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A toran-dressed threshold, ledger, coin and durva for Labh Chaturthi

Labh Chaturthi

This year
Fri, 13 Nov 2026
in 156 days
Regional
Labh Chaturthi 2026 falls on Friday, 13 November 2026. Also called Labh Chauth or Varad Chaturthi, it is a Gujarati observance on Chaturthi (the fourth lunar day) of the waxing fortnight of Kartik, in the tail end of the Diwali cluster. Labh means gain or profit, and the day is treated as auspicious for prosperity and the year ahead in business and the home — the lead-up to Labh Pancham, when many Gujarati families and traders open their new account books. Because it follows the Hindu lunar calendar, the Gregorian date shifts each year, usually falling in November.

When it falls

The date shifts because it tracks the moon, not the Gregorian calendar.

2024 Nov 5
Tue
2025 Oct 25
Sat
2026 Nov 13
Fri
2027 Nov 2
Tue
2028 Oct 21
Sat
2029 Nov 9
Fri

Calculated for India (IST) using precise Panchang astronomy. Dates can shift by a day at locations far to the east or west.

Significance & story

Labh Chaturthi falls on Chaturthi, the fourth lunar day of the waxing fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of Kartik — "Kartik Sud Choth" in Gujarati. It sits near the close of the Diwali cluster, after the Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas), and is also known as Labh Chauth or Varad Chaturthi. The word labh means gain or profit, and that meaning sets the whole tone of the day: it is kept as an auspicious marker for the prosperity of the year ahead, in trade and in the household alike.

The day is best understood as the lead-in to Labh Pancham (labh-pancham), the day that follows it, when many Gujarati families and merchant communities ceremonially open their new account books for the year. Labh Chaturthi is the quieter day before that step — a time to settle the house, finish the cleaning and decorating begun for Diwali, and approach the new working year in a calm, ordered frame rather than rushing back to business straight after the festival.

As a Chaturthi, the day also carries a natural link to Ganesha (Ganpati), the remover of obstacles, who is traditionally invoked at the start of any new venture. The alternative name Varad Chaturthi points to the same idea — varad means boon-giving. For Gujarati households the emphasis is practical and domestic: not a large public festival, but a well-kept day within the Diwali stretch that asks for a steady, prosperous start to the year before account books are opened.

Rituals & observance

How Labh Chaturthi is kept:

  • The house is kept clean and the doorway marked with rangoli and lamps, carrying forward the preparation begun for Diwali and the Gujarati New Year rather than starting fresh.
  • A short Ganesha (Ganpati) worship is common, in keeping with Chaturthi being his lunar day and the wish for an obstacle-free start to the new working year.
  • Many families treat the day as a pause before resuming business — the shop or trade stays unhurried, with the formal opening of new account books reserved for Labh Pancham the next day.
  • Sweets and a simple festive meal are shared at home, as part of the closing days of the Diwali festivities.
  • Some households visit family or elders and exchange good wishes for prosperity (labh) in the year ahead, treating the day as an auspicious note to set before work begins again.

Regional variations

Gujarat
Labh Chaturthi (Labh Chauth / Varad Chaturthi) is primarily a Gujarati observance within the Diwali cluster, kept mainly at home as a calm, auspicious day before business resumes on Labh Pancham.
Gujarati communities abroad
Among Gujarati families in the diaspora, the day is often folded into the wider Diwali stretch — a day to finish festive preparations and wish family prosperity (labh) for the year ahead before account books are opened on Labh Pancham.
How this date is determined

Observed on the Chaturthi tithi of Kartik (Shukla paksha), reckoned by sunrise (udaya tithi).

Dates are computed to astronomical precision (NASA/JPL ephemeris), in line with traditional panchang.

Frequently asked

What date is Labh Chaturthi in 2026?
Labh Chaturthi 2026 is on Friday, 13 November 2026. It falls on Chaturthi (the fourth lunar day) of the waxing fortnight of Kartik, in the closing days of the Diwali cluster, the day before Labh Pancham.
Why does the date of Labh Chaturthi change every year?
It follows the Hindu lunar calendar, falling on Chaturthi of the waxing fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of Kartik. Because the lunar months don't line up with the Gregorian year, the date shifts annually, usually landing in November.
What does "Labh" mean in Labh Chaturthi?
Labh means gain or profit. The day is kept as an auspicious marker for prosperity in the year ahead — for business and the household — which is why it sits just before Labh Pancham, when many Gujarati families open their new account books.
What is the difference between Labh Chaturthi and Labh Pancham?
Labh Chaturthi (Labh Chauth) is the fourth waxing day of Kartik; Labh Pancham is the fifth, the day after. Chaturthi is the quieter lead-in — settling the home and starting the new year in an ordered frame — while Labh Pancham is when many Gujarati traders ceremonially open their new account books.
Why is it also called Varad Chaturthi?
As a Chaturthi, the day is linked to Ganesha (Ganpati), the remover of obstacles. Varad means boon-giving, so Varad Chaturthi reflects the wish for a smooth, prosperous start to the new working year.

Plan around it

Panchang Choghadiya muhurat Festival calendar Your Kundli