day.
How the Abhyang Snan Is DoneThe ritual begins in darkness, with the stars still visible. The household wakes early, often before 5 AM.
Warm sesame oil is massaged over the body, from head to toe. Next comes ubtan, a paste usually made of gram flour, turmeric, sandalwood, and a little rose water or milk. It’s applied and gently scrubbed off.
In many North Indian and Maharashtrian homes, twigs of the apamarga plant, known as chirchita, are moved around the head during the bath, believed to remove negativity.
In Maharashtra and Goa, a striking custom exists. A small bitter fruit called karit is crushed under the left foot before or after the bath, standing in for Narakasura’s defeat. Some families then taste a little of its bitterness, symbolising good's victory over evil.
After bathing, new or freshly washed clothes are worn. Many perform Yama tarpan , offering water mixed with sesame seeds while facing south, as a prayer for long life.
Why Dawn SpecificallyClassical texts are clear about the timing. The Abhyang Snan should be done during the period of moonrise before sunrise, while Chaturdashi is still present. Bathing after sunrise is considered to bring far less merit.
There’s a practical side, too. Early November mornings are cool and fresh. A warm oil massage followed by a bath before sunrise fits Ayurvedic advice for the changing season, when dry winds start to affect skin and joints.
South India’s Morning DeepavaliIn Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Deepavali itself is celebrated on the morning of Naraka Chaturdashi. The oil bath is called Ganga snanam, and people greet each other by asking whether they’ve had their Ganga bath. New clothes, sweets and early fireworks follow.
This year, with both observances on November 8 in India, families across the north and south will celebrate on the same day, even if their main rituals happen at different hours
Why Two Festivals Share One DayHindu festivals are tied to tithis, lunar days, not to the solar calendar. A tithi can begin and end at any hour, and its length varies.
This year, Chaturdashi begins at about 10:47 AM on November 7 and ends around 11:30 AM on November 8. Amavasya starts right after and continues until about 12:31 PM on November 9.
Take the Abhyang Snan when Chaturdashi is running before sunrise. That condition is met on the morning of November 8. Lakshmi puja needs Amavasya during the evening twilight. That’s also met on November 8. So both observances land on the same Sunday.
This happens every few years. It doesn’t reduce the importance of either one. It simply makes the day longer and fuller.
The Story Behind the Dawn BathNarak Chaturdashi marks the victory of Lord Krishna over Narakasura, a powerful demon who had imprisoned thousands of women and terrorised the gods. Krishna fought him with help from his wife, Satyabhama, who, in many versions, struck the final blow.
The battle ended just before dawn. As Narakasura died, he asked that people remember his death with lamps and celebration rather than mourning. Krishna, after the fight, took an oil bath to cleanse himself.
That bath became the model for the Abhyang Snan. By bathing with oil before sunrise on this day, people symbolically wash away the impurities and negative forces that Narakasura represents.
There’s another belief too. Taking this bath at the right time is said to protect a person from Naraka, the realm of suffering after death. Hence the name of the day.
How the Abhyang Snan Is DoneThe ritual begins in darkness, with the stars still visible. The household wakes early, often before 5 AM.
Warm sesame oil is massaged over the body, from head to toe. Next comes ubtan, a paste usually made of gram flour, turmeric, sandalwood, and a little rose water or milk. It’s applied and gently scrubbed off.
In many North Indian and Maharashtrian homes, twigs of the apamarga plant, known as chirchita, are moved around the head during the bath, believed to remove negativity.
In Maharashtra and Goa, a striking custom exists. A small bitter fruit called karit is crushed under the left foot before or after the bath, standing in for Narakasura’s defeat. Some families then taste a little of its bitterness, symbolising good's victory over evil.
After bathing, new or freshly washed clothes are worn. Many perform Yama tarpan , offering water mixed with sesame seeds while facing south, as a prayer for long life.
Why Dawn SpecificallyClassical texts are clear about the timing. The Abhyang Snan should be done during the period of moonrise before sunrise, while Chaturdashi is still present. Bathing after sunrise is considered to bring far less merit.
There’s a practical side, too. Early November mornings are cool and fresh. A warm oil massage followed by a bath before sunrise fits Ayurvedic advice for the changing season, when dry winds start to affect skin and joints.
South India’s Morning DeepavaliIn Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Deepavali itself is celebrated on the morning of Naraka Chaturdashi. The oil bath is called Ganga snanam, and people greet each other by asking whether they’ve had their Ganga bath. New clothes, sweets and early fireworks follow.
This year, with both observances on November 8 in India, families across the north and south will celebrate on the same day, even if their main rituals happen at different hours
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