Dhanteras 2028 Date and Pradosh Kaal (Yama Deep Daan)

How the day is chosen

Dhanteras is the dark-fortnight Trayodaśī that is current at pradoṣa, the three muhūrtas after sunset, when the lamp is set out. If it is current at pradoṣa on both days, or on neither, the later day is taken: the Dharmasindhu gives a dark Trayodaśī the later day. Joining the two texts this way is our reading. Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 294; Dharmasindhu pp. 20, 76

In Delhi the Trayodaśī runs from Sun 19:17 to Mon 15:45, so it is current at Sunday’s pradoṣa from 19:17 to 20:20, when the lamp for Yama is set outside.

The texts prescribe one rite for the day: a lamp for Yama, set outside the house at nightfall, so that untimely death is averted. Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 294; Dharmasindhu p. 76

Lamps are waved in the early night on five evenings, from the dark Dvādaśī to the Pratipadā, for the gods, brāhmaṇas, cows, horses, elders and the women of the house; the Trayodaśī is the second. A three-night cow vow also begins on this Trayodaśī. Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 294; Dharmasindhu p. 76

Popular practice: the names Dhanteras and Dhana-trayodaśī, buying gold, silver, metal or utensils, the worship of Dhanvantari, Lakṣmī or Kubera, and the five days from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj. The texts read do not give them.

Dhanteras 2028 around the world

Each city’s own time

Sunday, 15 October

DelhiPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:20
MumbaiPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:42
KolkataPradoṣa 19:17 – 19:39
ChennaiPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:15
BengaluruPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:25
HyderabadPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:20
AhmedabadPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:41
PunePradoṣa 19:17 – 20:38
JaipurPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:27
LucknowPradoṣa 19:17 – 20:06
LondonPradoṣa 18:04 – 20:45
New York CityPradoṣa 18:13 – 20:48
TorontoPradoṣa 18:31 – 21:08
DubaiPradoṣa 17:50 – 20:20

Monday, 16 October

SydneyPradoṣa 19:08 – 21:15
SingaporePradoṣa 18:51 – 21:15

Why the date differs In Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, London, New York City, Toronto and Dubai the Trayodaśī is current at Sunday’s pradoṣa but not Monday’s, so Sunday. In Sydney it is current at Monday’s pradoṣa but not Sunday’s, so Monday. In Singapore it is current at pradoṣa on neither Sunday nor Monday, so Monday. Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 294; Dharmasindhu pp. 20, 76

In popular practice, Dhanteras opens the five days of Diwali. Diwali 2028: the five days. Other years: Dhanteras 2026, Dhanteras 2027. All Dhanteras dates.

Questions

From the Nirṇaya-sindhu, p. 294, and the Dharmasindhu, pp. 20 and 76.

When is Dhanteras 2028?

In Delhi, on Sunday, 15 October 2028, with the lamp for Yama at pradoṣa, 19:17 to 20:20. In Sydney and Singapore it is Monday, 16 October. Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 294; Dharmasindhu p. 76

What is the Yama deep daan, and when is it done?

A lamp set out for Yama outside the house at nightfall on the dark Trayodaśī, so that untimely death is averted. Nightfall here is pradoṣa, the three muhūrtas after sunset. Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 294; Dharmasindhu p. 76

Why is the date different in the US or UK?

Dhanteras is the Trayodaśī current at pradoṣa at the city. The Trayodaśī begins and ends at the same moment everywhere, but sunset comes at a different hour, so a city to the west can hold it on another evening than Delhi.

How the day is found

Read the methodology

The day: The dark Trayodaśī that comes two days before the Dīpāvalī Amāvasyā, current at pradoṣa; on both days or on neither, the later day (Dharmasindhu p. 20; our reading with Nirṇaya-sindhu p. 294).
Pradoṣa: Three muhūrtas after sunset at the city, while the Trayodaśī runs: the time for the lamp.
No lagna: Neither the Nirṇaya-sindhu nor the Dharmasindhu gives a lagna rule for the day, so none is shown.
Popular practice: Buying metal or utensils and Dhanvantari’s worship are labelled as popular practice and not cited to the texts, which do not give them.

Sunrise and sunset at the centre of the Sun’s disc, with refraction · Lahiri ayanamsa for month names · each city’s own time · Swiss Ephemeris · Method