On October 21, the NSE and BSE opened for a single hour of “muhurat trading” to mark Samvat 2082. It is part ritual, part market tradition, and a small window into how culture and money mix in India.
Most stock exchanges close for their country’s biggest holiday. India’s opens. On October 21, the NSE and BSE held a one-hour muhurat trading session to mark the start of Samvat 2082, the new year in the Hindu calendar that many business families use. Unusually, the session ran in the afternoon, from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm, rather than in the evening as in most past years.
Where the tradition comes from
For centuries, Indian merchants opened new account books on Diwali after performing Lakshmi Puja, the worship of the goddess of wealth. The day marked the start of the business year. When stock trading formalised, brokers carried the custom onto the trading floor. The BSE has held a Diwali session since the 1950s, and the NSE joined after it opened in the 1990s. A muhurat is an auspicious time, and the session is scheduled to fall inside it.
Most of the activity is symbolic. Families buy a few shares of a company they believe in, often a long-term favourite, as a token for the year ahead. Volumes are a fraction of a normal day, and the price moves usually reflect sentiment more than news.
For one hour a year, the trading floor runs on the same calendar as the household account book.
What it tells you
Muhurat trading is a reminder that markets are human institutions, built on habits and beliefs as much as on economics. It also explains why Indian investing has such a strong family flavour. Many first-time investors make their first purchase on Diwali because a parent or grandparent did the same. Whether a stock bought in a lucky hour performs better than one bought on a Tuesday in March is a separate question. The data says no. The tradition says it does not matter.
Sources: NSE and BSE circulars on Muhurat Trading, Samvat 2082.
- Muhurat trading is a one-hour session held on Diwali to mark the start of the new Samvat year.
- In 2025 it ran from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm on October 21, earlier than the usual evening slot.
- Volumes are small and most orders are symbolic, often a token purchase for good luck.
- The tradition reflects the old link between Diwali and the merchant’s accounting year.
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