Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8 across Central European Time (Germany, the Netherlands, and most of the EU), the same calendar date as in India, part of a 5-day festival running Dhanteras (November 6) through Bhai Dooj (November 10). Sunday is convenient for the diaspora here: no Feierabend rush, no scrambling to leave the office early.
Getting the puja timing right
Lakshmi Puja is traditionally timed to Pradosh Kaal, the period around sunset. By early November, CET sunset is considerably earlier than India’s, so the local Pradosh Kaal window falls at a noticeably different clock hour, typically mid-to-late afternoon by CET clocks.
To give you concrete numbers: on November 8, sunset in Berlin is around 4:22 PM CET. In Munich it’s about 4:47 PM, and in Amsterdam roughly 4:49 PM. Compare that to Delhi at about 5:30 PM IST. So your Pradosh Kaal window starts a full hour earlier by the clock. If you’re following a muhurat time published for an Indian city, you’ll miss your own local window entirely.
The Vrishabh Lagna (Taurus ascendant) period, which is the traditional Lakshmi Puja window within Pradosh Kaal, shifts accordingly. For most German and Dutch cities, expect it to fall somewhere between 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM CET. That feels early compared to what you’re used to in India, where puja typically starts after 6 PM, but that’s simply what the local astronomy dictates.
Planning your Diwali day in the EU
Since the puja window lands in the mid-afternoon, a common approach for families here is to do the morning rangoli and decoration, prepare the bhog and prasad by early afternoon, and have the puja thali set up by 3:00 PM. That gives you a comfortable buffer before the Pradosh Kaal window opens.
After the puja, it’s already dark by 5:00 PM in most of Central Europe, which is actually perfect for lighting diyas and candles outside. If you live in a Mehrfamilienhaus or apartment block, check with your Hausverwaltung about placing diyas or candles on balconies and in common areas. Most are fine with it, but fire safety rules vary by building.
For community celebrations, many Indian associations in Frankfurt, Berlin, Den Haag, and Amsterdam organize Diwali events on the nearest Saturday, November 7 this year. These are great for the social celebration, but if you want the actual Lakshmi Puja on the correct tithi, do it at home on Sunday the 8th.
Clock changes to watch for
Central Europe shifts from CEST to CET (clocks go back) in late October, before Diwali, so by November 8 the region is already on standard winter time. Use the current, post-change local time when checking sunset. The clocks go back on October 25 in 2026, a full two weeks before Diwali, so there’s no ambiguity here.
Fireworks and noise rules differ from India
Unlike India, where firecrackers are a default part of Diwali night, most German and Dutch cities restrict private fireworks to New Year’s Eve. Setting them off on any other date, Diwali included, can draw a visit from neighbours or the Ordnungsamt over noise. Sparklers (Wunderkerzen) are fine year-round in Germany, but larger fireworks are not. Families who want the visual side of Diwali night lean on diyas, string lights and rangoli instead.
Outdoor decoration gets an unexpected boost from the early dark
Because it’s already dark by 5 PM across most of Germany and the Netherlands in early November, outdoor rangoli or diya displays stay visible far longer than in India, where Diwali evening still competes with a later sunset. Several families in Frankfurt and Amsterdam set up their display right after the puja, around 5:30 PM.
Check your city’s timing
Use the muhurat page with your city in Germany, the Netherlands or elsewhere in the EU selected to see that day’s sunset, Rahu Kaal and Abhijit Muhurat.