Where to Celebrate Diwali Spiritually in London (2025 Guide)

Diwali is a festival of light, yes but for many of us it’s first and foremost a spiritual season: a time for ritual, reflection, family puja, and community aarti. London wears Diwali beautifully. Beyond the bright pop-ups and stage shows, the city’s temples, mandirs and spiritual centres quietly open their doors for devotees and curious visitors to join prayers, listen to kirtan, offer prasad and take part in age-old rituals.

If you want a Diwali that feels like something deeper than just lights and street food, here are the best spiritual places to celebrate in and around London in 2025 where to go, what to expect, and how to reach each place.

1) BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Neasden (the famous Neasden Temple)

Why go: If you want the full devotional, devotional-architecture, community-prayer experience, Neasden Temple is hard to beat. The BAPS Mandir (popularly called Neasden Temple) hosts large, free Diwali and Hindu New Year celebrations, including evening aarti, Annakut displays and family-friendly devotional programmes. Expect a big, orderly crowd, beautiful marble carvings, and a sense of ceremony that feels both ancient and warmly communal.

What happens: Evening arti/puja, Annakut (mountain of food offering) display, devotional songs, kids’ activities and sometimes a short fireworks/drone display in nearby recreation grounds depending on that year’s programme. Check the Mandir’s Diwali page for exact darshan and Annakut times before you go.

How to get there: The Mandir is in Neasden (NW10). Take the Jubilee Line to Neasden station and it’s a short taxi or bus ride. Many people combine Tube + short local bus/walk. The Mandir site publishes visitor guidelines and timings each Diwali, so check before you travel.

Insider tip: Arrive early for darshan and the Annakut if you want quieter moments at the shrines, and bring a small donation if you’d like to support the temple’s community work.

2) Bhaktivedanta Manor (ISKCON) Watford (a short trip from London)

Why go: For devotional drama, kirtan and a village-campus atmosphere, ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor is a beloved Diwali destination. The Manor draws thousands for its family-friendly festival day with darshan, devotional music, food offerings and a big stage programme. Tickets are usually free but often require registration (they manage crowds by issuing free tickets).

What happens: Traditional arti and bhajans, stage performances, prasadam (free vegetarian food), children’s activities and a sense of pilgrimage that’s equal parts spirituality and celebration. (Note: the Manor sometimes runs ticketed entry windows to manage numbers.)

How to get there: The Manor is in Hilfield Lane, Watford (Herts) roughly a 35–50 minute train + shuttle from central London. Take a train to Watford Junction or Kings Langley and follow the Manor’s shuttle advice (their Diwali page gives shuttle times and parking notes).

Insider tip: This is an all-day experience plan to arrive mid-day for the full flavour, and dress in warm layers for outdoor processional events.

3) ISKCON Radha-Krishna Temple Soho (Central London)

Why go: If you’re short on time or staying centrally, ISKCON’s Radha-Krishna Temple in Soho offers intimate, soulful Diwali puja and kirtan in the heart of London. This is the same Radha-Krishna community that has been a part of London’s spiritual life for decades they run special Diwali/ Kartik programmes, Damodara puja sessions, and public darshan events during the season.

What happens: Short public pujas, kirtan, talks and prasadam often on weekends during the Diwali period. It’s contemplative, music-rich and easy to fit into a London day.

How to get there: 10 Soho Street, W1D 3DL just a few minutes’ walk from Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square stations. It’s perfect for combining with a central London Diwali stroll or a stop at Covent Garden’s lights.

Insider tip: Arrive for morning darshan if you want a quieter, more reflective visit; evening programs can be livelier with kirtan and bhajans.

4) Sanatan / Shri Vallabh Nidhi Mandirs Wembley & Leytonstone (Wembley’s carved temple)

Why go: If you’d like a beautifully carved traditional mandir with formal aarti, community pujas and family Annakut traditions, the Sanatan temples in Wembley and Leytonstone host warmly devotional Diwali services and public celebrations. The Wembley temple has become a local hub for big community pujas in north-west London.

What happens: Samuh Chopda Pujan, evening aarti, Annakut, and cultural programmes across the Diwali weekend. Their websites post registration details and timings for puja and Annakut, so check in advance.

How to get there: Wembley (Ealing Road / HA0) is best reached via Wembley Central or Wembley Park stations (Bakerloo/Jubilee or Overground options) and a short local walk or bus. Leytonstone is on the Central Line.

Insider tip: Many of these temples welcome volunteers for seva (serving prasad, queue management), which is a lovely way to experience Diwali more deeply.

5) Southall (Little India) street worship, local mandirs & bazaars

Why go: Southall is London’s Little India during Diwali the whole Broadway and precincts glow with lights, shop rangoli, temple arti and community energy. It’s less a single temple experience and more a neighbourhood of spiritual bustle: Gurdwaras, mandirs and community halls offer evening aarti, community langar/prasad and small devotional programmes. Southall’s Diwali Bazaar / street lightings are also terrific for combining spiritual visits with local sweets and shopfront puja.

What happens: Street lightings, small public aarti ceremonies outside temples, community gatherings and festive bazaars. Locals treat it as a whole-area celebration you can move from temple to temple and feel the different devotional flavours.

How to get there: Southall station (Elizabeth Line / Great Western) is the nearest major rail link. Once there, Broadway and the side streets are walkable. Several local gurdwaras and mandirs are a short stroll from the station.

Insider tip: Try a warm snack from a local vendor the food here is part of the spiritual experience.

6) Trafalgar Square & Official Diwali on the Square spiritual moments in public life

Why go: The Mayor of London’s Diwali on the Square (Trafalgar Square) is the city’s main public celebration and while it is a cultural festival, it often features short aarti/ritual moments, bhajan groups and temple representatives performing symbolic ceremonies. For visitors who want a public, accessible taste of Diwali devotion in a civic setting, Trafalgar Square is a great choice. For 2025 the Mayor’s Diwali on the Square is scheduled in October (check the official London.gov page for the exact date each year).

How to get there: Charing Cross, Leicester Square or Trafalgar Square (Embankment / Charing Cross stations) it’s central and easy to combine with other Diwali spiritual stops.

Insider tip: Arrive for the early afternoon aarti or cultural programme and then slip away to a nearby temple for an intimate evening puja.

A few final practical notes before you go

• Check schedules: Many mandirs issue event timings, ticket/timing windows or shuttle information during Diwali to manage big crowds. Always check the temple’s official pages a few days before your visit. (I’ve linked the main event pages above.)

• Dress respectfully: Most places ask you to remove shoes and dress modestly (cover shoulders/legs). Many will provide simple shoe storage but bring easy-to-remove footwear.

• Prasad & food: Devotional prasad is usually free; if you’re vegetarian, you’ll find delicious temple prasadam across venues.

• Accessibility: Major temples provide accessibility info. If you need reserved spaces, contact the venue in advance.

Parting thought make Diwali a spiritual walk in London

If this season you want a Diwali that feeds the heart as much as the senses, mix a civic moment (Trafalgar Square) with a temple visit (Neasden or Bhaktivedanta Manor) and a neighbourhood stroll (Southall or Wembley). London’s Diwali presence is both public and intimate — and there’s joy in moving between the two.

For direct links and the most up-to-date entry details, check the event pages for Neasden Temple, Bhaktivedanta Manor, ISKCON London, the Sanatan Mandir network and the Mayor’s Diwali on the Square.

If you’d like this turned into a printable “Diwali spiritual crawl” with walking directions from one temple to the next (perfect for a Sunday pilgrimage), I’ll make it next.

And for more local, human guides like this follow @london.yaar I share seasonal routes, last-minute event updates and the small rituals that make London feel like home.