Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, 6 November, & opens the five days of Diwali. It is the evening when homes welcome Goddess Lakshmi & Lord Kuber, & when families bring home something auspicious. For most, that means gold, silver or a new utensil.
This year, consider a purchase that stays with you every day: a sacred Rudraksha, offered in your Dhanteras puja & worn long after the diyas are put away.
Key takeaways
- Dhanteras 2026 is on Friday, 6 November, two days before Diwali Lakshmi Puja on 8 November
- Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Kuber & Lord Dhanvantari are worshipped on this day, with the main puja in the evening during Pradosh Kaal
- Buying something auspicious on Dhanteras is a way of inviting prosperity into the home for the year ahead
- Rudraksha is a meaningful Dhanteras purchase because it is offered in puja, then worn & kept close every day
- 7 Mukhi Rudraksha is associated with Goddess Mahalakshmi, the deity at the heart of Dhanteras
- X-ray verification is the trusted way to confirm a genuine Rudraksha before you buy
- Rudralife’s Aarogya Maha Lakshmi Puja is performed on Dhanteras in each devotee’s name & gotra
Dhanteras 2026 date & puja muhurat
Dhanteras, also called Dhantrayodashi, is observed on Trayodashi, the thirteenth lunar day of the waning moon, two days before Diwali. The name comes from dhan, meaning wealth, & teras, meaning thirteen.
Because 2026 has an extra lunar month (Adhik Maas), Dhanteras falls about three weeks later this year than it did in 2025.
- Date: Friday, 6 November 2026
- Trayodashi tithi begins: 10:30 AM, 6 November
- Trayodashi tithi ends: 10:47 AM, 7 November
- Puja muhurat (Mumbai): [add from Drik Panchang]
The Dhanteras puja is performed in Pradosh Kaal, the window that begins at sunset, ideally while a fixed (sthir) lagna is rising. Many families also light the Yama Deepam on the same evening, a single lamp placed facing south at the entrance for the protection of the household.
Muhurat timings change from city to city, so check Drik Panchang for your location before you plan your puja.
Read more: Lakshmi Puja 2026 date & muhurat →
Lakshmi, Kuber & Dhanvantari: who is worshipped on Dhanteras
Three deities are honoured on Dhanteras, & together they hold the meaning of the day: prosperity, its safekeeping & good health.
- Goddess Lakshmi: the goddess of wealth & abundance. The Puranas describe her emerging from the Samudra Manthan, the churning of the cosmic ocean, which is why she is welcomed into homes as Diwali begins.
- Lord Kuber: the treasurer of the gods & keeper of wealth. Where Lakshmi blesses a home with prosperity, Kuber is prayed to for keeping it steady & protected.
- Lord Dhanvantari: the divine physician, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, who emerged from the same churning carrying the pot of amrit. Dhanteras is also observed as Dhanvantari Jayanti, a reminder that health is the first wealth.
The evening puja brings these prayers together. Lakshmi & Kuber are worshipped side by side, often with Lord Ganesha, & the new purchase of the day is placed before them as an offering.
The full story: Samudra Manthan: everything you should know →
Why we buy something auspicious on Dhanteras
On Dhanteras, a purchase is more than shopping. It is an invitation. Tradition holds that what you bring home on this day, with devotion, draws Lakshmi’s blessings into the household for the year ahead.
That is why markets fill with gold & silver coins, brass & copper utensils, new brooms & even a handful of coriander seeds. Each carries a quiet meaning: metal for lasting prosperity, a broom for sweeping out what no longer serves, seeds for growth.
What matters most is not the price of the item, but the intention behind it. The purchase is brought home, cleaned & placed in the puja during Pradosh Kaal, so that it is received as a blessing rather than simply owned.
Seen this way, the best Dhanteras purchase is something that carries meaning in your daily life, long after the festival.
Rudraksha as a Dhanteras purchase
Gold is kept safely in a locker. A new utensil goes to the kitchen. A Rudraksha, once offered in your Dhanteras puja, is worn close to you every day. That is what makes it a meaningful choice for Dhanteras 2026, whether you buy it alongside your traditional purchase or in its place.
- It is sacred, not decorative: Rudraksha is the bead of Lord Shiva, & each mukhi is associated with a deity. Bringing one home on Dhanteras adds a daily spiritual practice to the prosperity you pray for.
- It stays part of your day: a bead worn every morning becomes a quiet reminder of the prayers you made on Dhanteras, through the whole year.
- It can be shared with the whole family: the shastras say all mukhi Rudraksha can be worn together, so each family member can wear the beads suited to them.
- It is always positive-acting: unlike gemstones, Rudraksha is described by Rudralife experts as acting only positively for the wearer.
Any devotee can wear Rudraksha. However, we recommend choosing Rudraksha according to your date of birth, using astro-numerology, so the beads you bring home this Dhanteras suit you best.
Get your personalised Rudraksha recommendation →
If you prefer to see Rudraksha in person, come visit us at an exhibition near you.
Rudraksha for Lakshmi & Kuber blessings
These beads & pieces are traditionally connected with the prayers of Dhanteras: prosperity, new beginnings & a steady, well-protected home.
- 7 Mukhi Rudraksha: Representing Goddess Mahalakshmi, this bead blesses the wearer with prosperity & abundance.
7 Mukhi Rudraksha → - Ganesh Rudraksha: Representing Lord Ganesha, this bead blesses the wearer with new beginnings & the removal of obstacles.
Ganesh Rudraksha → - Ganesh Lakshmi Bandh: brings together the blessings of Lord Ganesha & Goddess Lakshmi, the deities worshipped together through Diwali.
Ganesh Lakshmi Bandh → - Seven Mukhi Cash Box: kept in a locker, safe or cash drawer, in the spirit of Lord Kuber’s safekeeping of wealth.
Seven Mukhi Cash Box → - Seven Mukhi Hanging: placed at the entrance or in the puja space to welcome Mahalakshmi into the home.
Seven Mukhi Hanging → - Lakshmi kits: the Lakshmi Prosperity Kit, Lakshmi Fortune Kit & Lakshmi Blessings Rudraksha Kit, curated for the season.
Lakshmi kits →
Buying Rudraksha this Dhanteras: what to check
A Dhanteras purchase should be genuine. Before you buy, keep these in mind:
- X-ray verification: an X-ray shows the internal seed chambers, which is what confirms a genuine Rudraksha & its mukhi. Every Rudralife bead is verified at RRTL, Rudralife’s own ISO 9001:2015 lab.
- The water test is not reliable: whether a bead sinks or floats says nothing about its authenticity.
- Be careful with 1 Mukhi offers: a true 1 Mukhi Rudraksha essentially does not exist as a sellable product, so high-priced “certified” 1 Mukhi claims are a red flag.
- Caring for your bead: remove your Rudraksha before bathing, as soap can harm the bead.
Rudralife’s Aarogya Maha Lakshmi Puja on Dhanteras
Dhanteras honours both Goddess Lakshmi & Lord Dhanvantari, which is why health & prosperity are prayed for together on this day. On Dhanteras, Rudralife’s pandits perform the Aarogya Maha Lakshmi Puja, dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi as the giver of health & well-being.
The puja is performed per Vedic vidhi vidhan as a Sankalp Puja, with the pandits speaking each devotee’s name & gotra in the sankalp, wherever they are. It is streamed live on YouTube so devotees anywhere can watch, & each devotee receives mahaprasad energised in the puja itself.
Date: Friday, 6 November 2026 · Time: 1:20 PM (Shubh Muhurat) IST · Pandits: 5 ·
Book the Aarogya Maha Lakshmi Puja
Frequently asked questions
When is Dhanteras in 2026? Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, 6 November. Trayodashi tithi begins at 10:30 AM on 6 November & ends at 10:47 AM on 7 November.
What is the best time for Dhanteras puja? The puja is performed in Pradosh Kaal, the window after sunset. Exact timings vary by city, so check Drik Panchang for your location.
Which gods are worshipped on Dhanteras? Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Kuber & Lord Dhanvantari. Many families also worship Lord Ganesha alongside Lakshmi.
Can I buy Rudraksha on Dhanteras? Yes. Dhanteras is a day for bringing home something auspicious, & a Rudraksha offered in your evening puja & worn every day carries that blessing through the year.
Which Rudraksha is associated with Goddess Lakshmi? 7 Mukhi Rudraksha is associated with Goddess Mahalakshmi & is traditionally linked with prosperity & abundance.
Can I buy Rudraksha instead of gold on Dhanteras? You can buy it instead of gold or alongside it. What matters on Dhanteras is the devotion behind the purchase, not its price.
How do I know a Rudraksha is genuine? X-ray verification is the trusted method, as it shows the bead’s internal seed chambers. The water test is not reliable.
Can the whole family wear Rudraksha together? Yes. The shastras say all mukhi Rudraksha can be worn together, so each family member can wear the beads suited to them.
Bottom line
Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, 6 November, an evening to welcome Lakshmi, honour Kuber & pray to Dhanvantari for health. The tradition of buying something auspicious is really about bringing a blessing into the home. A genuine Rudraksha, offered in your puja & worn every day, keeps that blessing close long after the festival.
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