Quick take: Diwali (Deepavali, দীপাৱলী) is on Sunday 8 November 2026, with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November. Do the shopping on Dhanteras afternoon in Fancy Bazar, and on Diwali night ride up Nilachal Hill to see the whole city lit up below, then through the lit-up lanes and on to the Kali Puja pandals. A scooty starts at ₹799/day, with a helmet, from our Maligaon pickup, from 7 AM. The festival dates are on our Diwali and Kali Puja in Guwahati 2026 page.
The plan, evening by evening
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 6 Nov, afternoon | Dhanteras shopping: lamps, lights, sweets | Fancy Bazar |
| Sat 7 Nov, evening | First lights go up; quieter roads | Your neighbourhood, the riverfront |
| Sun 8 Nov, early evening | Lamps and Lakshmi Puja at home | Home |
| Sun 8 Nov, after dark | The city lit up from the hill | Nilachal Hill (Kamakhya road) |
| Sun 8 Nov, late | Kali Puja pandals until midnight | Pandu, Maligaon, Uzan Bazar |
Dhanteras: shopping in Fancy Bazar
Fancy Bazar, Guwahati's wholesale market near the river, is the place for lamps, strings of lights, decorations and sweets in the days around Dhanteras. It is very crowded in the evenings, and a car is hard work in its narrow lanes.
- Go in the afternoon, before the evening rush.
- Park outside the market and walk in. Lock the scooty and take the helmet with you, or use the storage under the seat.
- Travel light. A scooty takes a shopping bag at your feet and one under the seat; for a big haul of lamps and boxes of sweets, come with a friend and two scooters, or take the car.
Your neighbourhood market is busy too, and often easier: many people buy their diyas and sweets close to home and save Fancy Bazar for the bigger shopping.
Diwali night: the city from Nilachal Hill
The best view of Guwahati on Diwali night is from Nilachal Hill, the hill of Kamakhya Temple. The photo at the top of this post was taken from there on Diwali 2025: the whole city spread out in lights, with the flyover and the river below.
- Getting there: the foothill gate is 3 km from our pickup and the temple 5 km.
- Go early in the evening. The hill road is slow on festival nights because Kamakhya is busy with Kali Puja rituals. Stop at a safe pull-off on the way up, not on a bend.
- Combine it with the temple if you like: see Kamakhya Temple by scooty or bike.
Lit-up lanes and the riverfront
After the hill, ride slowly through the neighbourhoods. Houses and lanes across the city are covered in strings of lights, and the railway colonies around Maligaon and Pandu put up light gateways over the road.
The riverfront along the Brahmaputra is a good place to stop, away from the traffic, and watch the fireworks over the city. Late in the evening, the Kali Puja pandals take over: our Kali Puja pandal-hopping route starts right next to our pickup, in Pandu and Maligaon.
Our scooters
Pickup in Maligaon from 7 AM
Riding among firecrackers
- Visor down, speed down. Crackers go off in the streets all evening, sometimes at the roadside without warning.
- Never ride over a lit cracker, and give groups lighting them a wide berth.
- Park away from where crackers are being lit, and don't leave a helmet or bags on the seat.
- Cotton over synthetics for the rider and pillion on Diwali night, and closed shoes.
- Don't drink and ride. Diwali night roads are busy, and visibility is poor in the smoke.
Scooty or car?
For one or two people, a scooty is the better tool on Diwali night: you can stop anywhere, park anywhere, and get through the jams near the markets and pandals. A scooty for the three days from Dhanteras to Diwali is ₹2,397. With the whole family, or for drives to relatives, see our self-drive car for Diwali post.
FAQs
When is Diwali 2026 in Guwahati? Sunday 8 November 2026. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, and Kali Puja is on the same night as Diwali.
Where can I see the Diwali lights in Guwahati? From Nilachal Hill, on the road to Kamakhya Temple: the whole city is lit up below. Then the lit-up lanes of the neighbourhoods and the railway colonies around Maligaon and Pandu.
Where should I go for Diwali shopping in Guwahati? Fancy Bazar is the city's wholesale market, the place for lamps, lights and sweets around Dhanteras. Go in the afternoon and park outside the market. Your neighbourhood market is often easier for smaller shopping.
Can I rent a scooty just for Diwali evening? Yes. A one-day rental is ₹799 and covers the evening; return it by the agreed time. Pickups in Maligaon are from 7 AM, Diwali included; for a late-night return, ask when you book.
Is it safe to ride on Diwali night? Yes, if you ride slowly with your visor down, keep clear of crackers being lit and don't ride after drinking.
Contact / Book
Tell us your dates on WhatsApp and we'll keep a scooty for you from Dhanteras to Diwali. Festival days are busy, so book early.
The information in this post is indicative. Final terms and policies are discussed and confirmed when you take the vehicle on rent.
