Dhanteras 2026 in Guntur: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate
TL;DR
- 🗓️ Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, November 6 — it marks the opening of the five-day Deepavali season
- 🥇 Guntur has over 1,000 jewellery showrooms, from established local names to national chains
- 🪔 Lakshmi–Kubera puja is performed during Pradosh Kaal in the evening, before the main lamp-lighting
- 🛍️ Brodipet and the main commercial streets are where Guntur's gold market concentrates
- 🎉 Deepavali in the Telugu-speaking belt begins on Dhanteras, with lamp-lit streets and community celebrations
What Dhanteras Means
Dhanteras, also called Dhantrayodashi, falls on the thirteenth lunar day of the Krishna Paksha of the Hindu month of Kartik. The word dhan means wealth, and teras refers to the thirteenth. On this day, devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi and Kubera, the deity of wealth, and traditionally purchase gold, silver, or at least one new metal utensil as a symbol of incoming prosperity.
In Andhra Pradesh, Dhanteras is woven into the Deepavali observances with particular enthusiasm. Families clean and decorate their homes with diyas and rangoli, and the evening puja is preceded by a thorough house purification. The oil lamps that begin to appear on windowsills and entrance steps on Dhanteras evening signal the opening of the festive arc that runs through Bhai Dooj.
2026 Timings for Guntur
Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, November 6. The most auspicious time for the Lakshmi–Kubera puja in Guntur is during Pradosh Kaal — the approximately two-and-a-half-hour window following sunset. Specific puja muhurat timings for Guntur can be verified on Drik Panchang, which publishes city-level festival times.
Insider Tip: Gold prices on Dhanteras are typically elevated due to demand. If your primary reason for buying is the ritual significance rather than a portfolio investment, visiting a showroom on November 5 — the day before — often means lower footfall, more staff attention, and no difference in auspiciousness for a planned purchase.
Guntur's Jewellery Market
Guntur is one of the most commercially active cities in Andhra Pradesh, and its jewellery market reflects that energy. The city supports over 1,000 showrooms, from small artisan workshops to flagship stores of national chains. The Brodipet area and the main market streets have the highest density of gold stores and are the natural first stop for Dhanteras shopping.
ABARANA Gold and Diamonds
ABARANA Gold and Diamonds is an established local jeweller with over a decade in the Guntur market. Located in Brodipet, ABARANA is known for diamond jewellery sets, gold necklaces, and bridal collections. The showroom runs Dhanteras specials and typically displays Lakshmi coins and silver articles alongside its main jewellery range during the Deepavali season. ABARANA prides itself on quality assurance and innovation in design to match the varied tastes of Guntur buyers.
Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Guntur
Malabar Gold & Diamonds operates a dedicated showroom in Guntur as part of its pan-India chain of over 440 outlets. The Guntur store carries 22K gold jewellery, diamond pieces, and certified silver articles. National chains like Malabar routinely announce Dhanteras schemes — exchange offers, discounted making charges, and EMI options — which are published on their website and at the store closer to the festival date.
Beyond these two, Justdial lists more than 20 gold jewellery showrooms in Guntur across different neighborhoods. BIS hallmarking is increasingly standard across city stores; confirm the hallmark stamp on any purchase above a modest weight.
What to Buy on Dhanteras
The tradition of buying metal on Dhanteras is flexible enough to accommodate different budgets:
- Gold and silver jewellery — necklaces, earrings, bangles remain the most popular choice for families marking a significant Dhanteras
- Silver coins and bars — stamped with Goddess Lakshmi's image, these are considered especially auspicious as puja offerings and are sold widely across Guntur showrooms
- Brassware and steel utensils — the older practice of buying a new utensil for the home remains common in traditional households
- Silver diyas and puja items — a practical Dhanteras purchase that serves both the ritual and the home decoration
Many showrooms in Guntur stock purpose-made Dhanteras silver coins priced from a few hundred rupees, making participation in the ritual accessible regardless of budget.
Temple Celebrations in Guntur
Guntur has a significant number of Lakshmi temples and larger mandirs that organize special Dhanteras and Deepavali prayers. Temples across Brodipet and city neighborhoods typically extend their puja timings on Dhanteras evening, with lamps placed along temple entrances and prasad distributed after the evening aarti. The atmosphere around Guntur's temple precincts on Dhanteras evening — with diyas burning on every step and the smell of agarbatti in the air — is markedly different from an ordinary weekday.
Housing society common areas see rangoli competitions and joint lamp-lighting events, particularly in apartment complexes where organizing committees take the initiative.
The Five-Day Deepavali Arc
Dhanteras opens a five-day sequence:
- Dhanteras (Nov 6) — Lakshmi–Kubera puja, gold buying, first diyas lit
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Nov 7) — firecrackers at dawn, celebratory oil bath, marking Krishna's victory over Narakasura
- Deepavali (Nov 8) — main festival night, Lakshmi puja, family gatherings
- Govardhan Puja (Nov 9)
- Bhai Dooj (Nov 10)
In Andhra households, Naraka Chaturdashi carries particular significance — the early-morning fireworks and oil bath are as central to the celebration as the main Deepavali night.
Traditional Customs in Andhra
Telugu Dhanteras observances include buying a new broom for the entrance — symbolising sweeping away poverty — lighting a south-facing lamp at the home entrance as a tribute to Yama and a prayer for longevity, and in some households, offering coriander seeds mixed with jaggery during the puja as a symbol of prosperity. These customs sit alongside the modern practice of buying electronics as an extension of the "metal purchase" tradition, a pattern that Guntur's appliance shops have adapted to with Dhanteras sale events of their own.
FAQ
Q: What is the puja muhurat for Dhanteras 2026 in Guntur? A: The puja is performed during Pradosh Kaal after sunset on November 6, 2026. Exact timings for Guntur can be confirmed on Drik Panchang.
Q: Where is the best area to buy gold in Guntur on Dhanteras? A: The Brodipet area and main commercial streets of Guntur have the highest concentration of showrooms. ABARANA Gold and Diamonds and Malabar Gold & Diamonds are well-known options with established track records.
Q: Is it better to buy gold on Dhanteras or a day before? A: Dhanteras is the most auspicious date for the purchase. Visiting on November 5 typically means shorter queues and more staff time, with no meaningful difference in ritual validity.
Q: What silver items are most popular for Dhanteras puja in Andhra Pradesh? A: Lakshmi-image silver coins are the most widely purchased ritual item. Silver diyas, small idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, and silver utensils are also popular.
Q: Do temples in Guntur hold special programmes on Dhanteras? A: Yes — Lakshmi temples across Brodipet and the city typically extend evening puja timings on Dhanteras and distribute prasad. Check with your local mandir for specific schedules.
Bottom Line
Dhanteras 2026 falls on November 6, and Guntur's dense network of gold showrooms — anchored by local names like ABARANA Gold and Diamonds and national players like Malabar Gold & Diamonds — makes the city one of the more complete places in Andhra Pradesh to observe the festival. Shop in Brodipet, perform the Pradosh Kaal puja at home or at a local temple, and settle in for the five-day Deepavali sequence that follows.