Quick answer: Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) 2026 in Sweden is on Sunday 8 November. In Stockholm the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 3:44 PM – 5:05 PM, in the middle of the afternoon because of the early Nordic sunset. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November.

Editor's note: this page was last checked on 10 October 2026. The local times were calculated by HinduTone using the Drik Panchang method (Pradosh Kaal with the Vrishabha lagna); checked against Drik Panchang for major world cities to within one to two minutes; confirm with your temple. All times are Swedish standard time (CET), because summer time ended on Sunday 25 October. Details of temples and events come only from organisers' own websites and official listings, and nothing on this page is a substitute for your temple's own announcement.

Diwali in Sweden has a feature you will not find in India or most of Europe: the puja happens in daylight's last glow, not late at night. By 8 November Stockholm loses the sun before four in the afternoon, so Lakshmi Puja starts while children are still at the playground. That leaves the whole evening for the family meal, calls to India and diyas. In a country that fills its windows with candles and star lamps all winter, a home lit with diyas fits right in.

Diwali 2026 in Sweden: the five days

DayDateWhat is observed
Dhanteras (Yama Deepam)Fri 6 NovBuying a new utensil or a little gold or silver, Dhanvantari puja, and a lamp for Yama at the doorway in the evening
Kali ChaudasSat 7 NovGujarati tradition of protection rituals and Hanuman or Kali worship
Diwali / Lakshmi PujaSun 8 NovLakshmi and Ganesha puja in the evening window; also Narak Chaturdashi and the Tamil Deepavali morning oil bath, Kali Puja for Bengali families, and Chopda / Sharda Puja for business families
Govardhan Puja / AnnakutTue 10 Nov (in India)Annakut, Bali Pratipada and Gujarati New Year
Bhai Dooj / Yama DwitiyaWed 11 Nov (in India)Sisters apply tilak to brothers and pray for their long life

The dates above follow Drik Panchang for India. The Amavasya tithi runs from 11:27 AM IST on Sunday 8 November to 12:31 PM IST on Monday 9 November, which is why so many traditions converge on Sunday 8 November this year. Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj fall on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 November in India, but local temples may announce their own day. In Stockholm, the Helenelund Hindu Mandir's 2026 festival calendar, adjusted for Sweden, lists Govardhan Puja on 9 November and Bhai Dooj on 10 November, so check which day your own temple keeps. For the stories behind each day, see our five days of Diwali 2026 explained.

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Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026, city by city

CityRegionLakshmi Puja (Sun 8 Nov)Pradosh KaalDhanteras puja (Fri 6 Nov)
StockholmStockholm3:44 PM – 5:05 PM3:38 PM – 6:47 PM3:52 PM – 5:13 PM
UppsalaUppsala3:42 PM – 5:01 PM3:37 PM – 6:48 PM3:50 PM – 5:09 PM
GothenburgVästra Götaland4:18 PM – 5:43 PM4:10 PM – 7:16 PM4:25 PM – 5:51 PM
MalmöSkåne4:25 PM – 5:56 PM4:15 PM – 7:18 PM4:33 PM – 6:03 PM

Times calculated by HinduTone using the Drik Panchang method (Pradosh Kaal with the Vrishabha lagna); checked against Drik Panchang for major world cities to within one to two minutes; confirm with your temple. Sunset on 8 November is 3:38 PM in Stockholm, 3:37 PM in Uppsala, 4:10 PM in Gothenburg and 4:15 PM in Malmö. On Dhanteras, two days earlier, it is 3:43 PM in Stockholm, 3:42 PM in Uppsala, 4:14 PM in Gothenburg and 4:19 PM in Malmö.

Pradosh Kaal in plain words: Pradosh is the period that begins at sunset and lasts for about three hours. It is the traditional time for evening worship of Lakshmi, and the window in which the lamps of Diwali are lit. In Stockholm on 8 November it runs from 3:38 PM to 6:47 PM.

Vrishabha lagna in plain words: the lagna is the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at a given moment. Vrishabha (Taurus) is a "fixed" sign, and worshipping Lakshmi while a fixed sign is rising is believed to help her blessings stay in the home. The best muhurat is when Vrishabha rises inside Pradosh. That overlap is the window shown in the table.

Why the times are so early: Sweden lies far north, so by early November sunset, and with it Pradosh, comes in mid-afternoon, and Vrishabha rises soon after. Stockholm and Uppsala, further east, have the earliest windows. Gothenburg and Malmö, in the west and south, are about 35–40 minutes later. For other European cities, see our Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 for Europe, city-wise.

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The Hindu community in Sweden

Sweden's Hindu community is small by British or Dutch standards, but it has changed fast. An older core of families settled in the Stockholm area from the 1970s and 1980s. The Hindu Mandir Society was formed in 1980 and opened Stockholm's first large Hindu temple in Helenelund in September 1998. Sri Lankan Tamil families brought their own temple traditions, and Nepali and Bangladeshi Hindu families add Tihar and Bengali customs.

The biggest change has come in the last decade. According to Statistics Sweden (SCB), people born in India have been the largest group of foreign-born immigrants since 2019, and 31,368 people born in India moved to Sweden between 2020 and 2024, with a peak of 8,009 in 2022. Most came for work in IT, engineering, telecoms and life sciences, or to study. SCB also found that 45% of Indian-born immigrants in 2020 settled in Stockholm County. In the west, Business Region Göteborg reported in 2023 that about 11,000 Indian citizens live in the Gothenburg region. Not all of these newcomers are Hindu, and SCB does not record religion, so there is no official count of Hindus in Sweden.

In practice, this means a community that speaks Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati and Punjabi, and celebrates Diwali in all of those regional styles. Bengali families are especially visible. The Local reported in 2023 that Durga Puja had been celebrated in Stockholm for more than 30 years and now also takes place in Uppsala, Gothenburg, Helsingborg and as far north as Luleå. Those same groups often hold Kali Puja on Diwali night. The Indian Embassy's own Namaste Stockholm festival on 23 August 2026 drew an estimated 18,000–20,000 visitors, which gives a sense of how visible Indian culture has become in the capital.

Where to celebrate: temples and community organisations

We list only temples and organisations whose existence we confirmed on their own website or an official listing, with name and area only. Check their pages for opening hours and Diwali plans. Temples and community associations usually announce Diwali programmes from mid-October — check their websites and social pages.

Stockholm

  • Helenelund Hindu Mandir (Hindu Mandir Society) — Helenelund, Sollentuna. Stockholm's longest-established Hindu temple, which publishes a full festival calendar adjusted for Sweden (festival calendar).
  • ISKCON Stockholm, Bromma centre (Brahmakund) — Bromma (ISKCON listing).
  • ISKCON Almviks Gård — Järna, Södertälje municipality, south of Stockholm. ISKCON's ecovillage and farm temple, with a weekly Sunday feast (ISKCON listing).

At Diwali, temples typically hold Lakshmi-Ganesha puja, aarti and bhajans; Hare Krishna temples usually mark Govardhan Puja with an Annakut offering.

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Uppsala

We could not confirm a dedicated Hindu temple in Uppsala. Many Uppsala families use the Helenelund Hindu Mandir in Sollentuna, which lies between Uppsala and central Stockholm. The university city's Bengali community has held its own Durga Puja (The Local), and student and community groups often hold Diwali evenings. Watch university and community pages from mid-October.

Gothenburg

  • Hindu Temple Society of Gothenburg (HTSOG) — Lindholmen, Hisingen. A temple and cultural centre for the region's Indian community, opened in 2023 (Business Region Göteborg; Lindholmen Science Park).
  • Hare Krishna Temple Göteborg (ISKCON) — Gothenburg. Holds Sunday feasts, seminars and festivals (ISKCON listing).

Gothenburg's Indian population has grown with the city's engineering and IT employers, and the temple there was planned as a meeting point for newcomers. Expect Diwali to be a mix of puja at the temple and cultural evenings in rented halls. In 2024, The Local listed several Diwali parties and an Indian cultural festival in the city (The Local).

Malmö, Lund and Skåne

  • Indian Association in Sweden (IAS) — Lund. Held a Diwali celebration for the Skåne community on 1 November 2025, which the Indian Ambassador joined virtually (Embassy of India).
  • Govindas Lund (ISKCON) — central Lund. A Hare Krishna vegetarian restaurant (ISKCON listing).

Skåne does not yet have a large purpose-built Hindu temple, so Diwali in Malmö, Lund and Helsingborg is mostly a home puja plus a community evening in a hired hall. Some families also cross the Öresund Bridge to join celebrations in Copenhagen; see our Diwali 2026 Denmark guide.

Celebrating at home in Sweden

For most families in Sweden, the heart of Diwali is the home puja. Here is a short version you can do within your city's window:

  • Clean the home and the puja corner in the days before; many families also do a full clean before Dhanteras.
  • Draw a rangoli at the door, or use stickers or coloured rice if you live in a flat with a shared stairwell.
  • Place Lakshmi and Ganesha on a red or yellow cloth, with a kalash of water, rice, coins, flowers and sweets.
  • Light the main diya, pray to Ganesha first, then offer Lakshmi kumkum, flowers, rice, sweets and a coin.
  • Chant the Lakshmi mantra or read the Lakshmi stotram, do aarti together and share prasad.
  • Light diyas around the home once the puja is done, and keep one lamp burning safely through the evening if you can watch it.

For the full step-by-step vidhi and mantras, see our Lakshmi Puja 2026 date, muhurat and vidhi guide.

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Diyas and electric lights in apartments: most families in Sweden live in flats, often in a hyresrätt or bostadsrätt. Put clay diyas on a metal tray, away from curtains and window textiles, and never leave a flame alone when you go out or go to bed. Swedes light candles all winter, and the same care they take with them applies to diyas. Electric diyas and string lights are a good choice for windows, balconies and children's rooms.

Smoke alarms: do not take the brandvarnare down or cover it for the puja. Ghee lamps, camphor and incense can set it off, so open a window briefly instead. Test the alarm before Diwali.

Tenancy and housing rules: check your landlord's or your housing association's house rules (ordningsregler) about open flames on balconies, in stairwells and in shared laundry or storage areas. Do not leave diyas or decorations in the stairwell, which must be kept clear.

Weather in early November: expect cold, damp and often grey days, with temperatures close to freezing in Stockholm and Uppsala and a little milder in Gothenburg and Malmö. It is dark soon after the muhurat, so diyas on an outdoor step will blow out in the wind. Use lanterns with glass sides outside and keep the real flames indoors.

Food and decorations you can find locally

Indian grocers are easy to find in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. Besides atta, ghee, dals and spices, many bring in mithai, garlands, diyas and puja items before Diwali. In smaller towns, order murtis and puja items online early.

Swedish supermarkets help too: cardamom, saffron and almonds are staples of Swedish baking, and shops fill with LED candles and window lights in November.

Diwali with children and second-generation families

Children of Indian families are now a large part of many Swedish classrooms. SCB found that in 2024 22% of pupils in Sweden's international compulsory schools came from India, the largest group. Many others attend Swedish municipal schools and förskola.

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Because 8 November 2026 is a Sunday, children can join the whole puja without missing school. Friday 6 November (Dhanteras) and Monday 9 November onwards are normal school and working days, so keep Dhanteras simple on a weekday evening. 8 November 2026 is also Fars dag, Swedish Father's Day, so there may be a second celebration in the house.

Keeping heritage languages alive is one of the main challenges for families here, as children quickly switch to Swedish and English. Sweden offers modersmålsundervisning (mother-tongue tuition) in many languages, and Diwali is a good time to use them at home. Tell the story of Rama's return to Ayodhya, or Krishna and Narakasura, in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi or Gujarati while the lamps are lit, and teach the children one aarti line by line. Give them real jobs: filling diyas, drawing the rangoli, ringing the bell. For ideas, see our Diwali 2026 complete 5-day guide.

Fireworks, safety and local rules

Fireworks are not part of Swedish Diwali the way they are in India, and the rules are strict. According to the Swedish Police Authority (Polisen), you need a police permit to set off fireworks where there is a risk of harm to people, animals or property, the age limit to buy, hold and use fireworks is 18, and bangers (smällare) have been banned since 2002 except for trained users with a municipal permit. Sparklers (tomtebloss) and party poppers need no permit. Many municipalities have their own rules on when and where fireworks may be used. For example, Malmö stad says that fireworks in public places are allowed without police permission only on New Year's Eve night. Check your own kommun's rules, and in practice plan Diwali without rockets.

Sky lanterns: according to Transportstyrelsen, the Swedish Transport Agency, you may release at most 50 floating lanterns at a time, each no more than 100 cm high. More than that needs a permit, and if you are within 10 km of an airport you must contact that airport first. The agency also advises checking with the municipality, rescue service and police.

Celebrating far from family

Diwali is when many families in Sweden miss home most. The afternoon muhurat helps: you can video-call parents and grandparents in India straight after aarti, before their night ends.

Many big temples in India stream aarti and darshan online on Diwali night. Seva is another way to take part: volunteer in your local temple's prasad kitchen, give to a food bank in your kommun, or donate to a temple or charity back home.

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Diwali checklist for Sweden

  • Note your city's Lakshmi Puja window: it starts in the middle of the afternoon.
  • Check your temple's own dates for Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, which may differ from India's.
  • Buy diyas, wicks, ghee, flowers and sweets early in the week from an Indian grocer.
  • Plan Dhanteras around a normal Friday workday; buy your utensil or coin in the lunch hour.
  • Test the smoke alarm and choose a safe spot for the diyas, away from curtains.
  • Check your housing association's rules on balconies and stairwells.
  • Use LED lights in windows and on balconies; keep real flames indoors and supervised.
  • Skip rockets: fireworks need a police permit, and local rules apply.
  • Book a video call with family in India for right after aarti.
  • Look at temple and association pages from mid-October for Diwali programmes.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lakshmi Puja in the afternoon in Sweden?

The muhurat starts after sunset, and on 8 November the sun sets very early in Sweden: 3:38 PM in Stockholm and 4:15 PM in Malmö. So the window opens while most of Europe is still having afternoon coffee. In Stockholm it is 3:44 PM – 5:05 PM, in Gothenburg 4:18 PM – 5:43 PM, in Malmö 4:25 PM – 5:56 PM and in Uppsala 3:42 PM – 5:01 PM.

Is Diwali a public holiday in Sweden?

No. Sunday 8 November 2026 is a weekend day, so most families can do the puja at home or at the temple. Friday 6 November (Dhanteras) and the rest of the following week are normal working and school days.

Can I use India's Lakshmi Puja time in Sweden?

No. The muhurat depends on your own sunset and on when Vrishabha (Taurus) rises over your city, so you cannot convert India's time into Swedish time. Use the Swedish times on this page or your temple's calendar.

When are Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj in Sweden in 2026?

In India, Govardhan Puja is on Tuesday 10 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November. Local temples may announce their own day: the Helenelund Hindu Mandir's 2026 calendar for Sweden lists Govardhan Puja on 9 November and Bhai Dooj on 10 November. Follow your temple.

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Can I set off fireworks or sky lanterns for Diwali in Sweden?

Fireworks that could harm people, animals or property need a police permit, you must be 18 to buy or use them, and many kommuner have stricter local rules. In Malmö, the city allows them in public places without a permit only on New Year's Eve night. Sparklers (tomtebloss) need no permit. For sky lanterns, Transportstyrelsen allows at most 50 per release, each up to 100 cm high, and you must contact the airport if you are within 10 km of one.

Where can I celebrate Diwali in Gothenburg or Malmö?

In Gothenburg, the Hindu temple and cultural centre at Lindholmen (HTSOG) and the Hare Krishna Temple are the main places of worship. Skåne has no large purpose-built temple, so families in Malmö and Lund rely on home puja and community events, such as the Diwali celebration the Indian Association in Sweden held in Lund in 2025. Watch their pages from mid-October.

Sources

Muhurat: HinduTone calculation (Drik Panchang method)