Ganesh mantra
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye Namah
Meaning: Om, gam: salutation to Ganapati, lord of the ganas.
When and how: At the start of the puja, 11 or 21 times.
Shukla paksha · Kartika · amanta reckoning
When is Labh Panchami 2026?
Sat, 14 Nov
Labh Panchami 2026 is on Saturday, 14 November. The Labh Panchami morning muhurat in New Delhi is 6:42 AM to 10:17 AM.
2027: Wednesday, 3 November 2027
Labh Panchami morning muhurat
6:42 AM – 10:17 AM
Also called Labh Pancham, Saubhagya Panchami. Those are the same observance and the same date, so they share this page rather than competing with it from a second URL.
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Saturday, 14 November 2026
| Timing | New Delhi | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Labh Panchami morning muhurat | 6:42 AM to 10:17 AM | The first third of the daylight, while Panchami runs — the morning window for the Labh Pancham puja and for opening the new account books. |
Labh Panchami is not a Gregorian date. It is Shukla paksha tithi 5 of Kartika in the amanta reckoning, and the Gregorian day it lands on moves by up to a month between years because twelve lunations fall about eleven days short of a solar year.
- Tithi
- Panchami, Shukla paksha
- Lunar month
- Kartika (amanta)
- Tithi begins
- 13 Nov, 8:43 PM
- Tithi ends
- 14 Nov, 11:24 PM
- Decided at
- Sunrise
- Sunrise in New Delhi
- 14 Nov, 6:42 AM
Sunrise in New Delhi falls at 6:42 AM on that day, and that is the instant the tithi has to be running at for the day to carry the observance. It is computed for this city rather than assumed, because it is what decides the date.
The two instants above are the astronomy and are not in dispute. The day is an interpretation of them: this observance is decided at sunrise, so it belongs to the day whose sunrise the tithi carries — not simply to the day the tithi begins.
Labh Panchami — Labh Pancham, also called Saubhagya Panchami — is Kartika Shukla Panchami, the fifth day of the bright fortnight after Diwali. In Gujarat it closes the Diwali holidays: traders reopen their shops and write the first entries of the new year in their account books (chopda), usually in the morning.
- The morning muhurat above is the first third of the daylight while Panchami runs, the window panchangs commonly give for the chopda puja.
- The day often opens with a Ganesh and Lakshmi puja, and 'Shubh' and 'Labh' are written in the new books. The words name the auspicious and the gainful; writing them is a custom, not a promise of either.
- Jains keep the same tithi as Gyan (Jnana) Panchami, a day for honouring scripture and learning.
- Panchami is a lunar tithi, so the Gregorian date moves each year; the day here is the one whose sunrise carries it, which matches Drik Panchang's in every year from 2016 to 2036.
Labh Panchami, also called Labh Pancham or Saubhagya Panchami, is Kartika Shukla Panchami, the day Gujarat's traders reopen their shops after Diwali and begin the new year's business with a puja of Ganesh, Lakshmi and the account books. In New Delhi it falls on Saturday, 14 November 2026; the morning puja muhurat is 6:42 AM to 10:17 AM, and the day's auspicious choghadiyas for opening the shop and the first sale are Shubh: 8:03 AM to 9:23 AM; Chal: 12:05 PM to 1:26 PM; Labh: 1:26 PM to 2:46 PM; Amrit: 2:46 PM to 4:07 PM. Jains keep the same day as Gyan Panchami, the festival of knowledge.
| Muhurat | Time in New Delhi | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Labh Panchami puja (morning) | 6:42 AM to 10:17 AMThe morning — the first third of the day — while Panchami runs. | The first part of the daylight while Panchami runs. This is the window panchangs give for the chopda and shop puja, so that the books are worshipped before the doors open for the year. |
| Auspicious choghadiya (day) |
| The day's Amrit, Shubh, Labh and Chal choghadiyas. Gujarati traders open the shop and make the first sale, the bohni, in one of these, most often a Labh or Amrit choghadiya. |
| Auspicious choghadiya (night) |
| The evening and night choghadiyas, for businesses that open after sunset or hold their puja in the evening. |
| Abhijit Muhurat | 11:43 AM to 12:26 PMThe 8th of the day's fifteen muhurtas, around local noon. | The muhurta around local noon, used by many for a new start when the morning window has passed; by convention it is not used on a Wednesday. |
| Sunrise | 6:42 AMThe upper edge of the Sun on the horizon, with refraction. | The morning puja window opens at sunrise in New Delhi; most families bathe and clean the shop before it. |
Auspicious windows that day
| Window | Time in New Delhi | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Abhijit Muhurat | 11:43 AM to 12:26 PM | Auspicious |
| Amrit Kaal | 2:59 PM to 4:47 PM | Most Auspicious |
| Brahma Muhurat | 4:56 AM to 5:49 AM | Auspicious |
Windows usually worked around
These are the spans classical muhurta sets aside for beginnings. They are descriptions of a convention, not warnings: the observance is kept on its day regardless, and nothing here needs to be bought, corrected or remedied.
| Window | Time in New Delhi |
|---|---|
| Rahu Kaal | 9:23 AM to 10:44 AM |
| Yamaganda Kaal | 1:26 PM to 2:46 PM |
| Durmuhurta First | 6:42 AM to 7:25 AM |
| Durmuhurta Second | 7:25 AM to 8:08 AM |
| Varjyam | 5:26 AM to 7:14 AM |
Every time above is computed for New Delhi around Saturday, 14 November 2026, from the sunrise, sunset and the positions of the Sun and Moon for this city. The Vedic day runs sunrise to sunrise, so a window whose clock time falls after midnight still belongs to the evening before; a time on another date carries that date.
Clean and decorate the shop
Bathe early, clean the shop, office or home after the Diwali break, tie a toran of mango or ashoka leaves at the door and make a rangoli at the entrance.
Set up the altar
In the morning muhurat place Ganesh and Lakshmi on a red cloth, with Saraswati in the pens and books and, if you keep one, a Kuber yantra. Put the account books, the pen, the cash box and the tools of the trade, from weighing scales to the laptop, before them.
Worship Ganesh first
Offer Ganesh durva, kumkum, rice, flowers and a laddoo, chanting Om Gam Ganapataye Namah and the Vakratunda shloka for a year free of obstacles.
Mark the books
On the first page of the books, and on both sides of the shop door, draw a swastika in kumkum and write Shubh and Labh on either side, with Shri Ganeshaya Namah above.
Worship Lakshmi, Saraswati and Kuber
Offer Lakshmi flowers, kumkum, rice and coins; worship the pen and books as Saraswati; say the Kuber mantra before the cash box.
Offer sweets
Offer laddoos, sukhdi or any homemade sweet, fruits, and paan with supari.
Aarti
Sing the Ganesh aarti, Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Deva, and Om Jai Lakshmi Mata if you wish, and share the prasad with everyone in the shop.
Open and make the first sale
Open the doors in an auspicious choghadiya and make the first sale or payment, the bohni, with a smile; many traders touch the first money to their forehead and keep it in the cash box.
Greet and give
Greet customers and neighbours with sweets and Saal Mubarak, give the staff their gifts, and begin the year's work.
- Ganesh and Lakshmi images Pictures or small idols, on a red cloth.
- Account books (chopda), pen and inkpot New books if you start them today; the ledger device or laptop can sit beside them.
- Kumkum, haldi and chandan For tilak, the swastika and Shubh-Labh.
- Akshat (whole rice) For the worship.
- Mauli (kalava) Tied on the wrist and around the books.
- Flowers, garland and durva Durva grass for Ganesh.
- A ghee lamp, incense and camphor For the puja and the aarti.
- Coins and the cash box Worshipped with Lakshmi.
- Tools of the trade Weighing scales, measuring tape, computer: whatever earns the shop's living.
- Kuber yantra Optional, for the cash box.
- Laddoo, sukhdi or other sweets Naivedya, and for the first customers.
- Fruits Any of the season.
- Paan and supari Offered after the sweets.
- A toran of mango or ashoka leaves For the shop door.
- Rangoli colours For the entrance.
- A kalash of water Optional; placed at the altar with mango leaves.
Vakratunda shloka
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
Vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti-samaprabha
Nirvighnam kuru me deva sarvakaryeshu sarvada
Meaning: O god with the curved trunk and the great body, radiant as a crore suns: keep every undertaking of mine free of obstacles, always.
When and how: Said before opening the books and the shop; the traditional invocation for any new beginning.
Mahalakshmi mantra
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः
Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah
Meaning: Om, shreem: salutation to Mahalakshmi. Shreem is Lakshmi's seed syllable.
When and how: 108 times, or 11, while worshipping Lakshmi and the cash box.
Saraswati vandana
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।
विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥
Sarasvati namastubhyam varade kamarupini
Vidyarambham karishyami siddhir bhavatu me sada
Meaning: Salutation to you, Saraswati, giver of boons, who takes any form at will. I am beginning my studies: may success be mine always.
When and how: Said while worshipping the pen and the books, and by students who begin their studies on Gyan Panchami.
Kuber mantra
ॐ यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धनधान्याधिपतये धनधान्यसमृद्धिं मे देहि दापय स्वाहा ॥
Om yakshaya Kuberaya Vaishravanaya dhanadhanyadhipataye dhanadhanyasamriddhim me dehi dapaya svaha
Meaning: Om, to the yaksha Kubera, son of Vishravas, lord of wealth and grain: give me abundance of wealth and grain, have it given; svaha.
When and how: Before the cash box, 11 times, as trading families do on the first working day.
Aarti Ganesh Aarti: Jai Ganesh Deva the full text
जय गणेश जय गणेश, जय गणेश देवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥
एक दंत दयावंत, चार भुजा धारी।
माथे सिंदूर सोहे, मूसे की सवारी॥
जय गणेश जय गणेश, जय गणेश देवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥
पान चढ़े फूल चढ़े, और चढ़े मेवा।
लड्डुअन का भोग लगे, संत करें सेवा॥
जय गणेश जय गणेश, जय गणेश देवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥
अंधन को आंख देत, कोढ़िन को काया।
बांझन को पुत्र देत, निर्धन को माया॥
जय गणेश जय गणेश, जय गणेश देवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥
'सूर' श्याम शरण आए, सफल कीजे सेवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥
जय गणेश जय गणेश, जय गणेश देवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥
Jai Ganesh jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva.
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva.
Ek dant dayavant, char bhuja dhari.
Mathe sindoor sohe, moose ki savari.
Jai Ganesh jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva.
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva.
Paan chadhe phool chadhe, aur chadhe meva.
Ladduan ka bhog lage, sant karen seva.
Jai Ganesh jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva.
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva.
Andhan ko aankh det, kodhin ko kaya.
Banjhan ko putra det, nirdhan ko maya.
Jai Ganesh jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva.
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva.
'Soor' Shyam sharan aaye, saphal kije seva.
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva.
Jai Ganesh jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva.
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva.
Text as it is commonly sung. The Gita Press Aarti Sangrah prints 'mastak sindoor sohe' for 'mathe sindoor sohe', puts the 'paan chadhe' stanza after 'andhan ko aankh det' with its two lines the other way round, and ends with 'dinan ki laaj rakho Shambhu-sutvari, kamna ko poora karo jag balihari' instead of the stanza 'Soor Shyam sharan aaye, saphal kije seva'. Printed text
The katha
The Shiva Purana tells that Ganesha married Siddhi and Buddhi, the daughters of Prajapati Vishvarupa, and that Siddhi bore him a son named Kshema, well-being, and Buddhi a son named Labha, gain. Popular tradition knows the two as Shubh and Labh, and that is why their names stand on either side of Ganesha's swastika on every new account book and shop door.
In Gujarat the new year begins on the day after Diwali, and shops stay closed through the first days of the bright fortnight while families visit one another. On the fifth day, Labh Pancham, the holiday that began with Vagh Baras ends: the books are worshipped, the shutters go up and the year's first sale is made in an auspicious hour.
For Jains the same tithi is Gyan Panchami (Jnana Panchami), the day of knowledge. Scriptures are taken out, cleaned and worshipped, devotees fast and bow before them, and stories are told of the merit of honouring learning and the harm of neglecting it.
Why it is kept
Labh means gain and Panchami the fifth tithi: the day is a prayer that the year's work be both auspicious (shubh) and profitable (labh). Writing those two words beside Ganesha's swastika is a custom of hope and good intention, not a promise of profit; the work and honesty that follow are what the custom asks for.
It is also called Saubhagya Panchami, the Panchami of good fortune, and households pray for the happiness of the family. With Gyan Panchami on the same day, the festival joins prosperity with learning, as Lakshmi and Saraswati sit together at the shop's altar.
Shubh-Labh at the door
Draw a swastika with Shubh and Labh on both sides of the shop or house door in kumkum; tradition keeps it there through the year as a sign of welcome to Lakshmi and Ganesha.
The first sale in a good hour
Make the year's first sale or payment in an auspicious choghadiya and keep the first money in the cash box, as Gujarati traders traditionally do.
Ganesh before any start
Begin the books, the computer and the first call of the year with the Vakratunda shloka; tradition places Ganesha before every beginning.
Honour pens and books
Worship the pen, the books and the work tools; never step over them or leave them on the floor, as Gyan Panchami teaches.
Give books or knowledge
In the spirit of Gyan Panchami, donate books to a school or library, or help someone with their studies; Jains count gyan daan, the gift of knowledge, among the highest gifts.
Start clean
Settle small dues and pending promises with partners and staff; a clear beginning is the custom's own idea of good fortune.
Do
- Clean and decorate the shop, office or home before the puja.
- Worship the books in the morning muhurat while Panchami runs.
- Draw the swastika and write Shubh and Labh on the books and the door.
- Open the shop and make the first sale in an auspicious choghadiya.
- Share sweets with customers, neighbours and staff.
- Treat pens, books and tools with respect.
Don't
- Do not open the new books without first worshipping Ganesh.
- Do not begin in Rahu Kaal if you can avoid it; the panchang lists it.
- Do not quarrel with customers, partners or staff on the first day.
- Do not step over books, pens or account registers, or leave them on the floor.
- Do not treat the day as a guarantee of profit; it is a day of good intention and honest work.
By region
- Gujarat
- Shops and markets reopen after the Diwali break; in Surat and Ahmedabad the diamond, textile and grain markets restart with a puja and the first deals of the year.
- Gujarati and Marwari traders elsewhere
- In Mumbai, Kolkata and across India, trading families keep the same puja of the books and the first sale.
- Jain community
- Gyan Panchami: scriptures are worshipped in temples and homes, devotees bow fifty-one times (khamasana) before them and many fast; some keep the Panchami fast every month for years.
- Households
- Saubhagya Panchami: families pray for the happiness of the home, and students begin their studies with Saraswati's verse.
Bhog, prasad and fasting food
- Sukhdi (gol papdi) Wheat flour, ghee and jaggery, the simple Gujarati offering.
- Laddoo For Ganesh.
- Kansar or lapsi Sweet broken-wheat dishes Gujarati homes cook for auspicious starts.
- Mathiya and chorafali The festive savouries left from Diwali, offered to visitors with sweets.
Two years back, this year, and two ahead. Past years are kept rather than dropped so you can check the engine against a calendar you already have.
| Year | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Wednesday, 6 November 2024 | past |
| 2025 | Sunday, 26 October 2025 | past |
| 2026This year | Saturday, 14 November 2026 | upcoming |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 3 November 2027 | upcoming |
| 2028 | Sunday, 22 October 2028 | upcoming |
Every row is computed for New Delhi from the same ephemeris, not looked up. Sunrise decides which day a tithi names, and sunrise differs across India by more than an hour, so a date computed for Delhi can be a day out elsewhere.
There is no single authority that settles a Hindu festival date, and the divergence is genuine rather than sloppy. Three causes account for almost all of it.
- A tithi rarely starts at sunrise. One that is running at the deciding moment on two days — or on none — is claimed by both days under different rules.
- Month reckoning. North India runs purnimanta, the south and west amanta. The same dark fortnight carries different month names in the two, so an observance defined as "krishna X of month Y" can land a full lunation apart.
- Which moment decides. Most vratas belong to the day whose sunrise carries the tithi, but not all: this one is decided at sunrise. Almanacs that apply the sunrise rule to everything move several festivals by a day.
So this page shows its working. If your pandit or your family almanac gives a different day, the instants above will usually show you exactly why — and that is more useful than a date asserted without one.
Common questions
When is Labh Panchami?
Saturday, 14 November 2026. It is Panchami of Shukla paksha in Kartika, and that tithi runs from 13 Nov, 8:43 PM to 14 Nov, 11:24 PM.
Why does another calendar give a different Labh Panchami date?
Three honest reasons. The tithi can be running at the deciding moment on two days or on none. North India reckons the month purnimanta and the south and west amanta, which names the same krishna fortnight differently. And almanacs differ on which moment of the day decides an observance. The instants above are the astronomy; the day is an interpretation of them.
What is Labh Pancham?
Labh Pancham, or Labh Panchami, is the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Kartika, five days after Diwali. In Gujarat it ends the Diwali holidays: traders worship Ganesh, Lakshmi and the account books, write Shubh and Labh, reopen the shop and make the year's first sale. Jains keep it as Gyan Panchami.
What is the Labh Pancham puja muhurat?
In New Delhi on Saturday, 14 November 2026 the morning puja muhurat is 6:42 AM to 10:17 AM, the first part of the daylight while Panchami runs. It is the window for worshipping the books before the shop opens; the opening and the first sale are then timed to an auspicious choghadiya (Shubh: 8:03 AM to 9:23 AM; Chal: 12:05 PM to 1:26 PM; Labh: 1:26 PM to 2:46 PM; Amrit: 2:46 PM to 4:07 PM).
When should the shop open and the first sale be made on Labh Pancham?
Traditionally in a Labh, Amrit or Shubh choghadiya of the day: in New Delhi these are Shubh: 8:03 AM to 9:23 AM; Chal: 12:05 PM to 1:26 PM; Labh: 1:26 PM to 2:46 PM; Amrit: 2:46 PM to 4:07 PM. Businesses that open later use the evening choghadiyas (Labh: 5:28 PM to 7:07 PM; Shubh: 8:47 PM to 10:26 PM; Amrit: 10:26 PM to 12:05 AM (15 Nov); Chal: 15 Nov, 12:05 AM to 1:45 AM; Labh: 15 Nov, 5:03 AM to 6:43 AM), and Abhijit muhurat (11:43 AM to 12:26 PM) is another choice except on a Wednesday. Keep all of it inside Panchami (8:43 PM (13 Nov) to 11:24 PM).
How is the Labh Pancham puja done?
Clean and decorate the shop, set Ganesh and Lakshmi on a red cloth with the books, pen and cash box, worship Ganesh first, draw a swastika with Shubh and Labh in the books, worship Lakshmi, Saraswati and Kuber, offer sweets, sing the aarti, then open in an auspicious choghadiya and make the first sale. The steps above give the order.
Why are Shubh and Labh written on Labh Pancham?
Shubh means auspicious and Labh means gain, and popular tradition names them as the sons of Ganesha; the Shiva Purana calls his sons Kshema and Labha. Writing them on either side of Ganesha's swastika in the new books and at the door is a prayer for a year that is both good and gainful, a custom of hope rather than a promise.
What should be done on Labh Pancham?
Clean the workplace, worship the books and tools with Ganesh and Lakshmi, write Shubh and Labh, open in an auspicious hour, make the first sale, greet customers with sweets and give the staff their gifts. Students and Jain families also honour books and learning as Gyan Panchami.
What is Gyan Panchami?
Gyan Panchami (Jnana Panchami) is the Jain festival of knowledge on the same Kartika Shukla Panchami. Scriptures are cleaned, displayed and worshipped, devotees bow before them fifty-one times and many fast, and the gift of books and learning is encouraged. Some Jains keep a Panchami fast every month for years from this day.
When is Labh Pancham, and how many days after Diwali?
Labh Pancham is on Saturday, 14 November 2026 in New Delhi: Kartika Shukla Panchami, usually five days after Diwali's Amavasya, counting the new-year day and Bhai Bij in between. Because tithis do not match calendar days exactly, the gap is sometimes four or six days; the Panchami span above shows this year's timing.
Is Labh Pancham good for griha pravesh or starting a new business?
It is a favoured day for starting work: reopening shops, signing deals and the first sale. For a griha pravesh, many families wait until after Dev Uthani Ekadashi, which ends Chaturmas a few days later, as tradition prefers; ask your family priest for a specific muhurat for the move.
Which mantra is chanted on Labh Pancham?
Om Gam Ganapataye Namah and the Vakratunda shloka for Ganesh, Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah for Lakshmi, Saraswati Namastubhyam while worshipping the pen and books, and the Kuber mantra before the cash box. The texts, with meaning, are in the mantra section.
What rangoli is made on Labh Pancham?
A swastika with Shubh and Labh, a kalash, Lakshmi's footprints, a lotus or a simple pattern of diyas at the shop or house entrance, in coloured powder, rice flour or flower petals. Many traders redraw the Shubh-Labh mark in kumkum at the door at the same time.
Why is it also called Saubhagya Panchami?
Saubhagya means good fortune, and the day is kept as a prayer for the happiness and well-being of the household as well as the business. The two names describe the same Panchami: Labh for the shop's gain, Saubhagya for the family's good fortune.