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

Quick answer: in Zambia the main Diwali night, Lakshmi Puja, is on Sunday 8 November 2026. In Lusaka the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 6:45 PM to 8:28 PM (Central Africa Time, UTC+2). The festival begins with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November and ends with Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November. Every Zambian city in our table keeps the same dates; only the evening clock times shift by a few minutes.

Editor's note (1 November 2026): HinduTone calculated these local dates using Drik Panchang tithi times and 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, worked out for each city's own sunset. We do not list event schedules, because temples and community groups set those themselves each year.

Diwali 2026 dates in Zambia

These are the five days of Diwali for Lusaka. The same dates apply across Zambia.

Naraka Chaturdashi and Lakshmi Puja fall on the same day this year. In Zambia, Chaturdashi is still running at sunrise on Sunday 8 November, and Amavasya, the new-moon tithi needed for Lakshmi Puja, begins that same morning at 7:57 AM local time and runs until 9:01 AM on Monday 9 November. So the morning oil bath and the evening Lakshmi Puja are both observed on Sunday. In Indian Standard Time, Amavasya runs from 11:27 AM on 8 November to 12:31 PM on 9 November.

Diwali 2026 city-by-city timings in Zambia

All times are Central Africa Time (UTC+2). Zambia uses a single time zone, so cities in the east, such as Chipata and Kasama, see sunset and the muhurat earlier than cities in the west and north-west, such as Solwezi.

If your town is not listed, use the nearest city. The Copperbelt towns of Kitwe, Ndola, Chingola and Luanshya are within a few minutes of each other.

Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Zambia 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. In Lusaka on Sunday 8 November 2026 sunset is at 6:13 PM, so Pradosh Kaal runs from 6:13 PM to 8:28 PM.

Within Pradosh, the most favoured window is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna. Vrishabha is a fixed (sthir) sign, and worshipping Lakshmi while it rises is believed to help her blessings stay in the home. In Lusaka Vrishabha rises at 6:45 PM and is still in place when Pradosh ends, which gives the muhurat of 6:45 PM to 8:28 PM.

If you cannot begin inside the Vrishabha window, any time within Pradosh Kaal is still traditional and acceptable. Many families light the diyas at sunset, perform the main puja once Vrishabha begins, and keep a lamp burning through the night.

For reference, in India the Amavasya tithi begins at 11:27 AM IST on 8 November. Do not try to convert Indian muhurat times to Zambian time; the lagna and sunset are local, so always use the times for your own city given above.

Hindu temples in Zambia for Diwali

Zambia's Hindu community is small and concentrated in Lusaka. We confirmed the following places through their official websites, their parent organisations or published research. We could not confirm a public Hindu temple outside the capital, so we have not listed one.

Lusaka

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Rhodes Park, Lusaka. Opened in 2016; the main Swaminarayan temple in the country.
• Radha Krishna Mandir, Lusaka. A community temple; it hosted a yajna during the BAPS mandir's opening celebrations in 2016.
• Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre, Lusaka. A branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission, known also for its medical camps and scholarships.
• ISKCON Lusaka, the Hare Krishna temple and community in the capital.
• Hanuman temple, Lusaka, listed alongside the temples above in academic research on Zambia's Hindu community.

Copperbelt and other provinces

Hindu families live in Kitwe, Ndola, Chingola, Kabwe, Livingstone and other towns, and BAPS reports that devotees from several of these places travelled to Lusaka for its mandir's opening. We could not confirm a temple open to the public in these towns. If you live outside Lusaka, ask Indian families and businesses near you about a home satsang or shared puja, contact one of the Lusaka organisations above, or follow the simple home puja below.

Temples and community groups usually announce Diwali programmes a few weeks ahead; check their websites and social pages. Programmes typically include an evening aarti, Lakshmi puja, a display of diyas, bhajans and prasad, and an Annakut offering on Govardhan Puja day at Swaminarayan and Krishna temples.

How Diwali is celebrated in Zambia

Zambia's Hindus are a small minority, mostly families of Indian origin who came as traders, business people and professionals, and their descendants. Estimates of their number vary widely: the 2010 census figure cited in research is about 4,400, while other sources give much higher numbers. Gujarati traditions are prominent, and BAPS sadhus have visited Zambia regularly since 1960.

Diwali is mostly a family and temple festival here. Homes are cleaned and decorated, rangoli is drawn at doorways, and families make or exchange sweets such as ladoo, barfi and chevdo. For many Gujarati households the day after Diwali is Bestu Varas, the New Year, when people visit relatives, temples and friends to greet one another with saal mubarak.

Zambia also has a Sikh community with gurdwaras, and Sikh families mark Bandi Chhor Divas on the same night as Diwali, remembering Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior fort. Jain families mark Diwali as the nirvana of Lord Mahavira. Zambian friends, colleagues and neighbours are often invited to join in the lights and food.

Simple Lakshmi Puja at home

If you cannot reach a temple, a short puja at home on Sunday 8 November is entirely traditional. A simple outline:

1. Clean the house and the puja area during the day; draw a small rangoli at the entrance.
2. Set up a low table with a red or yellow cloth, a picture or murti of Lakshmi and Ganesha, a kalash of water topped with mango leaves and a coconut, and a few coins or notes.
3. At sunset, light diyas around the home, at doors and windows.
4. When the muhurat begins (6:45 PM in Lusaka), bathe or wash, sit facing the deities and light the main lamp and incense.
5. Pray first to Ganesha, then offer Lakshmi kumkum, rice, flowers, sweets and fruit. Chant a simple mantra such as Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah or read the Lakshmi Aarti.
6. Finish with aarti for the whole family, share prasad and keep one lamp burning through the night if it is safe to do so.

Follow your own family's tradition where it differs; Lakshmi is worshipped in many ways across India and the diaspora.

Practical tips for Diwali 2026 in Zambia

• Weekday: Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November, Govardhan Puja on Monday 9 November and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday 10 November. Diwali does not appear on the Zambian public holiday lists we checked, so check the official 2026 holiday list and plan leave early if you need it.
• Sunset and weather: Sunset in Lusaka on 8 November is at 6:13 PM. November is the start of the rainy season in much of Zambia, so evening storms are possible; keep diyas sheltered and have candles or electric lamps as a backup.
• Fireworks: rules are set by local authorities. Check what is allowed in your area, buy only from licensed sellers and keep water nearby.
• Temple pujas: if you want a priest to perform a family puja, or wish to book a slot at a temple, ask a few weeks ahead, because priests in Zambia are few and busy during Diwali week.
• Supplies: Indian grocers in Lusaka and the Copperbelt usually stock diyas, puja items and sweets, but buy a little earlier than you would in India.

Diwali 2026 in Zambia: frequently asked questions

When is Diwali 2026 in Zambia?

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

What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Lusaka?

In Lusaka the Lakshmi Puja muhurat is 6:45 PM to 8:28 PM on Sunday 8 November 2026, Central Africa Time (UTC+2). This is the Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna inside Pradosh Kaal, which runs from sunset at 6:13 PM to 8:28 PM.

Are there Hindu temples in Zambia?

Yes, mainly in Lusaka. We confirmed the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Rhodes Park, the Radha Krishna Mandir, the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre (a branch of the Ramakrishna Mission), an ISKCON centre and a Hanuman temple. We could not confirm a public temple in the Copperbelt or other provincial towns.

Is Diwali a public holiday in Zambia?

Diwali does not appear on the Zambian public holiday lists we checked, so check the official 2026 holiday list and your employer's policy. Lakshmi Puja on 8 November 2026 falls on a Sunday, which makes the evening puja easier for most families.

Do the muhurat times differ between Zambian cities?

Yes, by up to about twenty minutes, because Zambia is wide from east to west but uses one time zone. Chipata in the east has the earliest muhurat, 6:24 PM to 8:09 PM, while Solwezi in the north-west has the latest, 6:47 PM to 8:33 PM.

Can I light diyas and fireworks in Zambia for Diwali?

Diyas and candles at home are fine with sensible fire safety. Fireworks are governed by local authorities, so check the rules where you live before buying or lighting any, and be considerate of neighbours, pets and dry vegetation.

Related guides

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• Diwali 2026 festival hub
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• The 5 days of Diwali 2026 explained
• Govardhan Puja and Annakut 2026
• Bhai Dooj 2026
• Diwali 2026 in Zimbabwe
• Diwali 2026 in Malawi
• Diwali 2026 in Botswana