As per India calendar Diwali is on 14th Nov. Amavasya in New Zealand starts on 14th Nov evening. Thus at few places Diwali is celebrated on 15th because tithi at the time of sunrise is amavasya (no moon day) on 15th.  Such situation happen sometime and it is fine for community / temple to celebrate Diwali on either 14th or 15th.

Diwali Festivals in New Zealand

Diwali Festivals are very popular across New Zealand. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch Diwali Festivals are few of 1-2 day long festivals attended by people from all communities and religions.

In Auckland, Diwali – the Indian festival of lights – will be celebrated from 27th Oct to 14th Nov. This time it is different than earlier years. click here for more details about Auckland Diwali Festival 2020

Due to Covid19, there may be changes in what used to happen so far during Diwali celebrations in New Zealand.

To add events and information or send us details at connect@indiansinnz.com

Diwali  Celebrations New Zealand 2020

न्यूजीलैन्ड मे दिवाली उत्सव 2020

Diwali or Deepavli Festival is celebrated in all parts of New Zealand and the events are held on different dates. The dates for Diwali celebrations New Zealand are decided as per convenience of majority of people and are usually on nearest Saturday or Sunday. The events in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Ashburton, Rotorua, Queenstown and Waikato Hamilton are famous ones.

Diwali Celebration New Zealand 2020: Programs

Nov 2020

• 1 Nov, Hare Krishna Diwali Festival 11am to 4pm at ISKCON Krishna Temple 1229 Coatesville Riverhead Highway, Kumeu Auckland.
• 1 Nov, Tarana presents Manukau Diwali 2020 12 noon to 8pm at Vodafone Event Center, 777 Great South Road, Manukau, Auckland
• 1 Nov, Diwali Bazaar, 12noon to 4pm at Shanti Niwas, 14 Spring Street, Onehunga. Organized by Naaree – Women’s Group
• 6th Nov, Auckland Diwali Festival, activities at Papatoetoe Town Hall, 31 Saint George Street, Papatoetoe, 10am to 10pm
• 7th Nov: Auckland Diwali Festival, activities at Wesley Community Center, 740 Sandringham Road Extn, Mt Roskill, Auckland, 10am to 10pm
• 7th Nov, Auckland Diwali Festival, activities at Nathan Homestead, 70 Hill Road, Manurewa, Auckland. Activities from 11am to 9pm
• 7th Nov, Tauranga Diwali Festival, 4pm to 9pm at 17th Ave, Historic Village, Tauranga
• 7th Nov, Palmerston North Diwali Celebrations, 5.30pm at The Square, Palmerston North
• 7th Nov, Diwali Mela Papatoetoe, 11am to 3pm at Papatoetoe War Memorial Library, 30 Wallace Road (Parking off St George Street look for library sign), Papatoetoe, Auckland. Free entry for all ages.
• 7th Nov, Deepavali Function, 5pm to 8pm at Taieri Bowling Club, 12 Wickliffe St, Mosgiel, Dunedin. buy tickets
• 7th Nov, Avondale Diwali Celebration – Performances, Henna, Dance Workshops, Rangoli, Food, 1pm to 5pm at Avondale Town Centre, Auckland
• 8th Nov: Auckland Diwali Festival, panel discussion – comfortable being Indian 6.30pm to 7.30pm at Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Domain, Parnell, Auckland
• 8th Nov: Diwali Food and Culture Festival, 11am to 6pm at Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton
• 8th Nov, Diwali Potluck and celebrations, 7pm onwards at 22 Lindisfarne Street, Invercargill. an initiative by Indian Community in Southland ICS.
• 13th Nov, Wellington Diwali Festival Fireworks. (This is revised date)
• 13th to 15th Nov: Dhanteras (6pm onwards), Diwali (6pm onwards), New Year & Annakut festivities (webcast), BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, New Zealand webcast https://live.bapsnz.org
• 14th Nov: Bandi Chhod Diwas, full day program at Gurudwara Nanaksar, 101-106 Great South Road, Manureva Auckland 2102
• 14th Nov, WestCity Waitakere Diwali Celebrations, 11am to 2pm at WestCity, 7 Catherine Street (off Edsel & Great North Road), Henderson, Auckland 0612
• 14th Nov, Tihar (Swonti / Diwali) celebration 1pm to 4pm at Western Spring Community Hall, Auckland organized by New Zealand Nepal Society
• 14th Nov, Deepawali & ankut Utsav, 6pm onwards followed by maha prasad at Hamilton Mandir (ISSO Swami Narayan Temple), Wintec City Campus, Block A, Room A1-04, Hamilton
• 14th Nov, Unite Young India Diwali, 7.30pm onwards at 82, Duke Street, Frankton, Hamilton (Behind BlastaCars, Unit 4, Rear building)
• 14th Nov, Bandi Chorre Diwas (Diwali) full day kirtan 5.30am to 10pm. Fireworks at 10.30pm at Takanini Gurudwara Sri Kalgidhar Sahib, 70 Takanini School Road, Takanini 2112
• 15th Nov, Diwali Sneh Milan, 10am onwards brunch with jalebi gathiya at Karaka War Memorial Hall, 319 Linwood Road, Karaka Auckland 2580. Organized by Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj – New Zealand Inc.
• 15th Nov, Diwali Celebration Takapuna, 1pm to 4pm at 38 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland
• 15th Nov, Goverdhan Puja, 11am to 2.30pm at ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple, 1229 Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, Kumeu Auckland
• 21st Nov, Northland Diwali, 21st Nov Whangarei organized by NIAi Northland Indian Association Inc
• 28 Nov, Te Ahurei Turama Diwali 4pm to 9pm, at Te Manawa, 1249 Tutanekai Street, Rotorua 3010
• Waitakere Indian Association Diwali Festival postponed. Check FB page for latest info
• Multiple Diwali events organized by Aaja Nachle NZ

Oct 2020

• 24th & 25th Oct 12noon to 2pm, Diwali Event organized by Ekta NZ at North city Mall, Porirua
• 24th Oct, Diwali Festival of Light, 2pm to 9.30pm at Entertainment Triangle, North Hagley, Christchurch
• 24th Oct, Diwali Festival of Light, 5.30pm to 9pm at Tinwald Memorial Hall, 10 Graham St, Ashburton. Hosted by Ashburton Indian Multicultural Charitable Trust.
• 25th Oct, Wellington Diwali festival, 1.30pm to 9pm at TSB Arena and Shed 6, Wellington. Fireworks is postponed to 13th Nov.
• 27th Oct to 14th Nov, Auckland Diwali Festival, The Auckland Diwali Festival will now be held from 27 October – 14 November at venues across Auckland, enhancing the Diwali Community Programme. click for details
• 30th Oct: Auckland Diwali Festival Warkworth Town Hall activities at 2 Alnwick Street Warkworth from 10am to 10pm
• 30th Oct: Auckland Diwali Festival Ellen Melville Center activities, 2 Freyberg Place, Auckland CBD. 9am to 10pm
• 31st Oct: Auckland Diwali Festival, activities at Avondale Community Center, 99 Rosebank Road, Avondale, Auckland
• 31st Oct: Auckland Diwali Festival, activities at Te Oro, 98 Line Road, Glen Innes from 10am to 10pm
• 31st Oct: Diwali Fest Bharat Bhawan Wellington, 11am to 6pm at 48 Kemp St Kilbirnie Wellington
• 31st Oct: Free Diwali Lantern making workshop, fun for the family, midday to 6pm at Wellington Indian Cultural Centre, 48 Kemp St, Kilbirnie, Wellington

About Diwali

Diwali, also known as Deepavali or Deepawali, is celebrated on Kartik Amavasya (कार्तिक अमावस्या). Kartik is name of Hindu month and Amavasya means no-moon day. The celebrations usually start two days prior to Diwali and goes for two days after Diwali day. The festival is of significant importance for all communities and religions in Indian subcontinent; specially Hindu, Sikh, Jainism, Buddhism

The occasion two days before is Dhan Teras (धन तेरस) or Dhanvantari Trayodashi which is considered auspicious to buy precious metal like Gold or Silver. This is a practice followed by  Indian community introduced by the ancestors which was a way of saving for the future.

On Diwali, people meet and greet their extended family, neighbors and friends. They clean and  decorate their house with Rangoli (रंगोली) colorful Diyas (दिया / दिपक), lanterns and lights, to Welcome Mahalaxmi, the Goddess of Wealth and offer prayers. Main prayer is held in the evening and known as Laxmi Puja (लक्ष्मी पूजा) offering prayers to the Goddess of Wealth. Another is Chopda Puja (चोपडा पूजा) where business community pray for better Business for the coming year and worship the Account Books. ‘ Chopda’ means books of accounts. Bandi Chhor Divas (ਬੰਦੀ ਛੋੜ ਦਿਵਸ / बंदी छोड दिवस / Day of liberation) is celebrated with Diwali. It is day to mark return of Guru Hargobind Ji (श्री गुरू हरगोबिन्द जी)

Next day of Diwali is celebrated as Goverdhan Puja (गोवर्धन पूजा) and Annakut (अन्नकूट) and also as the new year in Gujarat. This day community prays to Lord Krishna and prepare variety of feast at home.

Third day of Diwali is celebrated as Bhai Dooj (भाई दूज) which is celebrated by brothers and sisters. The sisters pray for long life and happiness of their brothers and in return brothers gift their sisters. The Marathi language translation of this festival is Bhau Beej (भाऊ बीज).

Diwali in Indian subcontinent is also time when activities related to sowing of new crop starts.

Have a blessed and prosperous Diwali and new year. शुभ दिपावली