After Dhanteras, the next day of the Diwali period is Naraka Chaturdashi , which many people also call Choti Diwali.

Quick Scoop: What comes after Dhanteras?

In most Hindu calendars, Diwali is celebrated as a 5‑day sequence starting with Dhanteras and ending with Bhai Dooj.

The usual order is:

  1. Dhanteras – Day of worshipping Dhanvantari and wealth, buying new utensils or gold is considered auspicious.
  1. Naraka Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali – Comes immediately after Dhanteras; linked with the victory over the demon Narakasura and cleansing/negativity removal rituals.
  1. Main Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) – The central night of lights and Lakshmi worship.
  1. Govardhan Puja – Associated with Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill; gratitude and protection.
  1. Bhai Dooj – Celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.

So if your question is literally “what comes after Dhanteras,” in the Diwali lineup the answer is Naraka Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali.

Mini fact-list

  • Dhanteras date shifts every year as it follows the lunar calendar.
  • Many news and festival guides explicitly list the 5 days as: Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj.

In simple terms: think of Dhanteras as “Day 1 of Diwali,” and Choti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi) as “Day 2, right after it.”

TL;DR: What comes after Dhanteras? → Naraka Chaturdashi / Choti Diwali.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.