Diwali 2027 falls on Friday, October 29 in the UK, the same calendar date as in India, part of a 5-day festival running from Dhanteras on October 27 through Bhai Dooj on October 31. Friday is a workday, but the evening timing for Lakshmi Puja works in your favor: the main puja happens after sunset anyway, so you don’t need to take a day off for the ritual itself (though many families do for the full celebration).

The five-day sequence in 2027

  • October 27 (Wednesday) - Dhanteras: Buy gold, silver, or utensils. Clean and prepare the home. Light the first diyas.
  • October 28 (Thursday) - Choti Diwali / Narak Chaturdashi: The day of early-morning oil bath (abhyanga snaan) before sunrise.
  • October 29 (Friday) - Diwali / Lakshmi Puja: The main event. Lakshmi Puja during Pradosh Kaal, diyas everywhere, fireworks in the evening.
  • October 30 (Saturday) - Govardhan Puja / Annakoot: Celebrate the Krishna-Govardhan legend. Many temples prepare an annakoot (mountain of food) offering.
  • October 31 (Sunday) - Bhai Dooj: The sibling ceremony closing the festival.

Getting the puja timing right

The Lakshmi Puja muhurat is traditionally observed during Pradosh Kaal, the period around sunset extending roughly 2 hours and 24 minutes after. By late October, UK sunset happens noticeably earlier than in India, so the local Pradosh Kaal window falls at a different clock hour than an India-based published time.

In 2027, sunset in London on October 29 will be around 4:35 PM GMT (the clocks will have already gone back by this point). That means Pradosh Kaal in London starts around 4:35 PM and runs till roughly 7:00 PM. Compare that to Delhi, where sunset on the same day is around 5:35 PM IST, giving a later puja window. If you use India-published Lakshmi Puja timings, you’ll be starting your puja an hour late for your own sky.

Cities further north in the UK get even earlier sunsets. Edinburgh’s sunset on October 29 will be around 4:15 PM, Birmingham around 4:30 PM. The further north you are, the earlier you need to start.

The BST to GMT switch

Late October in the UK is when the clocks go back from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time. In 2027, this happens on October 26, three days before Diwali. So by Diwali day itself, you’re already on GMT. This matters because if you’re mentally planning for a “5 PM sunset” based on what you saw the previous week, you’ll be off by an hour. The sun will set around 4:35 PM, not 5:35 PM.

The silver lining? An earlier sunset means darkness arrives sooner, which means your diyas and lights look stunning from early evening onward.

Lakshmi Puja essentials

For the puja itself, you’ll need: a Lakshmi-Ganesh murti or image, red or yellow cloth for the chowki, coins (both old and new), rice, kumkum, haldi, flowers (marigold and lotus if you can find them), incense, a diya with ghee, panchamrit, sweets, and fresh fruit. A kalash (sacred pot) with mango leaves and a coconut on top is placed near the murti.

Ganesh is always worshipped first, before Lakshmi. Don’t skip this step. The sequence matters in the tradition.

Check your city’s timing

Use the muhurat page with your UK city selected to see that day’s sunset, Rahu Kaal, and Abhijit Muhurat, all calculated for your exact location.