What is Naraka Chaturdashi called in Gujarat and Rajasthan?

In Gujarat and Rajasthan, Naraka Chaturdashi is called Kali Chaudas.

The name is regional and closely reflects the festival’s lunar timing. Kali means dark or black, referring to the dark fortnight, while Chaudas is a vernacular form of the Sanskrit Chaturdashi, meaning the fourteenth lunar day. Thus the name itself points to the observance’s place in the Hindu lunar calendar.

Kali Chaudas is associated with the defeat of Narakasura and with removing evil, darkness, and negative forces. In many communities, people perform an oil massage and bath before sunrise, wear clean clothes, light lamps, and share festive foods. Ritual details differ between families and regions.

Naraka Chaturdashi has many other names, including Narak Chaudas, Roop Chaudas, Choti Diwali, and Bhoot Chaturdashi. These names should not be treated as separate festivals in every context. The spelling and pronunciation of Kali Chaudas can also vary, but the Gujarat-and-Rajasthan identification is the same.