Dev Deepawali 2026 in Varanasi: Date, Best Ghats and How to Watch

Dev Deepawali 2026 falls on Tuesday, 24 November, on Kartik Purnima, fifteen days after Diwali. At dusk the ghats of Varanasi are lined with lakhs of earthen diyas, said to welcome the gods who come down to bathe in the Ganga.

What happens on the night

• Evening: volunteers and families light diyas along the ghats from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat.
• Ganga aarti: a grand aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, with many more priests than on a normal evening.
• Morning: pilgrims take the Kartik Purnima dip in the Ganga.

The best way to see it

From a boat. The lamps are best seen from the river, where you can take in a long stretch of ghats at once. Boats for the evening are booked out days in advance and cost much more than usual; book early and agree the route and time beforehand.

From the land, Dashashwamedh and Assi are the busiest. Arrive by mid-afternoon to get a place; lanes near the ghats close to vehicles.

Planning tips

• Book stays early: hotels near the ghats fill weeks ahead for Dev Deepawali.
• Elders and children: the crowd is very dense near the main ghats; a boat or a ghat-side terrace is safer.
• Weather: late November evenings are cool and pleasant; carry a light shawl for the river.
• Stay a day longer: Kashi Vishwanath darshan is far easier the day after.

Combine it with Ayodhya and Prayagraj

November is a good month for the whole Awadh circuit. The Cultural Quadrangle of Awadh covers Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Gaya in 7 days; the Ramayana Yatra goes on to Janakpur. See the Awadh circuit guide and our Ram Mandir darshan guide.