Diwali 2026 in Malta: Dates, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat and Where to Celebrate

Quick answer: in Malta, Lakshmi Puja (main Diwali) is on Sunday 8 November 2026, and the Valletta muhurat is 5:21 PM to 7:13 PM Malta 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 and times apply across Malta and Gozo. Malta has no purpose-built Hindu temple that we could confirm, so most families celebrate at home or with community groups.

Editor's note (1 November 2026): HinduTone calculated these local dates from Drik Panchang tithi times using Drik's rules for each festival, and checked our method against Drik's own 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 town's 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 Malta

These are the five days of Diwali for Valletta. The same dates apply throughout Malta and Gozo.

For reference, the Amavasya tithi that governs Lakshmi Puja runs from 11:27 AM on 8 November to 12:31 PM on 9 November IST. In Malta time that is Sun 8 Nov, 6:57 AM → Mon 9 Nov, 8:01 AM, so the new moon covers the whole of Sunday evening, which is why Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday.

Diwali 2026 town by town in Malta

Malta is a small country in a single time zone, so every town shares the same sunset and the same muhurat. We have listed the larger towns so that readers can find their own locality quickly.

Families on Gozo can follow the same dates and muhurat; the difference in sunset across the islands is too small to matter for the puja.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Malta explained

Lakshmi Puja is done in the evening of Amavasya, during Pradosh Kaal, the period of roughly two and a half hours that begins at sunset. On Sunday 8 November sunset in Valletta is at 5:00 PM, so Pradosh Kaal runs from 5:00 PM to 7:42 PM.

Within Pradosh Kaal, the most favoured window is when Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising in the east. Vrishabha is a fixed (sthira) sign, and tradition holds that worshipping Lakshmi during a fixed lagna helps her stay in the home. In Valletta, Vrishabha rises within Pradosh from 5:21 PM to 7:13 PM, and this is the muhurat we give for all of Malta.

If you cannot finish everything inside that window, begin the main puja, the lighting of the lamp and the Lakshmi aarti within it, and continue the rest during the remaining Pradosh Kaal up to 7:42 PM. Some families also keep a lamp burning through the night.

Please do not use India's muhurat. Times published for Delhi or Mumbai are in IST and are calculated for Indian sunsets, which are very different from Malta's. Always use the local time shown here.

Hindu temples in Malta for Diwali

Malta's Hindu community is small, and we could not confirm a dedicated, purpose-built Hindu temple anywhere on the islands. Below are the Hindu and Indian community places and groups we could verify. We have not padded the list; if you know of another active centre, contact it directly for its Diwali plans.

San Gwann and the central area

• Maltese-Indian Community Centre, San Gwann: a modest community space in a flat, used for some years as a Hindu meeting and prayer point rather than a full temple.
• Maltese-Indian Community: the long-established association of Indian, largely Sindhi, families in Malta, founded in 1955 as the Indian Merchants' Association and renamed in 1989. It has traditionally organised a community Diwali celebration.

Island-wide organisations

• Hindu Association of Malta: a faith-based organisation of Hindus living in Malta, registered in 2021, with members from India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It organises pujas, festivals and cultural and welfare activities.
• High Commission of India in Malta: a useful contact for news of Indian cultural programmes on the islands.

Because there is no full-time temple with resident priests, a home puja is the normal way to mark Lakshmi Puja for many families in Malta. Temples and community groups usually announce Diwali programmes a few weeks ahead; check their websites and social pages.

How Diwali is celebrated in Malta

Indian links with Malta go back well over a century. Sindhi trading families settled in Valletta and the harbour towns, running textile and retail businesses, and their descendants form the core of the long-established Maltese-Indian Community. In recent years Malta has also drawn many newer arrivals from India, Nepal and elsewhere in South Asia, for work and study. As a result Diwali in Malta brings together older Sindhi traditions and the customs of families from across India and Nepal.

The Maltese-Indian Community has held a Diwali celebration for many years, and Malta's presidents have attended it in the past. In earlier years the community's celebration has been linked with Birgu (Vittoriosa) and its local council, where the old harbour streets suit lamps and lights. We do not know what is planned for 2026, so please check with the organisers.

At home, celebrations look much as they do anywhere in the diaspora: cleaning and decorating the house, rangoli at the door, rows of diyas or candles on balconies and windowsills, new clothes, and an evening Lakshmi Puja followed by sweets and a family meal. Community programmes, where they happen, typically include a puja and aarti, bhajans, dance and music by children, and shared vegetarian food.

Nepali families mark the same season as Tihar, with its own days for crows, dogs and cows, Lakshmi Puja and Bhai Tika. Sikh friends may observe Bandi Chhor Divas on the same evening, and Jains mark Lord Mahavira's nirvana at this time of year. Many Sindhi Hindu families also revere Guru Nanak, so the festival is often shared across these traditions.

Simple Lakshmi Puja at home

You do not need a priest for a meaningful Lakshmi Puja. A simple sequence many families follow:

1. Clean the home and the puja corner during the day, and make a small rangoli at the entrance.
2. Place a clean red or yellow cloth on a low table, with images or murtis of Lakshmi and Ganesha. Keep a kalash of water with mango or betel leaves and a coconut if you have one.
3. Lay out flowers, rice (akshat), kumkum and haldi, a few coins or jewellery, sweets, fruit and a diya with ghee or oil.
4. Within the muhurat, light the diya, invoke Ganesha first, then Lakshmi. Offer flowers, kumkum, rice and sweets.
5. Recite a simple Lakshmi mantra such as Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah, or the Lakshmi stotram your family uses.
6. Perform the aarti, then light diyas around the home, at the door and on the balcony.
7. Share prasad with family and neighbours, and keep one lamp burning safely.

Regional customs vary. Bengali families may worship Kali on this night, Gujarati families often hold Chopda Puja for account books, and Sindhi families have their own traditions of the festival. Follow what your family or community does.

Practical tips for Diwali in Malta

• Lakshmi Puja is on a Sunday this year, which makes the evening puja easier for families who work during the week. Dhanteras on Friday 6 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November fall on working days, so plan around office hours.
• For time off work, check the official 2026 holiday list and speak to your employer early.
• Sunset on 8 November is at 5:00 PM, so set up your puja space in the afternoon. November evenings in Malta are mild but can be windy and showery, so keep outdoor diyas sheltered.
• Many people live in flats and older houses with wooden balconies; use stable holders, keep flames away from curtains and never leave diyas unattended.
• Fireworks in Malta are regulated by the national authorities; check current rules before buying or lighting any, and never set off fireworks in streets or on balconies without permission.
• If you want a priest for a home puja, or plan to join a community gathering, ask early, as the community is small and demand around Diwali is high.
• Buy puja items, diyas and mithai a week or two ahead from South Asian grocery shops, as popular items can run out before the weekend.

Diwali 2026 in Malta: frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Malta?

The main day, Lakshmi Puja, is Sunday 8 November 2026 across Malta and Gozo. 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 Valletta?

In Valletta the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 5:21 PM to 7:13 PM on Sunday 8 November 2026, Malta time (UTC+1). This is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna within Pradosh Kaal, which runs from sunset at 5:00 PM to 7:42 PM.

Is there a Hindu temple in Malta?

We could not confirm a dedicated, purpose-built Hindu temple in Malta. The Maltese-Indian Community Centre in San Gwann has served as a small Hindu meeting place, and the Hindu Association of Malta organises pujas and festivals. Many families celebrate Lakshmi Puja at home.

Is Diwali a public holiday in Malta?

Check the official 2026 holiday list. In practice it matters less this year, because Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday 8 November, so most people can do the evening puja without taking leave.

Do the muhurat times differ between towns in Malta?

No. Malta is small enough that Valletta, Birkirkara, Mosta, Sliema, Qormi, Żabbar and San Pawl il-Baħar all share the same window, 5:21 PM to 7:13 PM. Families in Gozo can use the same time.

Can I light diyas and fireworks in Malta for Diwali?

Diyas and candles at home are fine with sensible fire safety, especially in flats and older houses with wooden balconies. Fireworks are tightly regulated by the Maltese authorities, so check the current rules before buying or lighting any.

Related guides

• Diwali 2026 dates in every country, with Lakshmi Puja times
• Diwali 2026: complete festival guide
• Diwali 2026 celebrations in European countries
• Diwali 2026 in the UK: Lakshmi Puja muhurat city by city
• The 5 days of Diwali 2026 explained
• Dhanteras 2026
• Bhai Dooj 2026
• Diwali 2026 in Greece
• Diwali 2026 in Cyprus
• Diwali 2026 in Croatia