Diwali 2026 in Latvia: Dates, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat and Temples

Quick answer: in Latvia, Lakshmi Puja (main Diwali) is on Sunday 8 November 2026, and the Riga muhurat is 4:34 PM to 6:01 PM Latvian time. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday 7 November, Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November. The same dates apply across the country; only the evening timings shift by a few minutes. Latvia's Hindu community is small, and the one place of worship we could confirm is the Hare Krishna Centre in Riga, so many families will mark Diwali with a puja at home.

Editor's note (1 November 2026): HinduTone calculated these local dates from Drik Panchang tithi times using Drik's own rules for each festival, and checked our method against Drik's published dates for 15 countries. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna that falls within Pradosh Kaal, following the Drik method, worked out for each city's own sunset. We do not list event schedules, because they change every year. Temples and community groups usually announce Diwali programmes a few weeks ahead; check their websites and social pages.

Diwali 2026 dates in Latvia

These are the five days of Diwali for Riga. The same dates apply throughout Latvia, which keeps a single time zone (UTC+2 in November).

Amavasya in Latvia runs from Sun 8 Nov, 7:57 AM to Mon 9 Nov, 9:01 AM local time (11:27 AM 8 Nov to 12:31 PM 9 Nov IST). It therefore covers the whole of Sunday evening, and by Monday evening it has ended, which is why Lakshmi Puja is on Sunday 8 November. Chaturdashi begins at 10:47 AM IST on 7 November, so in Latvia Naraka Chaturdashi is observed on Saturday 7 November.

Diwali 2026 city by city in Latvia

Latvia is compact, so the timings differ by only a few minutes from Rēzekne and Daugavpils in the east to Liepāja and Ventspils on the coast. The dates are identical everywhere. Times below are local Latvian time.

If you live in Salaspils, Tukums, Cēsis or another town not shown, use the nearest city in the table; the difference will be a few minutes at most.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Latvia explained

Lakshmi Puja is done in the evening of Amavasya, during Pradosh Kaal, the window of about three hours that begins at sunset. In Riga on Sunday 8 November, sunset is at 4:25 PM, so Pradosh Kaal runs from 4:25 PM to 7:30 PM. This is far earlier than families from India are used to, because Latvia lies so far north and November daylight is short.

Within Pradosh Kaal, the most auspicious part is when Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising. Vrishabha is a fixed (sthir) sign, and worshipping Lakshmi in a fixed lagna is traditionally understood to help her stay in the home. In Riga, Vrishabha is rising from 4:34 PM to 6:01 PM, which is the muhurat. In every city in the table this year, Vrishabha rises during Pradosh, so each has a proper muhurat.

If you cannot be ready in time for the muhurat, doing the puja anywhere within Pradosh Kaal is still correct. Here are the figures for each city:

Hindu temples in Latvia for Diwali

Latvia does not have a traditional Indian-style mandir that we could confirm. The Hindu place of worship we could verify from its own website and reliable published sources is the Hare Krishna (ISKCON) centre in Riga. ISKCON centres usually keep Vaishnava festivals such as Diwali and Govardhan Puja, and visitors of every Hindu tradition are generally welcome. Krishna consciousness congregations have been registered in some other Latvian towns over the years, but we could not confirm a currently active temple outside Riga. If you live in Daugavpils, Liepāja, Ventspils or Rēzekne, plan a home puja or travel to Riga.

Riga

• Hare Krishna Centre (ISKCON Latvia), Riga: the main Krishna temple in Latvia, opened in 1990. Its community also runs the Rāma vegetarian restaurant and a long-standing Food for Life free meal programme.

Embassy and community

The Embassy of India in Riga opened in 2024 and lists Deepawali on its own 2026 holiday calendar. It is a useful contact for news of gatherings for Indian students, professionals and families. The Indian Latvian Cultural & Economic Forum, a non-profit based in Riga, also brings the community together for cultural events. Temples and community groups usually announce Diwali programmes a few weeks ahead; check their websites and social pages.

How Diwali is celebrated in Latvia

Latvia has no history of indentured migration, and its Hindu community is small. It has two strands. One is Latvian devotees of the Hare Krishna movement, which reached Latvia in 1977 and worked underground during the Soviet period before opening its Riga temple in 1990. The other is the Indian community: mostly students at Latvian universities, IT and business professionals, and their families, drawn from many regions of India.

At the Hare Krishna Centre, Diwali evening usually brings kirtan, a lamp offering and aarti, with Govardhan Puja the next day marked by a hill of sweets and food offered to Krishna and then shared. Indian families often gather in each other's homes for Lakshmi Puja, sweets and a shared meal, and student groups may hold their own get-togethers in university halls or rented rooms. Gujarati families may keep chopda pujan on Lakshmi Puja night and Bestu Varas on Monday 9 November; South Indian families may follow the Deepavali pattern with an early oil bath on Saturday 7 November. Sikh and Jain families, where present, mark Bandi Chhor Divas and the Jain Diwali (Mahavira's nirvana) at the same time.

Diwali this year falls just before Lāčplēsis Day on 11 November, when Latvians remember those who fought for independence and line the Riga Castle wall along the Daugava with candles. Many Indian families find that their diyas sit comfortably in a country that already knows the meaning of light in the dark months.

Diwali is not, as far as we have found, a public holiday in Latvia. Check the official 2026 holiday list for confirmation.

Simple Lakshmi Puja at home

If you cannot reach a temple, a simple home puja is complete in itself. Begin within Pradosh Kaal, ideally during your city's muhurat.

1. Clean the house, especially the entrance, and make a rangoli at the door.
2. Set a clean cloth on a low table, place images or murtis of Lakshmi and Ganesha, and a kalash of water with mango leaves and a coconut if you have them.
3. Light a ghee or oil diya, and invoke Ganesha first with a short prayer such as "Om Gam Ganapataye Namah".
4. Offer flowers, kumkum, rice, sweets, fruit and a few coins to Lakshmi, chanting "Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah" or reading the Lakshmi Ashtakam.
5. Perform aarti, share the prasad with family and friends, then light diyas at doors and windows.

Puja items such as kumkum, camphor and incense can be hard to find outside Riga, so buy them early from an Indian grocery or order online.

Practical tips

• Lakshmi Puja falls on a Sunday this year, which makes the evening puja easier for most working families and students. Dhanteras (Friday) and Govardhan (Monday) are working days, so plan leave early if you need it.
• Sunset is very early: 4:25 PM in Riga, 4:14 PM in Rēzekne and 4:39 PM in Liepāja. The Riga muhurat starts at 4:34 PM, so have everything ready well before dusk.
• November in Latvia is cold, damp and dark, and early frost or snow is possible. Keep outdoor diyas sheltered from wind and rain, and never leave lamps unattended indoors.
• Fireworks rules are set by the authorities and can vary between municipalities; check before buying or lighting any.
• If you want to join a temple programme or offer food for Govardhan Puja, contact the centre well ahead, as space is limited.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Latvia?

The main day, Lakshmi Puja, is Sunday 8 November 2026 everywhere in Latvia. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday 7 November, Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November.

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Riga?

In Riga the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 4:34 PM to 6:01 PM on Sunday 8 November 2026, Latvian time (UTC+2). This is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna inside Pradosh Kaal, which runs from sunset at 4:25 PM to 7:30 PM.

Are there Hindu temples in Latvia?

There is no traditional Indian-style mandir that we could confirm. The Hindu place of worship we could confirm is the Hare Krishna Centre (ISKCON Latvia) in Riga. Most Indian families in Latvia celebrate Diwali at home or with friends, and Indian community groups in Riga sometimes hold gatherings.

Is Diwali a public holiday in Latvia?

We have not found Diwali on Latvia's list of public holidays. Check the official 2026 holiday list, and speak to your employer or university early if you need time off on Friday 6 or Monday 9 November.

Do the muhurat times differ between cities in Latvia?

Only by a few minutes. The whole country uses one time zone, and sunset on 8 November ranges from 4:14 PM in Rēzekne to 4:39 PM in Liepāja. Rēzekne has the earliest muhurat, 4:23 PM to 5:52 PM, and Liepāja the latest, 4:48 PM to 6:17 PM.

Can I light diyas and fireworks for Diwali in Latvia?

Diyas and candles at home are fine with sensible fire safety, especially in flats with smoke alarms. Rules on fireworks are set by the authorities, and municipalities can restrict them, so check locally before buying or lighting any.

Related guides

• Diwali 2026 dates in every country, with Lakshmi Puja time
• Diwali 2026: complete festival guide
• Diwali 2026 celebrations in European countries
• Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat in India
• The 5 days of Diwali 2026 explained
• Govardhan Puja and Annakut 2026
• Bhai Dooj 2026
• Diwali 2026 in Lithuania
• Diwali 2026 in Estonia