Diwali 2026 in Uruguay: Dates, Lakshmi Puja Muhurat and Hindu Temples

Diwali 2026 in Uruguay: Lakshmi Puja is on Sunday 8 November 2026, and in Montevideo the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 7:55 PM to 9:24 PM local time (UTC-3). Dhanteras falls on Friday 6 November, Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday 7 November, Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November. The dates are the same in every Uruguayan city we checked; only the evening muhurat moves by a few minutes from place to place.

Editor's note (1 November 2026): HinduTone calculated these local dates from Drik Panchang tithi times using Drik Panchang's own rules for each festival day, and we checked the 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. We do not list event schedules: temples and community groups usually announce Diwali programmes a few weeks ahead, so check their websites and social pages.

Diwali 2026 dates in Uruguay

These are the five days of Diwali for Montevideo. The same dates apply across the country.

For reference, the tithis behind these dates, in Indian Standard Time (IST), are: Trayodashi from 10:30 AM on 6 November to 10:47 AM on 7 November; Chaturdashi until 11:27 AM on 8 November; Amavasya from 11:27 AM on 8 November to 12:31 PM on 9 November; Pratipada until 2:00 PM on 10 November; and Dwitiya until 3:53 PM on 11 November. In Uruguayan time, Amavasya runs from Sun 8 Nov, 2:57 AM to Mon 9 Nov, 4:01 AM, so the whole evening of Sunday 8 November is Amavasya, which is why Lakshmi Puja is on the Sunday.

Diwali 2026 city timings in Uruguay

All times are local (UTC-3). Uruguay is a compact country with one time zone, so the differences are small: sunset and the muhurat come a little earlier in the north-east, around Melo and Rivera, and a little later along the Río Uruguay in Paysandú and Salto.

If your town is not listed, use the nearest city in the table. Ciudad de la Costa and the rest of Canelones are close to the Montevideo and Las Piedras times, and Punta del Este is close to Maldonado.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Uruguay explained

Two windows decide the best time for Lakshmi Puja. The first is Pradosh Kaal, the period of a little over two hours that begins at sunset. In Montevideo on Sunday 8 November, sunset is at 7:21 PM, so Pradosh Kaal runs from 7:21 PM to 9:24 PM.

The second is Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna, the ascendant considered fixed (sthira). A puja done in a fixed lagna is believed to help Lakshmi stay in the home. In Montevideo, Vrishabha rises at 7:55 PM and is still rising when Pradosh Kaal ends at 9:24 PM, so the overlap, and the recommended muhurat, is 7:55 PM to 9:24 PM.

In other cities the logic is the same. In Salto, sunset is at 7:21 PM and the muhurat is 7:54 PM to 9:27 PM. In Maldonado, sunset is at 7:16 PM and the muhurat is 7:50 PM to 9:19 PM. In Melo, sunset is at 7:08 PM and the muhurat is 7:42 PM to 9:13 PM. If you cannot start within the muhurat, any time in your city's Pradosh Kaal is still traditionally acceptable, and a sincere puja at a convenient hour is better than none.

Hindu temples in Uruguay for Diwali

Uruguay's Hindu community is very small, and we could confirm only a few places to connect. We list names and areas only, so check each organisation's own website or social pages for current details before you go.

Montevideo

• ISKCON Montevideo – the Hare Krishna centre in central Montevideo, listed in ISKCON's official directory of centres. It is the one place of Hindu worship we could confirm in Uruguay, and most of its devotees are Uruguayans drawn to Krishna bhakti.
• Indian Cultural Association of Uruguay (ICAU) – the main Indian community group, also referred to as the Indian Community Association of Uruguay. It organises several events through the year; the Indian Embassy has reported its Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in Montevideo and its part in the International Day of Yoga.
• Embassy of India, Montevideo – India's first resident embassy in Uruguay, which began operations in May 2026. It is a useful first contact if you are new to the country and want to find community gatherings.

We could not confirm a Hindu temple anywhere else in Uruguay, including Salto, Paysandú, Maldonado and Rivera. If you live outside Montevideo, a home puja at the muhurat in the table above is the simplest and most traditional way to mark the night. Families near the Brazilian border at Rivera, or across the river from Salto and Paysandú in Argentina, may also find community contacts on the other side.

How Diwali is celebrated in Uruguay

Uruguay has no history of indentured migration from India, unlike Guyana, Suriname or Trinidad and Tobago, and its Indian community is recent and small. India's Ministry of External Affairs puts it at roughly 950 people, most of them information technology professionals and their families living in Montevideo. There are also a few Indian business people, students and Uruguayan families with ties to India, along with a small Sikh presence; Sikh families mark Bandi Chhor Divas at the same time as Diwali, and Jain families observe the day of Mahavira's nirvana.

Because the community is so compact, Diwali is usually a shared, friendly affair rather than a large public festival. Gatherings organised by community associations or friends typically include a Lakshmi and Ganesha puja, bhajans, cultural performances by children, a potluck or catered Indian dinner and plenty of sweets. ISKCON centres usually mark the season with kirtan, an arati with lamps and a vegetarian feast, and Uruguayans with an interest in yoga and Indian philosophy often join in.

At home, families clean and decorate the house, draw rangoli at the entrance, light diyas or candles on the evening of Lakshmi Puja and share sweets with neighbours and colleagues. For many Uruguayan friends, a plate of homemade laddoos or barfi is their first taste of the festival.

Simple Lakshmi Puja at home

You do not need a priest or a long list of items. A short, sincere puja at your city's muhurat is enough.

1. Clean the house during the day and make a small, tidy altar facing east or north.
2. Place an image or murti of Lakshmi with Ganesha on her left, on a red or yellow cloth, with a kalash of water topped with mango or betel leaves if you have them.
3. Bathe and wear clean clothes. Light a ghee or oil diya and some incense at the start of the muhurat.
4. Begin with Ganesha: offer a flower and say 'Om Gam Ganapataye Namah'.
5. Offer Lakshmi kumkum, rice, flowers, sweets, fruit and a few coins or new notes. Chant 'Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah' 11 or 108 times.
6. Perform arati, then light diyas or candles at the doorway, windows and every room.
7. Share the prasad with family and neighbours. Many families keep one lamp burning through the night.

If the Vrishabha muhurat does not suit your household, do the puja at any time within Pradosh Kaal for your city.

Practical tips for Diwali 2026 in Uruguay

• Weekend timing: Dhanteras is a Friday, Naraka Chaturdashi a Saturday and Lakshmi Puja a Sunday, so the main days fall conveniently. Govardhan Puja (Monday) and Bhai Dooj (Tuesday) are working days for most people; check the official 2026 holiday list and plan leave early if you need it.
• Late sunset: November is late spring in Uruguay, with long, mild evenings that can turn breezy near the coast. With sunset a little after seven and the muhurat starting just before 8 PM in most cities, plan dinner after the puja and keep a shawl handy if you light diyas outdoors.
• Fireworks: Rules on pyrotechnics are set by the authorities, so check the rules in your department, and consider lamps, candles and fairy lights instead.
• Temple pujas: If you would like a special puja or a priest for your home, ask a few weeks ahead, as a small community has very few priests and volunteers.
• Supplies: Indian groceries are limited in Uruguay. Buy ghee, cotton wicks, incense and kumkum early, bring them back from a trip, or use what you have; candles and local flowers are perfectly acceptable.

Diwali 2026 Uruguay: frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Uruguay?

The main day, Lakshmi Puja, is Sunday 8 November 2026 in every Uruguayan city we checked. 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 Montevideo?

In Montevideo the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 7:55 PM to 9:24 PM on Sunday 8 November 2026, local time (UTC-3). This is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna inside Pradosh Kaal, which runs from sunset at 7:21 PM to 9:24 PM.

Is there a Hindu temple in Uruguay?

Uruguay has no large Hindu mandir of the kind found in bigger diaspora countries. The one place of Hindu worship we could confirm is the ISKCON (Hare Krishna) centre in Montevideo. The Indian Cultural Association of Uruguay organises community festivals, and many families celebrate Diwali at home.

Is Diwali a public holiday in Uruguay?

Diwali is not among Uruguay's usual public holidays, so check the official 2026 holiday list and your employer's policy if you need time off. Lakshmi Puja on 8 November 2026 falls on a Sunday, which makes the evening puja easier for most families.

Does the muhurat change between Uruguayan cities?

Only slightly. The whole country uses UTC-3 and the dates are the same everywhere. The muhurat ranges from 7:42 PM to 9:13 PM in Melo to 7:57 PM to 9:28 PM in Paysandú. Use the time for your own city or the nearest one in the table.

Can I light diyas and fireworks in Uruguay for Diwali?

Diyas and candles at home are fine with sensible fire safety. Fireworks are regulated by the authorities, so check the rules where you live before buying any.

Related guides

• Diwali 2026 dates in every country, with Lakshmi Puja times
• Diwali 2026: complete festival guide
• 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 Argentina
• Diwali 2026 in Chile
• Diwali 2026 in Peru