Naraka Chaturdashi History & Significance

Naraka Chaturdashi, commonly called Choti Diwali, falls on the day before Diwali. In 2026 it is Saturday 7 November. In many parts of India — particularly Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu — this is treated as the more important ritual day of the two, because the ritual bath happens on this morning rather than on Diwali itself.

The story is Krishna's killing of Narakasura, a demon king who had terrorised the three worlds and held sixteen thousand women captive. Krishna killed him before dawn, and the sixteen thousand women were freed. Because the battle ended in the early hours, the ritual bath is taken before sunrise, ideally in the Brahma Muhurta window.

The pre-dawn abhyanga snan — a full oil massage followed by a hot water bath — is the central ritual. In Maharashtra and Goa it is followed by a breakfast of faral, the same savoury snacks made for Diwali. In Tamil Nadu the bath uses sesame oil and a herbal powder called sikkakai, and the day is Deepavali for many households rather than the next day.

In West Bengal and Assam, the same night is Kali Chaudas, associated with Kali Puja and with Bhoot Chaturdashi — the night when fourteen diyas are lit to guide ancestors. The Shakta rituals here are entirely distinct from the Krishna story told in the west and south.