Dhanteras 2027 falls on Wednesday, October 27, the first day of Diwali’s five-day festival.
A general shopping window
Buying gold, silver, utensils, and worshipping Dhanvantari during Pradosh Kaal and Trayodashi tithi is considered auspicious. Pradosh Kaal begins at sunset and lasts roughly two hours and 24 minutes after that. So if sunset in your city is at 5:45 PM, the shopping muhurat runs until approximately 8:09 PM. The exact time depends on your city’s sunset, which is why a generic “buy between 6 and 8 PM” doesn’t work for every location.
One thing to watch for: Rahu Kaal must be avoided within this window. If Rahu Kaal falls during your Pradosh Kaal, treat the overlap period as a gap and shop before or after it. This is where checking the specific timing for your city becomes essential.
Why “Dhan” Teras
The name breaks down simply: “Dhan” means wealth, “Teras” refers to Trayodashi, the thirteenth day of the lunar fortnight. The day is sacred to both Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and Dhanvantari (the physician of the gods, associated with Ayurveda). The Dhanvantari connection is why this day is also observed as National Ayurveda Day in India. Some families perform a separate Dhanvantari puja in the evening alongside their Lakshmi puja, especially those in the medical or healthcare field.
What’s traditionally bought
Gold or silver coins or jewellery, new brass or copper utensils, and a Lakshmi-Ganesh idol are traditionally considered auspicious purchases. Buying a broom is considered a symbol of sweeping away poverty, and many households pick up a new broom specifically on this day.
Modern purchases have expanded the tradition without losing its spirit. New electronics, vehicles, and even property registrations are timed to Dhanteras. Jewellery stores across India and in NRI hubs like Edison (New Jersey), Southall (London), and Brampton (Canada) run their biggest sales of the year on this day. If you’re buying online, the purchase timestamp is what counts, so place the order during Pradosh Kaal.
A traditional detail that’s often overlooked: the utensils bought on Dhanteras shouldn’t be used immediately. They’re placed near the puja area, worshipped alongside the Lakshmi idol on Diwali night, and then put into regular use after that.
Dhanvantari Puja in the evening
Before the shopping tradition, Dhanteras evening traditionally begins with lighting a diya at the main entrance of the house, facing south. This particular diya is called Yama Deepam and is lit in honor of Yamraj to ward off untimely death. It should burn through the night. Many families use a mustard oil diya for this purpose, keeping it separate from the ghee diyas used in the regular puja.
Rahu Kaal’s overlap risk, with numbers
Rahu Kaal for a Wednesday, which is what October 27, 2027 falls on, occupies the 5th of the day’s eight segments, typically mid-afternoon, around 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM depending on your city’s sunrise. Since Pradosh Kaal starts at sunset, several hours later, the two windows generally don’t overlap. That’s good news: in years where the weekday pushes Rahu Kaal into the evening, it can cut into the shopping window, but 2027’s Wednesday keeps the two apart for most cities.
What’s traditionally avoided
Steel and iron are traditionally skipped on Dhanteras, considered inauspicious next to gold, silver, brass and copper. Glass and sharp objects like knives or scissors are also commonly avoided, something many families steer clear of on any auspicious day. If you actually need a steel appliance or a knife set, the usual workaround is buying it the day before or after, not on Dhanteras itself.
How to check the exact time for your city
Select your city on the muhurat page to see that day’s sunset, Pradosh Kaal, and Rahu Kaal. You can also check Trayodashi tithi timing on the panchang page to ensure your shopping falls within both the right tithi and the right kaal.