What to buy on Dhanteras 2026
Dhanteras falls on Friday 6 November 2026, two days before Diwali on Sunday 8 November. It opens the five days of Diwali, and a widely kept custom, in India and abroad, is to bring something new made of metal into the house: gold or silver if the budget allows, otherwise brass, copper or steel for the kitchen and the puja shelf. This guide lists the metal pieces in the Taj Bazaar catalog, what each is made of and where, and which will reach you before 6 November.
The short list
| Piece | Metal | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brass Diya, Pair | Solid brass | $42 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Brass Puja Thali Set | Brass | $49 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Brass Ganesha Idol, 6 in | Solid brass | $45 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Hammered Copper Water Bottle, 1 L | Pure copper | $34 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Steel Tiffin Lunch Box, 3 Tier | 304 stainless steel | $29 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Masala Dabba Spice Box, Empty | Stainless steel | $29 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Oxidised Silver Jhumkas (925) | 925 sterling silver | $39 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Silver Payal Anklets (925), Pair | 925 sterling silver | $34 | US stock, ships in 1–2 days |
| Hammered Copper Serving Handis, Set of 2 | Copper, tin-lined | $69 | Made to order, 20 days |
| Kansa Bronze Thali Set | Kansa (bell metal) | $120 | Made to order, 30 days |
Prices are in US dollars with duties included. For Dhanteras itself, pick from the US-stock rows; the made-to-order pieces suit Diwali week or a later gift.
Brass for the puja shelf
The brass diya pair is cast in sand moulds in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, whose brassware is GI-registered, then turned and polished by hand. Each diya is 4.5 in across. Many households light a diya at the door on Dhanteras evening, and a brass pair is used again every year. If you are setting up a shelf from scratch, the puja thali set puts a diya, a bell, kumkum bowls and an incense stand on one 10 in brass plate, the kind sold in the metal shops of Chawri Bazaar in Old Delhi. The 6 in brass Ganesha is sand-cast in Moradabad and finished by hand; it weighs 900 g. Polish all three with lemon and salt.
Copper and steel for the kitchen
Buying a new utensil is the everyday version of the Dhanteras custom. The hammered copper water bottle holds 1 litre, is pure copper with no lacquer inside, and is hammered by hand in Moradabad; clean the inside with lemon and salt. From Jagadhri in Haryana, India's steel-utensil town, come the 3-tier tiffin (three 600 ml tiers in food-grade 304 steel, dishwasher safe) and the masala dabba, the 9 in round spice box with seven bowls, a spoon and a glass lid.
Silver within a gift budget
Silver is the traditional Dhanteras purchase after gold. The oxidised jhumkas (1.8 in drop) and the payal anklets (10 in, adjustable, with tiny bells) are 925 sterling silver, made by silversmiths in Dariba Kalan, Old Delhi's silver lane off Chandni Chowk. Both come from US stock.
Heirloom pieces, if you can wait
The kansa thali set is hand-beaten bell metal from Balakati, Odisha: a 12 in plate, two bowls, a glass and a spoon. The copper handis are two 1-litre serving pots with lids, hand-hammered and tin-lined in Moradabad. The Bidriware trinket box ($85, made to order, 25 days) is a GI-registered craft from Bidar, Karnataka, with pure silver inlaid in a blackened zinc-copper alloy. These are made after you order, so they will arrive after Dhanteras.
The rest of Diwali
For the puja itself, see the Diwali puja essentials checklist; for lights and lanterns, the Diwali decorations guide. Gifts for family and hosts are on the Diwali gifts hub.