Naraka Chaturdasi 2026

Naraka Chaturdasi marks the death of the demon Narakasura at the hands of Krishna and Satyabhama. It is kept before dawn: the household wakes in the dark, bathes with oil, and lights the first crackers while the sky is still black.

The story

Narakasura, son of the Earth goddess Bhudevi, ruled from Pragjyotisha and had carried off sixteen thousand women and the earrings of Aditi, mother of the gods. He had a boon that only his own mother could kill him.

Krishna rode against him on Garuda with his wife Satyabhama, herself a form of Bhudevi. In the telling Telugu audiences know best, Krishna falls back stunned in the chariot and it is Satyabhama who takes up the bow and brings Naraka down. Dying, he asked that his death be remembered with lamps and rejoicing.

How it is kept

• Abhyanga snanamBefore sunrise the women of the house give harathi to the men and children and touch sesame oil to their heads. Everyone then bathes, scrubbing with sunnipindi, a paste of gram flour and herbs.
• The first crackersNew clothes go on straight after the bath and the first crackers are lit at once, well before daylight.
• Burning NarakaIn some towns an effigy of Narakasura is burnt, at night or before dawn.
• Leading into DeepavaliThe lamps and the Lakshmi puja follow at dusk on the new-moon evening, which can be the same date or the next.

Why this date

Naraka Chaturdasi in other years

More from this season

• 8 NovemberDeepavaliదీపావళి
• 13 NovemberNagula Chavithiనాగుల చవితి
• 24 NovemberKarthika Pournamiకార్తీక పౌర్ణమి
• 10 OctoberBathukammaబతుకమ్మ
• 18 OctoberSaddula Bathukammaసద్దుల బతుకమ్మ
• 19 OctoberDurgashtamiదుర్గాష్టమి

Further reading

• Naraka ChaturdashiWikipedia
• NarakasuraWikipedia
• DiwaliEncyclopaedia Britannica