Diwali 2026 in Los Angeles falls on Sunday, November 8, and the festival of lights has a shopping list all its own: a box of mithai to share, dry fruits for gifting, a few diyas and cotton wicks for the aarti, and incense for the puja corner. You can get all of it in one trip at Anoras Cash N Carry, our Indian and international grocery at 567 S Fairfax Ave in the Fairfax District, open daily and delivering across a 10-mile radius of LA. Here's your complete Diwali 2026 shopping guide — what to buy, when, and where to find it near you.

When is Diwali in 2026?

Diwali 2026 — also written Deepavali — centers on Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, November 8, the darkest night of the Kartik month, when homes light rows of diyas to welcome Goddess Lakshmi. It's not a single day so much as a five-day celebration, and each day has its own shopping:

• Dhanteras (around Nov 6) — the day to buy something auspicious and stock the kitchen; traditionally metal, but also dry fruits, sweets and puja supplies.
• Choti Diwali / Naraka Chaturdashi (around Nov 7) — the first lamps go out; snacks and farsan come to the fore.
• Diwali / Lakshmi Puja (Nov 8) — the main night: diyas, the puja thali, mithai and the big family dinner.
• Govardhan Puja / Annakut (around Nov 9) — a spread of food offered in gratitude.
• Bhai Dooj (around Nov 10) — sisters and brothers, and one more round of sweets.

Takeaway: mark Sunday, November 8, and plan your big shop for the weekend before so you're not hunting for diyas on Diwali afternoon.

What sweets (mithai) should you buy for Diwali near me?

No Diwali is complete without a box of mithai — to offer at the puja, to set out for guests, and to carry when you visit family. If you'd rather not spend the day over a kadhai, boxed Indian sweets are a long and honorable tradition. A few favorites we'd reach for:

• Bikano Desi Ghee Soan Papdi (250 g, $4.95) — the flaky, melt-in-the-mouth classic that everyone at the table recognizes.
• Petha, the translucent Agra ash-gourd sweet, is a gentle, less-heavy option for a festive thali — here's where to buy petha in Los Angeles.
• Barfi, peda, kaju katli and more boxed mithai live in our Sweets & Chocolates collection — easy to grab a few kinds for a mixed platter.

A tin of kaju katli plus a box of soan papdi covers both the puja offering and the guest tray without any cooking.

Takeaway: one rich sweet (kaju katli or barfi) and one light one (soan papdi or petha) makes a complete mithai platter.

Which dry fruits and nuts make the best Diwali gifts?

Dry fruits are the quintessential Diwali gift — they look generous, they keep, and everyone is glad to receive them. They're also the easiest hamper to build yourself: a handful each of almonds, cashews and pistachios in a box beats anything pre-wrapped. From our Dry Fruits & Nuts collection:

• Dhanraj Almonds (400 g, $10.60) — whole raw badam, the backbone of any gift box.
• Laxmi Whole Cashews (400 g, $10.60) — creamy grade-320 kaju, also the base for homemade kaju katli.
• Plain Pistachios (200 g, $16.50) — naturally green pista to garnish sweets or gift on their own.
• Meharban Medjool Dates (2 lb, $23.60) — plump, caramel-sweet khajoor for stuffing or gifting.
• Houschefs Phool Makhana (200 g, $9.45) — fox nuts to roast in ghee for a lighter festive snack.

Takeaway: build your own hamper — almonds, cashews, pistachios and dates in a box is the Diwali gift that always lands.

What do you need for Lakshmi Puja — diyas, wicks and incense?

The lights are the whole point of Diwali. For the aarti corner and the row of lamps along your doorway, you'll want the diyas themselves, wicks, ghee or oil to burn, and incense to finish the setting. Our Pooja & Incense collection has the full kit:

• Brass Akhand Diya (3 inch, $14.15) — a solid brass lamp made to burn steadily through the puja.
• Namastey Cotton Wicks (100 pc, $3.55) — ready-made batti to drop into any diya with ghee or oil.
• Namastey Pure Ghee Diya Rose Batti (30 pc, $6.50) — ghee-infused wicks that light instantly and scent the room.
• Hari Darshan Mix Incense Cones (120 pc, $8.25) — a variety pack to keep the puja space fragrant all five days.
• Bhakti Edible Camphor (100 g, $7.05) — for the aarti flame and prasad.

Pair the diyas with pure ghee from our Oil & Ghee collection for the cleanest, longest-burning flame.

Takeaway: diya + wicks + ghee + incense, all from one collection, sets your whole Lakshmi Puja corner.

What snacks and drinks round out a Diwali party?

Diwali means a lot of entertaining, and that calls for farsan and namkeen. Chakli, chivda, sev and mixture are the savory half of the festive table; you'll find Haldiram's, Balaji and more in our Snacks & Munchies collection. For a homemade thandai or a festive kheer, Char Magaz melon seeds (200 g, $9.45) add the classic nutty richness.

Takeaway: namkeen for the savory side, char magaz for thandai or kheer, mithai for the sweet — and you've got a full Diwali spread.

Where can you shop for Diwali near me in Los Angeles?

At Anoras Cash N Carry, 567 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036 — in the Fairfax District and Mid-Wilshire, minutes from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Culver City and Koreatown. We're open daily, 10 AM to 9 PM, so you can do the whole Diwali shop — mithai, dry fruits, diyas and puja items — in one stop instead of driving out to Artesia. Call 323-272-3617 if you're after something specific, or browse the full shop at anorascashncarry.com.

Too busy cooking and cleaning for guests to come in? We deliver within a 10-mile radius of Fairfax, 10 AM–8 PM daily, with a $35.97 minimum order and a $7.98 delivery fee — and delivery is free on orders over $99, which a Diwali shop clears easily. Outside the 10-mile radius? We don't ship, but free in-store pickup is open to everyone — no minimum, usually ready in about an hour. Order online and swing by Fairfax.

Takeaway: shop in store 10–9 daily, get it delivered free over $99 within 10 miles, or pick up free from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions