Both traditions
Diwali — Mahavir Nirvana and Bestu Varas
Lamps are lit in memory of the eighteen gana-kings — nine Malla and nine Licchavi — who lit them on the night of the nirvana saying that since the light of knowledge is gone, they would make light of ordinary matter. Digambars recite the Nirvan Kand and offer the Nirvan Ladu with argha; Shwetambars fast and recite through the night. On Bestu Varas the Gautam Swami no Ras and nine stotras are sung. Business families perform Chopda Pujan, the worship of the new account books, on Diwali evening.
- Both traditions
- kept by
- One night, and the morning after
- how long
- 8 November 2026
- when it falls
Which traditions keep it
Kept by every Jain tradition, and observed differently. Digambars offer the Nirvan Ladu after reciting the Nirvan Kand. Shwetambars keep a chhath — a two-day fast — and recite the Uttaradhyayana Sutra, Mahavira’s last discourse, through the night. Firecrackers are avoided on ahimsa grounds in both.
What is done
Lamps are lit in memory of the eighteen gana-kings — nine Malla and nine Licchavi — who lit them on the night of the nirvana saying that since the light of knowledge is gone, they would make light of ordinary matter. Digambars recite the Nirvan Kand and offer the Nirvan Ladu with argha; Shwetambars fast and recite through the night. On Bestu Varas the Gautam Swami no Ras and nine stotras are sung. Business families perform Chopda Pujan, the worship of the new account books, on Diwali evening.
Why two sources give two days
Both are right, under different rules, and our own computation shows why. Computed for Mumbai, Amavasya begins at 11:28 on 8 November 2026 and ends at 12:32 on 9 November. So Amavasya is running through the evening and night of 8 November — the rule that matters for a festival of lamps — and it is the tithi at sunrise on 9 November, which is the udaya rule a tithi darpan follows. Neither source made an error. This is exactly the situation in which a computed date would have been worse than no date.
Tell us if this is wrong
We have shown our sources and said where they disagree. If you know this to be wrong, or you have a printed vidhi or a panchang that settles it, please tell us — we will correct it and credit you.
AboutWhy two sources give two days
Sources
Where this came from
Graded, so you can weigh a claim rather than take it on trust.
- Wikipedia — Diwali (Jainism)Institutional or scholarly
- Wikipedia — Vira Nirvana SamvatInstitutional or scholarly
- Jain Tithi Darpan 2026, SongadhCommunity source
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