Did You Know? Kashi Vidvat Parishad Decides Diwali 2025 Must Be Celebrated on October 20

Did you know that in 2025, Diwali’s date needed a careful fix because the new moon (Amavasya) spans two days? This time, the Kashi Vidvat Parishad a respected body of scholars and astrologers, stepped in and declared that Diwali will be celebrated on October 20, 2025, not October 21, to honor religious rules and avoid confusion.

Why the confusion?

In 2025, the Amavasya tithi (new moon) begins at 3:44 PM on October 20 and ends at 5:54 PM on October 21. That creates a rare overlap: part of the Amavasya falls on the evening of October 20, and part continues into October 21. Because the festival of Diwali (Laxmi Puja) must align with the Pradosh Kaal during Amavasya (i.e., the evening period when darkness begins), there is a question of which evening is valid.

Some cities’ sunsets happen before 5:30 PM, others after. According to some interpretations, if sunset is after 5:30 PM, they should follow the earlier date (October 20); if it’s before 5:30, then October 21 would be considered. But relying only on that rule can lead to inconsistencies across regions. 

What did the Kashi Vidvat Parishad decide and why?

On October 4, 2025, the Kashi Vidvat Parishad held an online meeting where astrologers and scholars reviewed various Panchangs (Hindu calendars) and ancient religious texts. They resolved that October 20 would be the correct day for Diwali in 2025.Their reasoning:

The Pradosh period (Pradosh Kaal) must be fully within Amavasya for Laxmi Puja. They found that on October 20, the Amavasya tithi fully covers the Pradosh period (evening hours after sunset), making it valid for worship.

On October 21, the overlap with other lunar phases and the limited time window would violate or make some rituals ineligible (such as Vrat Parana) according to traditional guidelines.

They also observed that in some Panchangs, the “Increase (Gamini) Pratipada” phase begins too early on October 21, making the Amavasya less favorable for complete observance.

Thus, in their view, celebrating Diwali on October 20 is consistent with both scriptural and astronomical norms. 

What do other calendars say?

Not all Panchangs agreed at first. Some calendars place Laxmi Puja (Diwali) on October 21, citing positional astronomy or different rules of tithi timing.
But the Kashi Vidvat Parishad’s clarification aims to unify observance across the country and reduce confusion. The Economic Times, for example, still lists October 21 as the “main Diwali / Laxmi Puja day” in some of its calendar listings.. But with the decision from the Vidvat Parishad, many religious and cultural organizations now endorse October 20 as the solemn and correct date.

What this means for devotees

• Many temples, organizations, and communities will now plan their Laxmi Puja, Deepotsav (lamp lighting), and associated rituals for the evening of October 20, 2025. 
• Some people in regions where the sunset is quite early might still refer to local Panchangs, but the Kashi decision is considered authoritative by many. 
• The move helps avoid last-minute confusion and ensures rituals are performed at their most auspicious times.