“True celebration begins not when we follow rituals blindly, but when we understand their deeper spiritual meanings.”

— Swami Mukundananda

Every Diwali season, millions around the world prepare for Lakshmi Puja, the most sacred night of the Festival of Lights. However, in 2025, many find themselves asking a deceptively simple question:

🕯️ “Is Diwali on October 20 or October 21?”

At first glance, it seems like a minor calendar technicality. But beneath this question lies the profound difference between following a civil calendar and adhering to Sanatan Dharma’s time-tested, spiritually aligned wisdom.

In this expanded guide, we’ll dive deep into:

  • The difference between calendar dates and Tithi
  • Why both dates are “right” — but one is more spiritually accurate
  • What Panchang and Vedic texts actually say
  • The significance of Amavasya, Pradosh Kaal, and Lagna
  • Swami Mukundananda’s insights on choosing spiritual truth over convenience

📆 Why Is There Confusion in the First Place?

In 2025, Dhanteras, the first day of Diwali celebrations, falls on Saturday, October 18. If we simply count forward:

  • Choti Diwali = October 19
  • Main Diwali (Day 3) = October 20. This is what many modern printed calendars will show.

But in Sanatan Dharma, festivals are never observed solely by counting days. Instead, we follow the lunar calendar, which uses Tithis (Vedic lunar days) to decide the exact spiritual timing of pujas and rituals.

Let’s explore what this means.

📜 Understanding Tithi: The Backbone of Vedic Time

In Vedic timekeeping, Tithis are divisions of the lunar month based on the phases of the Moon. There are 30 Tithis in each lunar cycle, 15 in the waxing phase (Shukla Paksha) and 15 in the waning phase (Krishna Paksha).

Diwali is observed on the Amavasya Tithi: the no-moon night that signifies the victory of light over darkness.

Here’s the crucial point:

Amavasya does not always fall on the same civil date each year.

It depends on when exactly the Moon enters the Amavasya phase — which may begin in the middle of the civil day or night.

This is why Diwali’s date varies slightly each year — not due to human error, but due to the natural alignment of cosmic rhythms.

🌒 The Role of Amavasya in Diwali

The Amavasya night is when Lakshmi Puja must be performed. Why?

Because:

  • Amavasya represents darkness of ignorance
  • Lighting lamps on this night symbolizes the awakening of divine knowledge
  • Scriptures state Lakshmi emerges and blesses those who worship Her on this night with purity, devotion, and intention

So, the true date of Diwali is determined by when Amavasya Tithi aligns with the evening hours: specifically during Pradosh Kaal and Vrishabha Lagna.

🧘‍♂️ Why October 21 is the True Lakshmi Puja Night

Let’s now examine the astrological data for 2025.

✅ Panchang Details:

  • Amavasya Tithi begins:🗓️ Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 7:29 AM IST
  • Amavasya Tithi ends:🗓️ Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 5:11 AM IST

Therefore, the evening of October 21 is when Amavasya is active — making it the correct scriptural date for Lakshmi Puja.

🕰️ Why Evening Matters: Pradosh Kaal

Pradosh Kaal is the 2-hour window after sunset — a highly auspicious time for worship.

According to scriptures:

“Lakshmi Puja on Amavasya during Pradosh Kaal bestows wealth, peace, and spiritual elevation.”

In 2025:

  • Sunset in Delhi: around 5:50 PM IST
  • Pradosh Kaal: 6:10 PM – 8:40 PM IST
  • Lagna: Ideally, Vrishabha (Taurus) Lagna during this period enhances the energy of prosperity

🪔 All these align beautifully only on October 21, 2025 evening, not October 20.

📉 What Happens on October 20 Then?

On October 20, Amavasya has not yet begun. It is technically still Krishna Chaturdashi (the 14th lunar day), which is ideal for Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali — not for Lakshmi Puja.

Worshiping Lakshmi on this day is like knocking on the door before the divine presence has arrived.

While no worship is ever wasted in bhakti, aligning your practice with scriptural timing maximizes spiritual benefit and harmony with the cosmos.

🧠 Spiritual vs Calendar Convenience

So why do some people still celebrate on October 20?

  • Convenience: It’s a Monday — easier for working families
  • Printed Calendars: Often simplify festivals by counting forward from Dhanteras
  • Regional Variations: In some states or communities, there may be traditions of celebrating a day earlier

🪔 2025 Lakshmi Puja Muhurat (City-Specific)

New Delhi (IST)

  • Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: 7:08 PM – 8:18 PM (Monday, Oct 20, 2025)
  • Pradosh Kaal: 5:46 PM – 8:18 PM
  • Amāvasyā tithi: Starts 3:44 PM on Oct 20; ends 5:54 PM on Oct 21These are the commonly referenced Delhi timings for Diwali 2025.

Dallas, Texas (local time)

  • Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: 8:06 PM – 9:22 PM (Monday, Oct 20, 2025)
  • Pradosh Kaal: 6:48 PM – 9:22 PM
  • Vrishabha (Taurus) Lagna: 8:06 PM – 9:59 PM
  • Amāvasyā tithi: Starts 5:14 AM on Oct 20; ends 7:24 AM on Oct 21

🧘‍♂️ What Swami Mukundananda Teaches About Timing and Intention

Swami Mukundananda teaches that:

  • Tithi is not superstition — it’s alignment with divine energies
  • Time (Kaal) is not linear in Sanatan Dharma — it’s cyclical, energetic, and spiritual
  • Observing festivals at the correct time opens inner portals of transformation

In his words:

“Diwali must not be reduced to dates, decor, or rituals. It is the lighting of the soul with the flame of divine knowledge and devotion.”

So while it's better to celebrate Diwali than not at all, celebrating it on October 21 evening, with the right bhav (devotional feeling) and timing, brings you in resonance with Lakshmi Devi’s grace and the rhythm of the cosmos.

🎯 What Should You Do?

Let this be not just an external event — but a time to:

  • Reflect on your spiritual journey
  • Renew your relationship with the Divine
  • Share light, not just sweets

🛕 Final Words: Align With the Eternal

“True festivals are not marked by calendars but by consciousness. Celebrate Diwali not just with lamps, but with clarity.”

— Swami Mukundananda

🙏 FAQs

Q1. Is Diwali in 2025 on October 20 or October 21?
In 2025, Amavasya Tithi — essential for Lakshmi Puja — falls on the evening of October 21, 2025. Hence, Diwali and Lakshmi Puja should be observed on October 21, not October 20.

Q2. What is the Lakshmi Puja Muhurat for Diwali 2025?
According to Panchang, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat is during Pradosh Kaal (around 6:10 PM – 8:40 PM IST) on October 21, 2025, when Amavasya Tithi and Vrishabha Lagna align.

Q3. Why is there confusion about Diwali’s date in 2025?
The confusion arises because civil calendars use solar dates, while Sanatan Dharma follows the lunar calendar (Tithis). The lunar phase determines festival timing, not just the date.

Q4. What does Swami Mukundananda teach about Diwali?
Swami Mukundananda emphasizes celebrating Diwali with spiritual awareness. True celebration aligns with divine timing (Tithi) and intention (bhav), not just convenience.

Q5. What is the significance of Amavasya during Diwali?
Amavasya, the no-moon night, symbolizes the darkness of ignorance. Lighting diyas on this night represents the victory of divine knowledge and purity, inviting Goddess Lakshmi’s blessings.