Chopda Pujan 2026: Date, Muhurat, Vidhi and a Digital Chopda Guide for Business Owners

Quick Answer: When Is Chopda Pujan in 2026?

Chopda Pujan 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November 2026, the main day of Diwali, together with Lakshmi Puja on Kartik Amavasya.

The most widely followed auspicious windows are:

• Choghadiya muhurats (Amrit, Shubh, Labh, and Char), which are preferred in Gujarat
• The Pradosh Kaal Lakshmi Puja muhurat after sunset. For New Delhi, Drik Panchang lists this as 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM.

Timings vary by city, so check a local panchang for your exact muhurat.

The Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas), when Vikram Samvat 2083 begins, is expected on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. Some calendars list 9 November, so confirm with your family priest or local panchang.

What Is Chopda Pujan?

Chopda Pujan is the Diwali ritual in which business owners worship their account books and seek the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, and Goddess Saraswati for the year ahead.

In Gujarat, traditional account books are called chopda (or chopada), which gives the ritual its name. It is also known as:

• Chopda Puja or Chopada Pujan
• Muhurat Pujan
• Sharda Pujan, because Goddess Saraswati (Sharda) is worshipped on the books and pens
• Bahi Khata Puja in Hindi-speaking regions

The ritual is most closely linked with Gujarati, Marwari, and Jain business communities. It is widely performed in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, and by Indian business families in Mumbai, Kolkata, the UAE, the UK, the USA, and East Africa.

Why Business Owners Perform Chopda Pujan

For many traditional businesses, Diwali marks the end of one business year and the start of the next. Chopda Pujan does three things:

1. Closes the old year. Old accounts are settled and closed with gratitude.
2. Opens the new year. New books are sanctified before the first entry is written.
3. Seeks blessings for honest, prosperous trade. Lakshmi stands for wealth, Ganesha for removing obstacles, Saraswati for wisdom, and Kuber for safeguarding wealth.

Today many traders no longer keep paper chopdas. They worship a laptop, tablet, or POS terminal instead, because that is where their accounts now live. We cover that in detail below, and in our step-by-step guide on how to do Chopda Pujan on a laptop, tablet, or POS.

Diwali 2026 Calendar for Business Owners

Dhanteras falls on 5 or 6 November 2026, depending on tithi timing in your city. Business owners buy gold, silver, utensils, or new business equipment, and perform Lakshmi-Kuber puja.

Diwali / Chopda Pujan is on Sunday, 8 November. Lakshmi Puja, Sharda Puja, and Chopda Pujan are performed, with old books closed and new books sanctified.

Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas) is on Tuesday, 10 November, though some calendars show 9 November. Vikram Samvat 2083 begins, new year greetings are exchanged, and new books are opened.

Labh Pancham is on Saturday, 14 November. Many traders reopen their shops and write the first business entry or make the first sale of the year.

Chopda Pujan Muhurat 2026

Choghadiya Muhurat vs Pradosh Muhurat

Two systems are used to choose the time for Chopda Pujan:

• Choghadiya muhurat. The day and night are each divided into eight parts called choghadiyas. Four are considered auspicious for puja: Amrit, Shubh, Labh, and Char. This system is most popular in Gujarat because suitable windows are available through the day and night, so busy shopkeepers can choose a time that suits their business hours.
• Pradosh Kaal with Sthir Lagna. Many astrologers prefer the Pradosh period (roughly the first two hours after sunset), especially when it overlaps with Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna, a "fixed" ascendant considered stable for Lakshmi. For New Delhi, Drik Panchang gives this window as 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM on 8 November 2026.

Amavasya tithi begins on 7 November and ends on 8 November 2026. The exact clock times depend on your location.

Chopda Pujan Samagri List

Keep these ready before the muhurat. Families follow different customs, so adjust the list to your tradition.

For the altar

• Idols or pictures of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati, and Lord Kuber
• A wooden chowki (platform) with a red or yellow cloth
• Kalash (copper or brass pot) with water, mango leaves, and a coconut
• Rangoli colours or flowers for the floor

For the books and tools

• New chopda or bahi khata, or the laptop, tablet, or POS you use for accounts
• New pens (traditionally red ink is used for the first marks)
• Kumkum, haldi (turmeric), chandan (sandalwood paste), and akshat (unbroken rice)
• Swastik and "Shubh Labh" stickers, if you prefer not to draw directly

For the puja

• Ghee diyas, agarbatti (incense), dhoop, and camphor
• Flowers (marigold or lotus) and garlands
• Betel leaves, betel nuts, coins, and a few currency notes
• Sweets, dry fruits, fruits, and batasha or puffed rice for prasad
• Gangajal, and panchamrit if your family uses it

Chopda Pujan Vidhi: Step-by-Step

This is a general outline. Many families follow a specific sequence handed down over generations or performed by a family priest. Where your tradition differs, follow your tradition.

Step 1: Clean and Prepare the Space

Clean the shop, office, or puja room. Decorate the entrance with rangoli, flowers, and toran. Bathe and wear fresh or new clothes.

Step 2: Set Up the Altar

Place the chowki facing east or north, cover it with a red cloth, and arrange the idols or pictures. Place the kalash on a small heap of rice with mango leaves and a coconut on top.

Step 3: Place the Books and Tools

Place the new chopda, pens, cash box, and keys (or your laptop, tablet, or POS) on a clean red cloth beside or in front of the deities.

Step 4: Begin With Ganesh Puja

Light the diya and incense. Offer flowers, kumkum, akshat, and sweets to Lord Ganesha, and pray that the year's work goes smoothly.

Step 5: Lakshmi and Kuber Puja

Worship Goddess Lakshmi with flowers, kumkum, coins, and sweets. Many families recite the Sri Suktam or chant Lakshmi mantras. Offer prayers to Lord Kuber for the protection and growth of wealth.

Step 6: Sharda (Saraswati) Puja on the Books

Worship Goddess Saraswati, then apply kumkum, haldi, and akshat to the books and pens.

On the first page of the new chopda, it is customary to:

• Draw a swastik
• Write "Shubh" and "Labh" on either side
• Write "Shree" (often several times) and the name of your family deity
• Write the date and the new Samvat year

Step 7: Write the First Entry

Many traders write a symbolic first entry, such as "Shree Ganeshay Namah", a small auspicious amount, or a prayer for honest and profitable trade. Some families keep the book closed until Bestu Varas or Labh Pancham, and make the first real business entry then.

Step 8: Aarti and Prasad

Perform the Lakshmi aarti with the whole family and staff. Distribute prasad, give gifts or bonuses to employees, and offer sweets to customers and neighbours.

From Paper Chopda to Digital Chopda

Walk into a Gujarati shop on Diwali night today and you are just as likely to see a laptop on the red cloth as a bound bahi khata. The swastik and "Shubh Labh" are drawn on a sticker on the laptop lid, and the puja is performed exactly as before.

That shift isn't about giving up tradition. It reflects where a business's accounts now actually live: GST invoices, stock levels, customer credit, supplier payments, and daily sales all sit in software rather than in a red cloth-bound book.

If your laptop or POS is your new chopda, the software inside it deserves the same care your family gave the old books.

What Makes a Good Digital Chopda?

A paper chopda recorded sales, purchases, credit, and cash. Good business software should do all of that, and more:

A paper chopda records each sale by hand, while a good digital chopda generates GST-compliant bills in seconds.

A paper chopda tracks customer credit (udhaar) in a ledger, while a good digital chopda keeps customer accounts with outstanding balances and full history.

A paper chopda notes purchases and supplier dues, while a good digital chopda records purchases, suppliers, and payments owed.

A paper chopda means counting stock by hand, while a good digital chopda updates stock automatically with every sale and purchase.

A paper chopda means closing the year by hand, while a good digital chopda produces sales, tax, and profit reports for any period.

A paper chopda stays at the shop, while a good digital chopda lets you check sales from your phone, wherever you are.

A paper chopda risks damage or loss, while a good digital chopda keeps your data backed up securely in the cloud.

Close the Old Year Before Chopda Pujan: A Checklist

The best time to clean up your accounts is the week before Diwali, so the new chopda starts fresh.

1. Reconcile cash: match cash in hand with your sales records.
2. Collect or record udhaar: follow up on customer credit and note what carries forward.
3. Settle supplier dues: pay or confirm outstanding supplier bills.
4. Count stock: do a physical count and correct any differences.
5. Clear pending invoices and returns so nothing is left half-recorded.
6. Export or save year-end reports: sales, purchases, tax, and stock for the old Samvat year.
7. Back up your data before the puja.
8. Update prices and add festive items for the Diwali rush and the new year.

Vikram Samvat Year vs Financial Year

Many traditional businesses still think of their year as running from Diwali to Diwali (the Vikram Samvat year), while GST and income tax follow the financial year from April to March.

Paper books made this hard to manage. With software, you don't need two sets of books. Choose a system that lets you pull reports for any date range, so you can view Diwali-to-Diwali performance for your own review and April-to-March figures for tax filing from the same data. Always follow your accountant's advice for statutory filing.

How PosBytz Can Be Your Digital Chopda

PosBytz is a cloud-based POS and ERP for retail stores and restaurants. It brings billing, inventory, accounting, CRM, and HR and payroll into one system, so your entire chopda lives in one place.

For traders and retailers

• GST-compliant billing and e-invoicing for India, with e-invoicing support
• Inventory that updates as you sell and buy, which helps during the Diwali stock rush
• Accounting for sales, purchases, and expenses, with Zoho Books and QuickBooks integrations
• CRM and loyalty to keep customer details and bring buyers back after the festive season
• Real-time reports from anywhere, so you can check the first sale of the new year even when you are visiting relatives

For every kind of business

• Grocery stores, supermarkets, boutiques, and other retail stores
• Restaurants, cafés, and sweet shops
• Multi-outlet businesses that need one dashboard for every branch

Runs on the device you worship. PosBytz works on Android, iPad, Windows, and web browsers. For Indian business owners in the Gulf, it also supports VAT and e-invoicing in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, including ZATCA.

Start Samvat 2083 With a New Digital Chopda

Set up PosBytz before Diwali and write your first new-year bill in it on Bestu Varas or Labh Pancham.

Start your 14-day free trial, check pricing, or talk to the PosBytz team for a demo with your own products.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chopda Pujan 2026

When is Chopda Pujan in 2026?

Chopda Pujan 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November 2026, the main day of Diwali, along with Lakshmi Puja on Kartik Amavasya.

What is the best muhurat for Chopda Pujan 2026?

In Gujarat, the Amrit, Shubh, Labh, and Char choghadiyas are considered auspicious. Many astrologers prefer the Pradosh Kaal after sunset, which for New Delhi is 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM. Timings vary by city, so check a local panchang.

What is the difference between Chopda Pujan, Sharda Pujan, and Lakshmi Pujan?

They are performed together on Diwali. Lakshmi Pujan worships Goddess Lakshmi for wealth. Sharda Pujan worships Goddess Saraswati, usually on the account books and pens. Chopda Pujan is the business ritual of sanctifying the account books, and it includes both.

When is the Gujarati New Year in 2026?

The Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas), when Vikram Samvat 2083 begins, is expected on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. Some calendars list 9 November, so confirm locally.

What is written in the new chopda?

Traditionally, a swastik is drawn on the first page, with "Shubh" and "Labh" on either side, "Shree" written at the top, and the date and new Samvat year. Many families also write the name of their family deity and a symbolic first entry.

Can I do Chopda Pujan on a laptop?

Yes. Many business owners now perform Chopda Pujan on the laptop, tablet, or POS where their accounts are kept, placing a swastik and "Shubh Labh" sticker on the device. Follow your family's custom. See our guide on how to do Chopda Pujan on a laptop, tablet, or POS.

What samagri is needed for Chopda Pujan?

You need idols or pictures of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Saraswati, and Kuber; a kalash; a red cloth; the new chopda or your accounting device; new pens; kumkum, haldi, chandan, and akshat; diyas, incense, and flowers; coins; and sweets and fruits for prasad.

Who performs Chopda Pujan?

It is performed mainly by Gujarati, Marwari, and Jain business communities, and by traders in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, as well as Indian business families abroad.

Should I close my accounts before Chopda Pujan?

Traditionally, yes. Reconcile cash, record customer credit, settle supplier dues, count stock, and save year-end reports so the new books start clean.

When should I make the first sale of the new year?

Customs vary. Many traders make the first entry on Bestu Varas, while others reopen and make the first sale on Labh Pancham, which falls on 14 November 2026.

Do I need separate books for the Samvat year and the financial year?

Not if you use software that reports on any date range. You can review Diwali-to-Diwali performance for your business and April-to-March figures for tax from the same data. Confirm statutory requirements with your accountant.

Final Thoughts

Chopda Pujan has always been about starting the new year with clean accounts, clear intentions, and blessings for honest trade. Whether you place a red cloth-bound chopda or a laptop before Goddess Lakshmi on 8 November, the spirit is the same.

Close the old year carefully, perform the puja at an auspicious muhurat for your city, and make sure the books you are blessing, paper or digital, are ready to serve you well all year.

Shubh Deepavali and Saal Mubarak from the PosBytz team.