Dhanteras 2026: What to Buy, When to Buy It, and What to Check at the Counter

Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday 6 November, two days before the Lakshmi Puja of Diwali on Sunday 8 November. The purchases families most often make are gold or silver, new brass or copper utensils, a broom, and something for the home, and the puja itself is done after sunset, in a window that depends on your city. Whatever you buy, a minute of checking at the counter matters as much as the muhurat: the hallmark on the metal, the price per gram or kilo, and what the bill actually says.

How we put this together: dates and timings from Drik Panchang, the festival's background from its Wikipedia entry and the traditions it cites, the common buy-and-avoid list from Business Today, and the hallmarking rules from the Bureau of Indian Standards and trade reports, all listed under Sources and checked on 2 November 2026. Customs differ between regions and families; this guide describes common practice, not religious instruction. The idea for the piece came from a short Hindi video listing seven auspicious Dhanteras purchases; the list and the checks below are our own.

What Dhanteras is, in two paragraphs

Dhanteras, also called Dhanatrayodashi, opens the five days of Diwali in most of India. It falls on Trayodashi, the thirteenth lunar day of the dark fortnight, in Ashwin by one calendar tradition and Kartika by another, which is why it moves around October and November in the Gregorian calendar (Wikipedia). The day honours Dhanvantari, regarded as the god of Ayurveda, who in the Samudra Manthana story rose from the ocean carrying a pot of amrita. Lakshmi is worshipped in the evening, and lamps are lit for Yama, the god of death, in a ritual called Yamadeepdaan.

The buying custom has a story too. In one legend, a young prince was fated to die of a snakebite four days after his wedding. His bride piled her ornaments and gold and silver coins at the door and kept him awake with stories; Yama, arriving as a serpent, was dazzled by the glitter and left at dawn. Since 2016 the Indian government has also observed Dhanteras as National Ayurveda Day, first marked on 28 October that year.

Dhanteras 2026: date and puja timing

Drik Panchang lists Dhanteras Puja on Friday, 6 November 2026, with Yama Deepam on the same evening. It recommends doing the Lakshmi puja in Pradosh Kaal, the roughly two-and-a-half-hour window after sunset, and calculates the muhurat separately for each city.

For any other city, select it on Drik Panchang before noting the time. Shopping itself isn't tied to the puja window, but many families like to complete the main purchase during the day so the new item can be included in the evening puja.

Seven things families traditionally buy, and what to check for each

Wikipedia describes Dhanteras as a day considered auspicious for new purchases, especially gold, silver and new utensils, and Business Today's guide adds appliances, vehicles and a broom for smaller budgets. Here are seven common buys, each with the check that matters.

1. Gold: check the hallmark, not the shine

Hallmarked gold jewellery carries three marks: the BIS triangle, a purity grade such as 22K916, and a six-character HUID unique to that piece. Key the HUID into the free BIS Care app at the counter and check that the jeweller and the type of article match what you are holding. Our step-by-step guide to the gold hallmark and HUID check explains each mark, what the bill must show, and how GST at 3% applies to the whole value including making charges, with a bill checker you can use on the spot.

2. Silver: hallmarking exists, but it is voluntary

From 1 September 2025, BIS revised its silver standard and launched HUID-based hallmarking for silver on a voluntary basis. A hallmarked silver piece carries the word SILVER alongside the BIS standard mark, plus a purity grade and a HUID that can be traced in BIS Care. The revised standard has seven purity grades, two of them, 958 and 999, newly added (PTI via The Week). Because the scheme is voluntary, plenty of silver on sale won't carry it. Ask for hallmarked pieces where you can, and make sure the weight and purity are written on the bill either way.

3. Utensils: brass and copper, priced by weight

New brass and copper vessels are a traditional Dhanteras purchase, and tradition prefers them to steel or iron. Utensils are often priced by weight, so compare the price per kilo rather than the price per piece, the same logic as the unit sale price on packaged goods. Ask for the metal and the weight to be written on the bill.

4. Broom and 5. Diyas: small, symbolic and cheap

A new broom symbolises sweeping away poverty and money worries, which makes it the most affordable way to keep the custom. Clay diyas light the evening, and for Yamadeepdaan, Wikipedia describes thirteen wheat-flour diyas, set facing south and lit. Neither needs a hallmark, only a fair price.

6. Appliances and gadgets: the running cost, then the return policy

Dhanteras is also a big day for fridges, ACs and phones. For appliances, the BEE star label tells you what a model will cost to run for years, which usually matters more than a festive discount. Online, watch for drip pricing and pre-ticked add-ons at checkout; our guide to fake discounts and dark patterns has a checker for the final price. If something arrives faulty, your rights are in our returns and refunds guide.

7. Vehicles: get the quote in writing

Many families time a car or two-wheeler purchase for Dhanteras, and some, Business Today notes, prefer to buy a day earlier. Ask for an itemised on-road quote in writing before you pay a booking amount, so you can see which charges are fixed and which, such as accessories or extended warranties, are optional.

The muhurat decides when you buy. The hallmark, the weight and the bill decide what you actually bought.

What tradition says to avoid

The same Business Today guide lists things commonly avoided on Dhanteras: black items, glassware, sharp objects such as knives and scissors, plastic or broken items, and lending or repaying money. These are matters of belief, and families follow them to different degrees. One practical point does overlap with the list: Dhanteras is a poor day to borrow on impulse for jewellery or gadgets, whatever the tradition says about lending.

A two-minute counter checklist

1. For gold: three marks found, HUID checked in BIS Care, net weight and making charges itemised.
2. For silver: hallmarked if possible; weight and purity written on the bill either way.
3. For utensils: metal and weight on the bill; price per kilo compared with one other shop.
4. For appliances: star label read; final price matches the product page; return and warranty terms noted.
5. Keep every bill. If a purchase turns out short or faulty, the bill is what any complaint starts from.

Dhanteras 2026 in short

Dhanteras falls on Friday 6 November 2026, with the puja after sunset in a window that depends on your city. Gold, silver, brass or copper utensils, a broom and diyas are the traditional purchases, and appliances and vehicles have joined them. Buy what you planned and can afford, check the hallmark and the weight, compare price per unit, and keep the bill. That way the purchase stays auspicious long after the lamps are out.

Frequently asked questions

When is Dhanteras in 2026?

Friday 6 November 2026. Trayodashi begins at 10:30 am on 6 November and ends at 10:47 am on 7 November, by Drik Panchang's New Delhi timings, and Lakshmi Puja for Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November.

What is the best time for Dhanteras puja in 2026?

Drik Panchang recommends Pradosh Kaal, after sunset. For New Delhi it gives 6:02 pm to 7:57 pm; Mumbai is 6:35 pm to 8:35 pm and Kolkata 5:28 pm to 7:26 pm. Select your own city on Drik Panchang for local timing.

What can I buy on Dhanteras if gold is too expensive?

Silver, brass or copper utensils, a new broom and diyas are all traditional choices. A broom, in particular, is a common low-cost way to observe the custom.

Is silver hallmarking compulsory?

No. HUID-based silver hallmarking has been available since 1 September 2025 on a voluntary basis, so many silver items are still sold without it. If a piece is hallmarked, its HUID can be checked in the BIS Care app.

Sources

1. Dhanteras 2026 puja timings, Drik Panchang, accessed 2 November 2026.
2. Dhanteras: history and customs, Wikipedia, accessed 2 November 2026.
3. Dhanteras buys and things to avoid, Business Today, 2024.
4. Voluntary HUID silver hallmarking begins, GJEPC Solitaire, 2025.
5. Silver hallmarking with digital traceability, PTI via The Week, 2025.