Short answer: in the United States, Tihar 2026 runs Friday 6 November (Kag Tihar · Dhanteras), Saturday 7 November (Kukur Tihar · Naraka Chaturdashi), Sunday 8 November — Lakshmi Puja · Gai Tihar · Diwali, Monday 9 November (Govardhan Puja · Mha Puja · Nepal Sambat New Year) and Tuesday 10 November (Bhai Tika · Bhai Dooj), with Chhath on Sunday 15 November. Diwali night itself is the same day as Nepal and India; the days around it fall one day earlier in the US. Dates hold across the mainland US.
Dates computed for local US sunrise with our festival calendar for US cities (method and tithi times shown there; Dallas, Chicago, SF and other mainland cities keep the same dates quoted here). For a specific ritual, confirm with your temple or family panchang.
The days (US), with Nepal beside them
| Day | USA 2026 | Nepal | Tithi runs (New York time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kag Tihar · Dhanteras | Fri 6 Nov | Sat 7 Nov | Fri 6 Nov 12:02 am → Sat 7 Nov 12:19 am |
| Kukur Tihar · Naraka Chaturdashi | Sat 7 Nov | Sun 8 Nov | Sat 7 Nov 12:19 am → Sun 8 Nov 12:59 am |
| Lakshmi Puja · Gai Tihar · Diwali | Sun 8 Nov (evening) | Sun 8 Nov — same | Amavasya Sun 8 Nov 12:59 am → Mon 9 Nov 2:03 am; it covers Sunday's pradosh (early evening), when Lakshmi Puja is performed |
| Govardhan · Goru Tihar · Mha Puja · Nepal Sambat 1147 | Mon 9 Nov | Tue 10 Nov | Mon 9 Nov 2:03 am → Tue 10 Nov 3:31 am |
| Bhai Tika · Bhai Dooj | Tue 10 Nov | Wed 11 Nov | Tue 10 Nov 3:31 am → Wed 11 Nov 5:25 am |
| Chhath (Surya Shashthi) | Sun 15 Nov | Sun 15 Nov — same | evening arghya Sun 15 Nov; morning arghya Mon 16 Nov |
Why Diwali matches but Bhai Tika doesn't
Lakshmi Puja is kept on the evening the Amavasya covers pradosh — and this year the Amavasya covers Sunday evening on both sides of the Pacific, so the US and Nepal light lamps the same night. Bhai Tika follows the udaya rule (the tithi current at sunrise), and Dwitiya ends between the two countries' sunrises — so the US keeps it Tuesday, Nepal Wednesday. Siblings calling across the ocean: Nepal's Wednesday-morning tika is Tuesday evening in America, inside the tithi for both.
Practical notes for the US
- Diwali on a Sunday is the good news of 2026 — Lakshmi Puja falls on a weekend evening without taking leave. The big community melas (BAPS, ISKCON, regional associations) will mostly run the weekends of 7–8 and 14–15 November.
- Deusi–Bhailo lands Sunday and Monday evenings; many US Nepali societies move it to the nearest Saturday.
- Bhai Tika on a workday Tuesday: the tithi runs until 5:25 am Wednesday New York time, so an evening tika on Tuesday is within the tithi everywhere in the mainland US.
- Chhath in mid-November means cold ghats — most US communities do the arghyas at community ponds or improvised pools; evening arghya Sunday 15, morning arghya Monday 16 November.
Related
Dashain 2026 in the USA · Why festival dates differ between the USA, Nepal and India · Full US calendar