BAPS Houston Diwali and Annakut 2026 in Stafford

BAPS Houston is listing Diwali Day for Sunday, November 8, 2026, at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, 1150 Brand Lane in Stafford, as part of Light Within, the mandir's Diwali and Annakut Festival running November 7 to 14. Admission is free. Chopda Pujan runs outdoors at 10:00 a.m. Sandhya Arti is 6:30 p.m. Diwali Arti and fireworks follow at 7:00 p.m. The Light Within exhibition and Kids Carnival are also open 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. that Sunday, with carnival registration available on site.

Saturday, November 7, is Kali Chaudas programming: exhibition 1:00 to 6:30 p.m., Kids Carnival 2:00 to 6:30 p.m., Hanuman Pujan 5:30 p.m., Sandhya Arti 7:00 p.m., and a light and sound show at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 10, carries the Hindu New Year card with New Year's Arti at 7:30 a.m. and Annakut darshan from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m., a mountain of vegetarian dishes offered for viewing. Treat November 8 as the fireworks Diwali night and November 10 as the Annakut day if your household is splitting the festival. The wider Light Within window runs through November 14, so recheck baps.org/houston if you are coming later in the week for other darshan hours.

Mandir campus parking is limited on Diwali evening. BAPS points visitors to Dulles High School at 550 Dulles Avenue in Sugar Land, with shuttle service, or the Brand Lane overflow lot at 910 Brand Lane with limited shuttles. The mandir recommends Dulles if you want the easier drop-off. Arrive early for Chopda Pujan if account-book sanctification is why you came. Arrive before 6:30 if fireworks are the close. Follow volunteer directions once the campus lot fills; arguing for a closer spot only slows the shuttle loop.

Stafford is Fort Bend temple geography, a different drive from downtown park melas. Asia Society Texas Night Market was Friday in the Museum District. ISKCON Houston is a different temple calendar the same Diwali stretch. Discovery Green and Levy Park land the following Saturday as free civic festivals. Do Stafford if you want mandir fireworks and Annakut. Do downtown the next weekend if you want park stages.

Who this is for: Houston and Fort Bend families who mark Diwali at BAPS and want the dated Stafford pin for Chopda Pujan, fireworks, and Annakut. The Kids Carnival makes Saturday and Sunday workable for households with young children, as long as you register on site before the inflatable lines peak. Skip it if you needed a walk-up night market. Asia Society already ran that on the 6th.

Confirm shuttle notes on baps.org/houston the day of. Dress for mandir etiquette. Leave personal fireworks at home; the evening show is the mandir's.

When: November 8, 2026 (Chopda Pujan 10:00 a.m.; Arti and fireworks from 6:30 p.m.; Annakut Nov 10)
Where: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, 1150 Brand Ln, Stafford, TX 77477

Details at baps.org/houston.