Quick answer: the two best-documented Hindu temples in London are BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Neasden Temple) and Shri Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Wembley. For November and December 2026, plan around Diwali on Sunday 8 November, Kartika Purnima on Tuesday 24 November and Gita Jayanti on Sunday 20 December, and confirm timings with your temple.

Last updated: 30 October 2026.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, widely known as the Neasden Temple, is a Hindu mandir in Neasden, north-west London, dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan. It is run by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) and was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj on 20 August 1995. BAPS describes it as Europe's first traditional Hindu stone temple, a carved structure of limestone and marble assembled without structural steel.

According to BAPS UK, followers of the Swaminarayan tradition began meeting in London in the early 1950s and the organisation was registered in 1959. A former church in Islington became the first BAPS mandir in the UK in 1970, and a larger mandir on a former factory site in Neasden was inaugurated in 1982 before the present temple opened in 1995.

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See the temple directory entry and our round-up of recent Hindu temple news abroad. For current visiting information, use the official site, londonmandir.baps.org.

Shri Sanatan Hindu Mandir, Wembley

Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir is a carved stone Hindu temple on Ealing Road in Alperton, Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. It is run by Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK, a charity formed in June 1979 whose aims include advancing the Hindu religion according to the teaching of Shri Vallabh (Vallabhacharya), the founder of the Krishna-centred Pushti Marg. The temple opened in 2010 after about 14 years of work and, in keeping with its name, serves devotees of many deities.

Before Wembley, the charity set up the Shri Nathji Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Leytonstone, east London, which it still runs. See the temple directory entry and the official site, svnuk.org.

Other temples across London

London's Hindu community is spread across Brent, Harrow, Ealing, Newham and beyond, with many more mandirs than we can list. We include only temples whose details we have checked; for others use each temple's own website. For the wider picture see Hindus in the UK 2026 and Diwali 2026 in London and Leicester.

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Planning a temple visit

  • Check the temple's website or social page for current darshan and aarti times; festival days often run on special schedules.
  • Dress modestly and expect to remove footwear; November evenings are cold, so bring a coat for queues.
  • Large London temples can be very busy on Diwali weekends; arrive early and check for parking or crowd notices.
  • Ask about prasad and food arrangements if you have dietary needs.

Hindu festivals in London, November to December 2026

Dates below are the India base dates from Drik Panchang (Hyderabad reference). The same days apply in London for most observances, but tithi timings shift with the time zone, so the temple's own notice is the final word.

Date (2026)ObservanceNote for London
Sun 8 NovDiwali / Lakshmi PujaEvening Lakshmi Puja; see the city-by-city muhurat page for local times.
Tue 10 NovGovardhan Puja and Annakut; Karthika Masam begins (amanta)Check your temple: the tithi at local sunrise differs from India (see note below).
Wed 11 NovBhai DoojSame note as Govardhan Puja.
Sun 15 NovChhath PujaArghya times are city-specific; use the country page.
Tue 17 NovSabarimala Mandala Pooja season beginsAyyappa devotions at local temples often start the same week.
Fri 20 NovDevutthana (Prabodhini) EkadashiEkadashi is the tithi at sunrise on Fri 20 Nov in London.
Sat 21 NovTulasi VivahDrik lists Tulasi Vivah and Vaishnava Ekadashi parana on this day.
Tue 24 NovKartika Purnima, Dev Deepawali and Karthigai DeepamPurnima is the tithi at sunrise on this day in London.
Fri 4 DecUtpanna EkadashiEkadashi at sunrise in London; parana on Sat 5 Dec.
Tue 8 DecMargashirsha AmavasyaAmavasya at sunrise in London.
Sun 20 DecGita Jayanti, Mokshada and Vaikuntha EkadashiEkadashi at sunrise in London; parana on Mon 21 Dec.

How the dates can shift abroad. Our daily panchang data for London shows Ekadashi as the tithi at local sunrise on Fri 20 Nov, Fri 4 Dec and Sun 20 Dec, and Purnima at sunrise on Tue 24 Nov, so those fasts and observances fall on the same weekday as in India. Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj are different: the local sunrise tithi for 10 and 11 November differs from India's, so some temples may schedule them a day apart. We have not confirmed any individual temple's programme; follow its published notice.

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For full month-by-month detail see the November 2026 Hindu festival calendar (India) and, for local timings, the November 2026 Hindu festivals in the UK, the Diwali 2026 UK Lakshmi Puja muhurat by city and the Karthika Masam 2026 dates for the UK.

Frequently asked questions

Which are the best-known Hindu temples in London?

Two we have researched in detail are BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, known as the Neasden Temple, and Shri Sanatan Hindu Mandir on Ealing Road in Alperton, Wembley. London has many more mandirs, which we will add once verified.

When was the Neasden Temple opened?

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj on 20 August 1995. BAPS describes it as Europe's first traditional Hindu stone temple, built of carved limestone and marble without structural steel.

Who runs the Wembley Shri Sanatan Hindu Mandir?

It is run by Shri Vallabh Nidhi UK, a registered charity formed in June 1979 whose aims include advancing the Hindu religion in line with the teaching of Vallabhacharya. The temple opened in 2010.

When is Diwali 2026 in London?

Diwali and Lakshmi Puja fall on Sunday 8 November 2026. Muhurat times depend on location, so see our UK city-by-city Lakshmi Puja page and your temple's notice.

Is Gita Jayanti on the same day in London as in India?

In our Drik-based data, Ekadashi is the tithi at London sunrise on Sunday 20 December 2026, the same day as in India. Parana (breaking the fast) is on Monday 21 December. Check your temple for programmes.

Editor's note

Editor's note (30 October 2026): the table uses London daily panchang data from Drik Panchang; we have not confirmed any temple's programme. If your temple announces something different, follow the temple.

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