Dev Deepawali in Varanasi 2026: Date, Rituals and the Best Ghats to Watch From

Dev Deepawali in Varanasi falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026, the full moon night of Kartik Purnima, when lakhs of diyas are lit along the Ganga. The evening has plenty going on, from the Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and the open steps of Assi Ghat to the light shows expected at Chet Singh and Lalita Ghats. All of it happens within a few hours of one another.

Most visitors worry less about what to see than about how to manage the night itself, so this blog covers the practical side. You will find how Dev Deepawali differs from Diwali, which ghat suits you best, whether a boat is worth booking, and when to reach the ghats. If you enjoy travelling around festivals like this one, our event and festival tour packagestake care of the planning for you.

Dev Deepawali is the Festival of Lights of the Gods, celebrated on the full moon night of Kartik Purnima, most famously in Varanasi. It marks the victory of Lord Shiva over the demon Tripurasura, when the gods are believed to come down to the banks of the Ganga, and it is defined by the public mass lighting of millions of diyas across the riverfront steps (ghats) of Varanasi.

On the other hand, Diwali happens about two weeks earlier, on the dark new moon night of Kartik Amavasya, to celebrate Lord Rama’s return home to Ayodhya. It is a family festival marked at home across the country with Lakshmi Puja, and it shifts quite a bit by region, with Diwali in Rajasthan standing out as one of the most colourful. For the year 2026, Diwali falls on Sunday, 8 November, followed by Dev Deepawali on Tuesday, 24 November.

Tripurasura was not a single demon but three brothers, the sons of Tarakasura, who ruled three flying cities. A boon from Brahma had made them nearly impossible to defeat, since the cities could be destroyed only by a single arrow, and only at the rare moment when all three lined up. As their power grew, the gods found they could not stop them and turned to Shiva for help.

Shiva waited for that alignment, released one arrow and destroyed all three cities, which earned him the name Tripurari. The gods then came to Kashi, Shiva’s own city, to celebrate, bathing in the Ganga and lighting lamps along its banks. The people of Varanasi have carried on that tradition every Kartik Purnima since.

Among all the places to visit in Varanasi, the ghats matter most on Dev Deepawali, and the best one depends on the kind of evening you want.

Dashashwamedh is the place for the grand Ganga aarti, Assi has more open space along the southern riverfront, and Chet Singh and Lalita are where the light shows take place.

1. Dashashwamedh Ghat: Where the Maha Aarti Happens

The Ganga aarti on Dev Deepawali is held at Dashashwamedh, with priests standing on raised platforms at the water’s edge and lifting heavy brass lamps together. That night, diyas line the steps right down to the river, so the whole ghat is lit from the water up to the lanes above.

As of 30 October 2026, official timings are not out yet. The ghats are expected to light up from around 6:00 PM, with the aarti running from about 6:45 PM to 7:30 PM, so anyone who wants a place near the front should plan to be at the ghat well before the lamps are lit.

Best for: first-time visitors who want to see the main aarti up close.

Pro Tip: Dashashwamedh is one of Varanasi’s busiest ghats even on an ordinary evening, and Dev Deepawali brings far more people. Check the access restrictions in advance, and be ready to walk the last stretch if vehicles are stopped. If you would rather watch from the river, book your boat early and ask where it can stay during the aarti.

2. Assi Ghat: An Easier Alternative with a Great View of the Riverfront

Assi is at the southern end of the main riverfront, and it has its own evening aarti. Its steps are broad and open, so there is more room to sit and look along the river than at the tightly packed central ghats. Arriving early also gives you time to walk through the neighbourhood and watch the lamps being laid out.

Assi still fills up on festival evenings, and the lanes leading to it get crowded, so arrive early. The aarti here is less grand than the one at Dashashwamedh, but the extra room on the steps makes it a more relaxed way to watch.

Best for: visitors who want room to move and are happy with a smaller aarti.

3. Chet Singh and Lalita Ghats: Light Shows After the Aarti

As of 30 October 2026, a digital light and laser show is expected at Chet Singh Ghat from around 7:30 PM, followed by a Kashi Vishwanath Corridor laser show at Lalita Ghat from around 7:45 PM. Chet Singh’s fort-like walls have served as a backdrop for projections in earlier years.

Best for: visitors who would like to see the light shows along with the lamps.

A boat ride in Varanasi on Dev Deepawali is the best way to see the festival, because only the river shows every lit ghat at once. It is also the one thing worth booking early.

Reserve your boat at least two to three weeks ahead, through your hotel or a licensed operator, since the good boats go first in festival week. Confirm the boarding point, the boarding time and what is included before you pay.

Shared vs. Private Boats

As of 30 October 2026, a seat on a shared boat for 24 November costs roughly ₹2,900 to ₹5,500 per person, with groups of 25 to 40 on board. The rides run for three to five hours, and some include tea, snacks, water and life jackets.

A private boat is priced as one fee for the whole boat. For the same night, expect to pay around ₹55,000 to ₹60,000, which is about ₹3,000 each for a full boat of 20 and around ₹5,500 each for ten. It suits large groups that want to choose their own timing.

Dev Deepawali draws one of the biggest crowds Varanasi sees all year, so the time you arrive matters as much as the ghat you choose.

Crowds at the Ghats

• Lakhs of devotees and tourists on the ghats on Dev Deepawali evening.
• In recent years, the administration has closed vehicle access between Maidagin and Godowlia on the festival evening, so check the traffic advisory for 24 November before you set out.

Best Time to Arrive

• Dashashwamedh Ghat: Reach it by about 4:00 to 4:45 PM, two to three hours before the aarti, which is expected at about 6:45 PM.
• Assi Ghat: Reach it from around 4:00 PM, so you can find a spot on the open steps before the lamps are lit.
• Chet Singh and Lalita Ghats: Reach them by about 6:00 PM, when the ghats begin to light up, so you are settled before the shows start from around 7:30 PM.
• Boat rides: Some start as early as 4:00 PM, so confirm your boarding time when you book.

Where you stay matters more than the hotel category on Dev Deepawali, so the first choice is between staying near the ghats and staying further out, where getting around is easier.

Ghat-Side and Old City (Dashashwamedh, Godowlia, Assi)

Staying in the lanes near the ghats means you can walk to the aarti and the lamps without needing a vehicle. As of 30 October 2026, most rooms near the Vishwanath Temple and Godowlia are in guesthouses and old buildings, reached through narrow lanes and staircases. Many of them have no elevator, so you may have to carry your luggage up several floors.

Best for: first-time visitors who want to walk to the ghats and be in the middle of the festival.

Cantonment Area

Cantonment is about 10 km from the main ghats by road. It has modern hotels with elevators, wide roads and easy cab access. It suits families, elderly travellers and anyone who finds stairs difficult. The downside is the evening. With roads closed near the ghats, a cab will drop you well short of the river, so the walk at the end is longer than it sounds, and you should allow extra time to get back.

Best for: families, elderly travellers and those who want modern rooms and easy transfers.

When to Book Your Stay

Hotels in Varanasi fill up fast in Dev Deepawali week, and prices on the festival night are far higher than usual. Book three to six months ahead for festival dates. If you have not booked yet, do it as soon as your travel dates are fixed.

Pro Tip: If you choose Cantonment, plan to be at the ghats by mid-afternoon and fix your return arrangements before you leave your hotel.

Varanasi is well connected by air and rail, but flights and trains fill up quickly in Dev Deepawali week, so book your transport as soon as your dates are fixed.

By Air

Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport is about 25 km from the city and takes roughly 40 minutes by cab. As of 30 October 2026, there are direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Fares for 21 to 24 November usually rise well above normal, so book early.

Direct Flights to Varanasi (VNS) from Different Cities

By Train

Varanasi Junction (BSB) is the main station, with Banaras (BNRS), formerly Manduadih, as the second option. As of 30 October 2026, you can reach Varanasi by train from all five cities, but the journey is much longer from the south and west, so flying is easier from those cities. Trains fill quickly in festival week, so book as soon as the booking window opens.

Train Journeys to Varanasi from Different Cities

On the evening of 24 November, vehicles are kept away from the riverfront. Reach the old city by mid-afternoon, leave your bags at the hotel and walk to the ghats, using the arrival times in the crowds section above as your guide.

Try to arrive two to three days before 24 November. This gives you time to settle in, see the Ganga aarti on an ordinary evening and catch some of the Ganga Mahotsav events expected in the days leading up to 24 November.

Keep 24 November itself light. The Kartik Purnima dawn dip is worth seeing in the morning, after which you can rest and head to your chosen ghat in time for the arrival window.

Plan your departure for 25 November rather than the evening of the festival, as returning late through closed roads is much harder than it looks. If you want to visit Sarnath after the festival, keep the morning of 25 November for it and book a later departure.

Sarnath is about 10 km from the city centre. It is a separate neighbourhood, reached by road from either the old city or Cantonment. It is where the Buddha gave his first sermon, and the Dhamek Stupa, the ruins and the museum can be covered in three to four hours. It makes a calm contrast to the ghats and works well as a half-day trip on the day after the festival, but not on 24 November, when roads close and your time is best kept for the ghats.

Dev Deepawali works well as one part of a longer journey across the country. If you are planning a trip with family or friends, our spiritual tours of India cover a wide range of routes and regions, and we can help you build an itinerary around key festival dates, so that your transport, stays and timings fit together without last-minute changes.

The Pushkar Melain Rajasthan also builds up to Kartik Purnima. The fair runs for about a week, from 17 to 24 November 2026, with the holy dip in Pushkar Lake falling on 24 November, the same day as Dev Deepawali.

Both festivals reach their high point on the same night, so most travellers choose one for the full moon evening. Whichever you pick, the lamps of Varanasi and the camel fair of Pushkar show two very different sides of the same festival season, and both are worth planning a trip around.