Mumbai, October 19, 2025: Diwali, the festival of lights, is synonymous not only with the illumination of homes and temples but also with new beginnings and prosperity on Dalal Street. Every year, India’s stock exchanges conduct a special one-hour trading session called Muhurat Trading, a tradition that blends centuries-old customs with modern financial practices. In 2025, Muhurat Trading is scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, coinciding with Diwali’s Lakshmi Puja.
Origins of Muhurat Trading
The concept of Muhurat Trading has its roots in ancient Hindu practices, where traders would mark auspicious occasions by opening new account books, invoking blessings from Goddess Lakshmi, and praying for prosperity in the coming year.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) formalized this practice in 1957, opening its doors for a symbolic trading session during Diwali. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) followed suit in 1992, institutionalizing the tradition across India’s modern financial markets.
Muhurat Trading is now seen as the financial equivalent of Diwali rituals, where investors seek a propitious start to the new Samvat year, which in 2025 will mark Vikram Samvat 2082.
Muhurat Trading 2025: Timing and Details
This year, the one-hour Muhurat session will run from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm, as per separate circulars issued by both NSE and BSE. While regular trading remains suspended during Diwali, all major segments—including equity, commodity derivatives, currency derivatives, equity futures and options, and securities lending and borrowing (SLB)—will be active during this symbolic hour.
The session is largely ceremonial and symbolic, with investors often trading small amounts of money in key stocks, reflecting their faith in long-term prosperity rather than short-term gains.
Significance of the Session
- Cultural and Religious Significance:
Muhurat Trading coincides with Lakshmi Puja, the day when Hindus worship the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Trading during this auspicious time is believed to bring financial growth and blessings for the year ahead. - Symbolic Beginning of the Financial Year:
The session marks the start of the new Samvat year, representing a fresh financial cycle. Historically, traders and investors view the session as a ritualistic way to set positive intentions for their portfolios. - Market Sentiment Indicator:
While the session lasts just one hour, historically, Muhurat Trading has often been associated with positive market sentiment, even in years of broader economic uncertainty. It is seen as a confidence-building exercise for retail and institutional investors alike. - Opportunity for First Investments:
Many investors use Muhurat Trading to make their first investment of the year, often in blue-chip stocks or mutual funds, as a gesture of good luck and prudent financial planning.
Caution for Investors
Financial experts caution that short-term price movements during Muhurat Trading are largely symbolic and should not be treated as indicators of broader market trends. While the session carries emotional and cultural significance, long-term wealth creation continues to depend on sound investment strategy, diversification, and disciplined planning.
An NSE spokesperson noted, “Muhurat Trading is a celebratory event. Investors participate to mark the occasion and set intentions for the financial year, but sustainable returns come from long-term planning rather than a single auspicious session.”
A Blend of Tradition and Modern Finance
Muhurat Trading is a unique example of how India’s cultural heritage integrates with modern financial markets. For traders, it is a chance to pause, reflect, and participate in a ritual that has endured for over six decades. The session also serves as a reminder of Dalal Street’s origins, where stockbrokers once maintained handwritten ledgers, carefully noting every transaction in alignment with traditional auspicious timings.
For new investors, the session offers a gentle introduction to stock market practices, while for seasoned traders, it is a way to honour tradition and invoke blessings for continued prosperity.
Conclusion
Muhurat Trading 2025, on October 21, will once again see investors across India logging in or visiting stock exchangesfor this one-hour Diwali ritual. While largely symbolic, the session embodies hope, renewal, and optimism—values at the heart of both Diwali and India’s entrepreneurial spirit.
As markets open for this auspicious session, traders may place symbolic orders, exchange Diwali greetings, and pray for prosperity in the year ahead, carrying forward a tradition that blends faith with finance in a uniquely Indian way.
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