Diwali in Germany: celebrations, events, and traditions by city

Diwali is the most celebrated Indian festival in Germany, with events across every major city and a rapidly growing presence in German public spaces. For Indians living in Germany, Diwali is the time when the community comes together, from temple ceremonies to office celebrations to intimate family dinners.

This guide covers how and where Indians celebrate Diwali in Germany, what to expect, and how to make it feel like home.

When is Diwali in Germany?

Diwali follows the Hindu lunar calendar and falls in October or November each year. The celebration typically spans 5 days:

1. Dhanteras: first day, shopping for gold, utensils
2. Naraka Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali): second day
3. Lakshmi Puja (main Diwali): third day, the main celebration
4. Govardhan Puja / Annakut: fourth day
5. Bhai Dooj: fifth day, sister-brother celebration

Most community events in Germany focus on the main Diwali day (Lakshmi Puja) and the weekends immediately before and after.

Diwali is not a public holiday in Germany

Unlike India, Diwali is not a public holiday in Germany. Offices, schools, and shops remain open. If you want to celebrate fully, you need to:

• Take vacation days (Urlaub) for main Diwali days
• Schedule community events for weekends
• Request day off from your employer, most German employers are accommodating when asked in advance

Some international schools and companies with large Indian populations informally acknowledge Diwali with decorations or small celebrations, but it is not institutional.

Diwali celebrations by city

Berlin

Berlin has the largest Indian community in Germany and hosts multiple Diwali events:

• Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple Berlin: main religious celebration with Lakshmi Puja, aarti, and community dinner. Attended by hundreds.
• Indian Embassy Berlin: diplomatic reception and cultural event
• Community groups: organize dance nights, bhajan evenings, and cultural shows
• University Indian Students Association (TU Berlin, HU Berlin, FU Berlin): student-organized Diwali parties
• Private venue celebrations: rented halls hosting large community gatherings
• Bollywood Diwali nights: DJ events at clubs with Bollywood music

Munich

• Shri Balaji Temple Munich: main religious celebration
• Indian Consulate General in Munich: cultural reception
• ISKCON Munich: traditional Vaishnav celebrations
• TUM and LMU Indian student groups: parties and cultural shows
• BMW, Siemens, and Google Indian employee groups: often organize office celebrations
• Major hotels: some host Diwali brunches and dinners

Frankfurt

• Shri Ganesh Hindu Temple Frankfurt: major celebration
• Indian Consulate General Frankfurt: diplomatic events
• IT services companies (TCS, Infosys, Wipro): internal Diwali events
• Deutsche Bank and finance sector: some firms with significant Indian employees organize events
• Sachsenhausen community: neighborhood celebrations

Hamburg

• Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple (Hamm, near Hamburg): major celebration, one of the largest in Europe
• Indian Consulate Hamburg
• Community associations

Düsseldorf / NRW

• Düsseldorf Hindu Temple
• Kamadchi Temple Hamm: NRW's main Hindu temple for major festivals
• RWTH Aachen Indian student community: often hosts one of the most attended student Diwali events in Germany
• Corporate events at Henkel, E.ON, Metro

Smaller cities

• Universities with large Indian student populations (RWTH Aachen, TU Darmstadt, KIT, TU Dresden) often host active Diwali events
• Community associations in smaller cities organize more intimate gatherings

What happens at temple celebrations

Most Hindu temples in Germany hold similar ceremonies on Diwali:

1. Morning: cleaning and decoration of the temple
2. Evening Lakshmi Puja: the main ritual, usually 6-8 PM, with priests performing aarti and the community participating
3. Bhajans: devotional singing, often continuing for hours
4. Community meal (Prasadam): vegetarian feast served after the puja
5. Cultural performances: dance, music, children's performances
6. Light ceremony: lighting of diyas and candles around the temple

Dress code: traditional Indian wear is most common but not required. Families often bring children in traditional dress.

Cost: most temple events are free or donation-based. Some require ticket purchase for the community meal (€5-€15 per person).

Finding Diwali events in your city

Community groups

Indian community groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram are the main source of Diwali event information:

• Indians in Berlin / Munich / Frankfurt / Hamburg / Düsseldorf: Facebook groups with thousands of members
• Regional associations: Tamil Sangam, Telugu Association, Bengali Association, Malayali Association, Gujarati Samaj, Marathi Mandal
• Professional groups: Indian IT Network, Indian Doctors Germany
• University Indian student associations

Our community directory lists verified groups by city.

Temple websites

Major Hindu temples in Germany post Diwali schedules on their websites and social media 2-3 weeks before the festival.

Indian restaurants and stores

Indian groceries and restaurants often host or promote local Diwali events. Visit your nearest Indian store 1-2 weeks before Diwali.

Consulate events

The Indian Embassy in Berlin and Consulates in Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg host Diwali receptions, usually invite-only but some events are open to the Indian community.

Hosting Diwali at home

If you want to celebrate Diwali at home, here is what you need:

Decorations

• Diyas (oil lamps): available at Indian grocery stores or online (Amazon Germany, eBay)
• Rangoli: colored powders or chalks, also available at Indian stores
• Fairy lights and candles: German stores (IKEA, DM, Rewe) sell seasonal lighting
• Marigold flowers (genda): sometimes available at Indian stores or florists in large cities
• Torans and paper decorations: from Indian stores or online

Food

Main savory dishes:

• Poori or naan with sabzi
• Chole bhature
• Paneer dishes
• Biryani
• Samosas and pakoras

Sweets (Mithai, the heart of Diwali):

• Gulab jamun
• Jalebi
• Barfi
• Ladoo
• Kaju katli
• Rasgulla
• Rasmalai

Where to buy Mithai in Germany:

• Indian sweet shops in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf (several in Charlottenburg, Schwabing, Sachsenhausen, Oberbilk)
• Online delivery: Desigros, Jamoona offer mithai with cold storage
• Make at home: many recipes online; gulab jamun mix is widely available

Puja

For home puja:

• Murti or image of Lakshmi and Ganesh
• Diya and agarbatti (incense)
• Flowers and fruits
• Sweets and offerings
• Coin or kumkum for the puja
• Holy water or Gangajal (if you have it from India)

Many Indian stores in Germany sell puja sets specifically for Diwali.

Music

• Play Bollywood Diwali songs
• Classical music (santoor, sitar, flute recordings)
• Bhajans
• YouTube playlists for Diwali

Fireworks and firecrackers

Important: Germany has strict fireworks laws.

• Private fireworks are only legal on December 31 and January 1 (German New Year)
• Fireworks are illegal on Diwali and at other times
• Using firecrackers on Diwali can result in fines and police intervention

Alternatives:

• Sparklers (Wunderkerzen): legal year-round at most German stores, safe for indoor/outdoor use
• Indoor candles and diyas
• Diwali light shows organized by temples or community groups

Some German cities are more lenient about sparklers and small fireworks during Diwali, but the law is nationwide, main fireworks are only allowed at New Year.

Diwali gifting in Germany

Gift exchange is a major part of Diwali. In Germany:

• Dry fruits and nuts (kaju, badam, pistachio, walnut)
• Chocolate boxes (Lindt, Ferrero, Milka are popular)
• Flowers
• Sweets from Indian shops
• Decorative items (candles, diyas, rangoli sets)

Major Indian grocery stores in Germany stock Diwali gift hampers in the weeks leading up to the festival.

Kids and Diwali in Germany

For Indian children growing up in Germany, Diwali is an important connection to their cultural heritage. Ideas:

• Tell them the story of Rama returning to Ayodhya (or regional stories)
• Let them help decorate with rangoli and diyas
• Take them to temple celebrations
• Organize a small kid-focused gathering with Indian friends
• Let them wear traditional Indian clothes to Kita or school (most German schools are accepting and curious)
• Talk to their teachers about sharing Diwali information with classmates, most German teachers welcome cultural sharing

Where to buy Diwali supplies

• Indian grocery stores across Germany (see our grocery directory)
• Online Indian stores: Desigros, Jamoona, Namaste Deutschland ship across Germany
• Amazon Germany: search "Diwali" for diyas, rangoli, decorations
• eBay Germany: second-hand Indian decorations

Related guides on this site

• Finding Indian groceries in Germany
• Raising Indian kids in Germany
• Indians in Berlin
• Indians in Munich