Deepavali this year will fall on Saturday the 17th of October.
The Ministry of Manpower in a statement on public holidays for this year released in February 2008 had announced that Deepavali would fall on the 15th of November, subject to confirmation when the Indian Almanac becomes available.
The Hindu Endowments Board has since advised on the new date.
The variation in date was due to the rare occurrence of two “no moon” days between mid October and mid November this year.
The earlier tentative Deepavali date of November the 15th was based on the second “no moon” day.
The Almanac has now affirmed that Deepavali will fall on the day of the first "no moon" day on October the 17th.
MOM says since Deepavali is no longer on November the 15th, a Sunday, the 16th of November, a Monday, will not be a public holiday.
Instead, October the 17th will be gazetted as a public holiday.
yay
can celebrate early!