Diwali 2026 Lakshmi puja timing in UK, Canada & Australia

In India, Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November, the Kartik Amavasya. Families abroad often ask whether they should do Lakshmi puja on the same date, or at the same moment as India. The short answer: the ritual follows your own city's sky. This guide explains how the muhurat is worked out, what it means for London, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Melbourne this year, and why we prefer to give each family a time for their own city rather than publish one table for everyone.

Two conditions: amavasya and pradosh kaal

Lakshmi puja on Diwali is traditionally done in the pradosh kaal of the Kartik Amavasya. Two things therefore have to line up:

• The amavasya tithi. A tithi starts and ends at a single moment in absolute time, so it begins at the same instant everywhere in the world; only the clock reading changes.
• Pradosh kaal. This is the period of about two hours and twenty-four minutes that begins at local sunset. Sunset depends on where you are, so pradosh is different in every city.

The Diwali date for your city is the evening on which the amavasya tithi is running during your local pradosh kaal. Within pradosh, many families also prefer the window when a fixed (sthir) lagna, usually Vrishabha, is rising, because a fixed sign is associated with lasting prosperity. That lagna window also depends on your latitude and longitude.

The 2026 amavasya in your time zone

According to the New Delhi panchang, the Kartik amavasya in 2026 begins at about 11:27 am IST on Sunday 8 November and ends at about 12:31 pm IST on Monday 9 November. Different panchangs can differ by a few minutes. Converted to local clocks, that same window is:

• London: about 5:57 am GMT Sunday 8 November to 7:01 am GMT Monday 9 November. UK clocks went back on 25 October, so the UK is 5 hours 30 minutes behind India.
• Toronto and Brampton: about 12:57 am EST Sunday 8 November to 2:01 am EST Monday 9 November. Ontario fell back on 1 November, so Eastern time is 10 hours 30 minutes behind India.
• Vancouver and Surrey: about 10:57 pm Saturday 7 November to 12:01 am Monday 9 November, Pacific Time. British Columbia did not fall back this year; since 1 November 2026 it stays on UTC−7 all year, 12 hours 30 minutes behind India.
• Sydney and Melbourne: about 4:57 pm AEDT Sunday 8 November to 6:01 pm AEDT Monday 9 November. Daylight saving started on 4 October, so these cities are 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of India.

What that means for the date

Put those windows next to each city's sunset. In all five cities, amavasya is running at sunset on the evening of Sunday 8 November and has already ended before sunset on Monday 9 November. So by our calculation, Sunday 8 November 2026 is the Lakshmi puja evening in London, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Melbourne, the same date as India this year.

Sydney and Melbourne are the closest call: amavasya begins there in the late afternoon of the 8th, before sunset, so the evening pradosh of the 8th is fully within amavasya. In some years the alignment shifts, and families in Australia or on the North American west coast can end up observing Lakshmi puja on a different calendar date from India. That is not a mistake; it is the rule working as intended. Families abroad should observe Diwali on the date when amavasya and their own pradosh align.

Why we don't publish one table of times

Sunset in Toronto and in Vancouver differs, and so does the Vrishabha lagna window; even within the UK, Leicester's sunset is a few minutes later than London's. A single table copied across cities would be wrong for most readers. Instead, tell us your city or suburb and we will send the pradosh kaal and the recommended Lakshmi puja window for your exact location, in your local time. You can also explore the day in our free panchang tool. Please check the exact time for your city with us before the day.

If the evening doesn't suit

Diwali falls on a Sunday this year, which helps. If you are working or travelling, keep these points in mind:

• Do the main Lakshmi-Ganesh puja in pradosh if you possibly can; it is the traditional window.
• If not, many families do a shorter puja within the amavasya on the same evening and keep the lamps lit through the night.
• Some business families also do a Sharda or Chopda puja at a separate muhurat; ask us if this is your custom.

Planning the day

On Diwali, set up the puja corner in the afternoon, with Lakshmi and Ganesh facing east or north if possible, the kalash, lamps, sweets and a few coins or notes for the Lakshmi puja. Light the diyas just before the muhurat begins. If you live in an apartment, place lamps away from detectors and curtains and never leave them unattended.

Doing it at home abroad

A live online Diwali Lakshmi-Ganesh puja works well for families abroad: the pandit leads from India, the family performs the puja at home, and relatives in India can join the same call. Because India is in the late night or early morning when it is evening in North America, we fix your slot early in the season. For homes with sensitive alarms, our smoke-free havan or a simple diya-only puja keeps things safe. A separate Lakshmi puja or Ganesh puja can be booked on other days too.

City pages with local notes: London, Toronto and Brampton, Vancouver and Surrey, Sydney and Melbourne. Country guides: UK, Canada and Australia.