London Hindu Festival & Temple Guide

Landmark temples

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, opened in 1995, was the first traditional stone mandir built in Europe and welcomes visitors of all faiths. North-west London — Wembley, Harrow and Neasden — has many more temples serving Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil and other communities, and East London (East Ham, Ilford) has large South Indian temples.

Festival season

• Diwali — a public Diwali on Trafalgar Square has been held for many years, alongside temple and community celebrations.
• Navratri — garba nights in community halls across north-west London.
• Durga Puja — Bengali associations host pujas across the city.
• Ratha Yatra — ISKCON's chariot festival through central London in summer.

Shopping

Ealing Road in Wembley and The Broadway in Southall are known for Indian grocery, sweet and puja-item shops.

See live listings: temples in London.

Visiting the Neasden Temple

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir welcomes visitors of all faiths. Dress modestly, leave shoes at the entrance, and take time to see the “Understanding Hinduism” exhibition. Diwali and the Annakut (Hindu New Year) are spectacular times to visit.

Beyond London

Just north of London, Bhaktivedanta Manor near Watford — given to ISKCON by George Harrison in 1973 — draws huge crowds at Janmashtami. Leicester, about an hour by train, has one of the largest Diwali celebrations outside India.

Festivals through the year

• Holi — community Holi events in parks and temples
• Navratri — garba nights across north-west London
• Durga Puja — Bengali associations in several boroughs
• Diwali — temples, the Trafalgar Square festival and community melas
• Chhath — small but growing gatherings by lakes and reservoirs

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