In short
- Kartik Purnima 2026
- Tuesday, 24 November 2026
- Tithi
- Kartik PurnimaKartika Purnima (amanta)
- Fast
- Optional, until the evening lamp
- Observed for
- Merit from bathing, lamps and giving
What is it? The full moon of Kartika — the close of the month of lamps.
Why do families keep it? Shiva destroyed Tripurasura’s three flying cities with one arrow; the devas celebrated with lamps — Dev Deepawali, the gods’ Diwali.
What happens on the day? A holy bath before sunrise, deepa daan in rivers or at the temple in the evening, Satyanarayana puja and charity.
When to observe Kartik Purnima in 2026
| Purnima tithi begins | Mon, 23 Nov, 11:43 PM |
|---|---|
| Purnima tithi ends | Tue, 24 Nov, 08:23 PM |
| Brahma Muhurta | 04:42 AM – 05:32 AM |
| Sunrise | 06:22 AM |
| Pradosh Kaal | 05:50 PM – 08:21 PM |
What Kartik Purnima means
Tripurari Shiva
Shiva destroyed the three cities (tripura) of the asura brothers when they lined up for a moment — so the day is also Tripuri Purnima.
Dev Deepawali in Varanasi
Fifteen days after Deepavali, the ghats of Kashi are lit with lamps for the gods, with Ganga aarti on every ghat.
Lamps on water
In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha (Boita Bandana), lamps on leaf boats are floated on rivers and tanks before dawn or at dusk.
Guru Nanak Jayanti
Sikhs celebrate Guru Nanak’s birth on this full moon (Gurpurab).
Shiva and the three cities
Who is in it: Shiva, Tarakaksha, Kamalaksha and Vidyunmali, Vishnu, Brahma
The three sons of Tarakasura won a boon from Brahma: three flying cities — of gold, silver and iron — that could be destroyed only by a single arrow, when they lined up once in a thousand years.
Secure in the boon, they tormented the worlds. The devas went to Shiva.
The earth became Shiva’s chariot, the Sun and Moon its wheels, Brahma the charioteer, Mount Meru the bow and Vishnu himself the arrow.
At the moment the three cities aligned, Shiva loosed the arrow and they burned. The devas lit lamps in celebration — the first Dev Deepawali.
What it teaches: Patience waits for the right moment; one well-aimed act can end a long trouble.
Kartik Purnima puja at home, step by step
Getting ready
- 1Bathe before sunrise — in a river if you can, otherwise at home with a few drops of Ganga jal.
The puja
- 1Offer arghya to the Sun.
- 2Worship Shiva and Vishnu; many families do the Satyanarayana puja on this Purnima.
- 3In the evening, light lamps at the temple, the tulasi and the door; float a lamp on water if you are near a river or tank.
- 4Give food, clothes or lamps in charity.
Closing the puja
- 1Share the prasada.
What to keep ready for Kartik Purnima
Must have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Clay lamps, ghee or oil, wicks | As many as you can | Deepa daan |
| Flowers, bilva and tulasi | As needed | Puja |
| Fruit and sweets | As needed | Naivedya |
Good to have
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Banana-stem or leaf boats | — | Floating lamps |
Family and regional customs
| What | How much | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 365 wicks lit together | — | Karthika deepam in Telugu homes |
Good practice, and what to avoid
Please do
- Bathe before sunrise.
- Give lamps and food in charity.
Best avoided
- Leave the lamps unattended near water or children.
Chants for Kartik Purnima
Deepa namaskara
शुभं करोति कल्याणम् आरोग्यं धनसम्पदा।
शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते॥
ಕನ್ನಡ ಲಿಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ
ಶುಭಂ ಕರೋತಿ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಮ್ ಆರೋಗ್ಯಂ ಧನಸಮ್ಪದಾ।
ಶತ್ರುಬುದ್ಧಿವಿನಾಶಾಯ ದೀಪಜ್ಯೋತಿರ್ನಮೋಽಸ್ತು ತೇ॥
śubhaṃ karoti kalyāṇam ārogyaṃ dhanasampadā| śatrubuddhivināśāya dīpajyotirnamo’stu te||
What it means: The lamp brings good, well-being, health and wealth, and ends ill-will. Flame of the lamp, I bow to you.
Panchakshari
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ಕನ್ನಡ ಲಿಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ
ಓಂ ನಮಃ ಶಿವಾಯ
oṃ namaḥ śivāya
What it means: A bow to Shiva.
Kartik Purnima from region to region
Varanasi
Dev Deepawali on the ghats; boats on the Ganga.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Karthika Pournami: lamps floated in rivers, 365-wick deepam and Satyanarayana vratam.
Odisha
Boita Bandana: paper boats with lamps floated before dawn, remembering seafaring traders.
Tamil Nadu
Karthigai Deepam falls near this full moon (on Krittika nakshatra) with the great beacon on Tiruvannamalai.
Pushkar
The Pushkar fair ends with the holy bath on this Purnima.
Have the Kartik Purnima puja done for you
Two ways to do it. At a temple: the pandit takes your family’s name and gotra in the sankalpa and sends you the photos and video. At home: a pandit from our panel comes to you with the vidhi, and you sit for the puja yourself.
Where this comes from
- Shiva Purana and Mahabharata, Karna Parva, for Tripura.
- Padma Purana, Kartika Mahatmya.
How we work out the dates: Stuti Mandir’s own panchanga engine places the Sun and Moon (Lahiri ayanamsa) and checks the tithi against sunrise, sunset and moonrise in Bengaluru, in IST. A printed panchanga may differ by a minute or so. Where your family’s panchanga or your purohita says otherwise, go with them.
Questions devotees ask us
When is Kartik Purnima 2026?
Tuesday, 24 November 2026. In Bengaluru, Kartika Purnima (amanta; Kartik Purnima in the North Indian count) begins Mon, 23 Nov, 11:43 PM and ends Tue, 24 Nov, 08:23 PM IST.
Will Mysuru and Delhi keep Kartik Purnima on the same day?
Mostly yes. But the sun rises and sets at different times in different towns, and a habba is kept on the day its tithi is running at the right hour — so timings shift, and once in a while the date does too. Change the town above to see yours.
What is Dev Deepawali?
The “Diwali of the gods”, celebrated on Kartik Purnima, mainly in Varanasi, where the ghats are lit with lakhs of lamps.
Can I book Satyanarayana puja on Kartik Purnima?
Yes — it is one of the most popular days for it. Book a pandit at home or on live video with Stuti Mandir; book early.