Diwali Padwa 2026 on Tuesday, 10 November: Bali Pratipada Meaning, Aukshan and Why Husbands Give Gifts

Diwali Padwa, also called Bali Pratipada, falls on Tuesday, 10 November 2026 in Maharashtra. It is the fourth day of Diwali, when wives perform an aukshan (aarti) for their husbands, husbands give a gift in return, and many traders begin a new business year.

Some national calendars list the day on Monday, 9 November. Marathi calendars and the state holiday list use 10 November. Our Diwali 2026 calendar has every date.

What is the story of Bali Pratipada?

The day is dedicated to King Bali, a generous and devoted ruler. In the story, Lord Vishnu took the form of Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin, and asked Bali for three steps of land. Vamana then covered the earth and the sky in two steps, and Bali offered his own head for the third.

Pleased by his devotion, Vishnu sent Bali to the netherworld but allowed him to return once a year to visit his people. Lokmat Times notes that Bali Pratipada marks that return. A well-known Marathi saying linked to the day is “ida pida javo, Balicha rajya yevo”: may troubles go, and Bali’s kingdom come.

Why do wives do aukshan for husbands on Padwa?

On Padwa morning, after the bath, the wife performs aukshan for her husband: she waves a lamp in a plate, applies a tilak and prays for his long life. It is one of the few Diwali rituals centred on the couple.

In return, the husband gives his wife a gift. Traditionally it was a sari or a piece of jewellery; today it might be anything from perfume to a phone. For newly married couples it is their first Diwali Padwa, and the wife’s family often invites them for a festive meal.

Why do traders start new account books on Padwa?

For many traders, especially Gujarati and Marwari business families in Pune’s peths and Market Yard, Padwa is the start of the new business year. Shops and new ledgers are blessed in a puja, and the Vikram Samvat calendar year begins. Elsewhere in India, the same day is marked as Govardhan Puja or Annakut.

Padwa is also one of the days many Maharashtrians consider good for buying gold or starting something new. If you plan to buy jewellery, our Dhanteras gold buying guide explains how to check BIS hallmarks and HUID.

How do Pune families spend Diwali Padwa?

• An early bath and aukshan in the morning
• A special meal, often with shrikhand-puri or basundi
• Visits to relatives and family friends
• In the evening, more diyas and the last of the big cracker nights

Bank branches may be shut on Padwa; check our November 2026 bank holidays list for Maharashtra before you plan any branch work.

How is Diwali Padwa different from Gudi Padwa?

Both are called Padwa because both fall on a Pratipada, the first day of a lunar fortnight. Gudi Padwa, in Chaitra (March or April), is the Marathi New Year, marked by raising a gudi outside the home. Diwali Padwa falls in Kartik, during Diwali, and is about King Bali, the couple’s aukshan and, for traders, the new account year.

Both are among the days many Maharashtrians consider good for new purchases and beginnings.

Frequently asked questions