Panchangam 24 November 2026 (Tuesday): Karthika Pournami, Karthigai Deepam, Dev Diwali, Bhishma Panchak Ends and Guru Nanak Jayanti

Quick answer: Tuesday 24 November 2026 is Karthika Pournami. Shukla Purnima of Kartika runs until 8:23 PM and Krittika nakshatra until 11:25 PM, which also makes today Karthigai Deepam. Varanasi celebrates Dev Diwali, Bhishma Panchak ends, and Sikhs observe Guru Nanak Jayanti. Sunrise in Hyderabad is 6:26 AM and sunset 5:40 PM.

If Karthika Masam is the month of lamps, tonight is its brightest hour. Across India, homes, temples, riverbanks and hilltops are lit at dusk. Whatever your tradition, one lamp lit with attention after sunset is the heart of the day.

Today's panchang (Hyderabad, IST)

Source: Drik Panchang day panchang for Hyderabad. Tithi and nakshatra end times are in Indian Standard Time and change at the same instant everywhere in India; sunrise, sunset and moonrise differ by a few minutes from city to city.

Today's observances at a glance

We keep this page short on purpose, because each festival has its own in-depth guide:

• Karthika Pournami: the most important full moon of the Telugu year. Read the Karthika Pournami 2026 guide and the Purnima time city-wise for India.
• Karthigai Deepam: the Tamil festival of lamps on Krittika nakshatra, with the Maha Deepam on Arunachala hill at Tiruvannamalai. See Karthigai Deepam 2026.
• Dev Diwali and Tripurari Purnima: lamps on the ghats of Varanasi. See Varanasi Dev Deepawali and Tripurari Purnima 2026.
• Pushkara Snana: the Kartika Purnima bath at Pushkar lake in Rajasthan, alongside the Pushkar fair. See Pushkar Kartik Purnima snan 2026.
• Bhishma Panchak ends: the five-day vow concludes. See Bhishma Panchak 2026.
• Guru Nanak Jayanti: a Sikh observance, the Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. See our Guru Nanak Jayanti 2026 page.
• Also listed by Drik: Kartika Purnima Vrat, Uttama Manvadi (one of the fourteen Manvadi days, traditionally suited to tarpana for ancestors), and Jain observances including the close of Kartika Ashtahnika and the Kartika Ratha Yatra.

Religious significance

Kartika Purnima gathers several strands of tradition. For Shaiva devotees, it is Tripurari Purnima, the day on which, as the legend is commonly told, Shiva destroyed the three flying cities of the demon Tripurasura with a single arrow. The lamps of Dev Diwali in Varanasi are understood as the gods themselves celebrating that victory on the banks of the Ganga. For Vaishnavas, it closes the sacred Kartika (Damodara) month, and some traditions associate the day with Vishnu's Matsya avatara.

In Tamil Nadu, the festival is reckoned by the Krittika nakshatra within the solar month of Karthigai. Tradition holds that at Tiruvannamalai Shiva appeared as an endless column of fire, and the Maha Deepam lit on top of Arunachala hill recalls that revelation. In Kerala the same nakshatra is celebrated as Thrikarthika. In the Telugu states, families light rows of lamps, float lamps on rivers and tanks, and many Shiva temples hold the Jwala Thoranam, a burning arch of fire through which the deity is carried in procession.

Some of this is scriptural, such as the general sanctity of Kartika described in the Puranas. Much of it is living regional custom, which differs from town to town. Both deserve respect.

A respectful note on Guru Nanak Jayanti

Today Sikhs around the world celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Gurdwaras hold Akhand Path, kirtan and prabhat pheris, and serve langar, the community kitchen open to everyone. It is a distinct Sikh observance, not a Hindu festival, though the two communities share history and neighbourhoods. If you visit a gurdwara, cover your head, remove your shoes and follow the sangat's guidance.

Simple Karthika Pournami puja at home

• Morning snanam: a bath before or soon after the 6:26 AM sunrise, ideally in a river or tank if one is near, otherwise at home.
• Morning worship: offer water to the rising Sun and a short prayer at the altar. Many families keep the Kartika Purnima Vrat until the evening lamp.
• Evening lamps: after the 5:40 PM sunset, light lamps at the altar, the threshold and the tulasi plant. Some households light 365 wicks, one for each day of the year; see our 365 vattula deepam guide.
• Deepa daanam (optional): giving a lamp to a temple or to someone in need. See Karthika snanam and deepa daanam.
• Satyanarayana katha (optional): many Telugu families read or host the Satyanarayana vratam on a Purnima.

No-materials alternative: light a single candle or lamp after sunset, stand facing it for a few minutes and chant the mantra below. That is a complete offering.

Mantra for the day

Drik lists Goddess Lakshmi as the day's primary deity, as on many Purnimas:

Om Śrī Mahālakṣmyai Namaḥ

Meaning: "Om, salutations to the great Goddess Lakshmi." Chant it 11 or 108 times while the lamp burns. Shiva devotees may equally chant Om Namah Shivaya tonight. The mantra is a prayer, not a promise of wealth.

Fasting

A Purnima fast is common but optional: a full fast until the evening lamp, a single meal, or fruit and milk. Elderly people, pregnant women and anyone with diabetes or another medical condition should not feel obliged to fast and should consult a doctor first. For food customs this month, see Karthika Masam rules: food, dos and don'ts.

What you can do today

• Take a morning snanam and offer water to the Sun.
• Light lamps at dusk at the altar, the doorstep and the tulasi plant.
• Float a small leaf-boat lamp on a safe pond or a bowl of water at home.
• Offer a lamp or a meal to someone in need as deepa daanam.
• Complete Bhishma Panchak if you kept it, with a final prayer and charity.
• Watch or listen to the Tiruvannamalai Maha Deepam or the Varanasi ghats if a broadcast is available.
• Greet Sikh friends and neighbours on Gurpurab.

With family and children

Let children decorate clay lamps in the afternoon and help place them in a row after sunset. Tell them the Tripurasura story in simple words: three proud cities that could only be defeated together, and one focused arrow. Keep water nearby, tie back loose clothing and never leave lamps unattended.

Hindus abroad: sunrise, tithi and nakshatra in your city

If you live outside India, do not convert the Hyderabad times above. The table below gives each city's own local sunrise and sunset, with the tithi and nakshatra prevailing at that local sunrise.

Computed with HinduTone's panchang calculator, validated against Drik Panchang; festival dates abroad can differ by a day, so follow your temple's panchang.

Purnima prevails at sunrise in every city listed, so most temples abroad will mark Karthika Pournami today. For local lamp timings, see our pages for the UK, Singapore and the UAE.

Frequently asked questions

Is Karthika Pournami on 24 November 2026?

Yes. Purnima tithi began at 11:42 PM on Monday 23 November and ends at 8:23 PM on Tuesday 24 November (IST), so Karthika Pournami is observed on Tuesday 24 November across India.

Is Karthigai Deepam also on 24 November 2026?

Yes. Drik Panchang lists Karthigai Deepam on 24 November, with Krittika nakshatra prevailing until 11:25 PM. Tiruvannamalai and Tamil households light the Karthigai lamps this evening. See our Karthigai Deepam 2026 guide for details.

What is Dev Diwali?

Dev Diwali (Dev Deepawali) is Varanasi's celebration on Kartika Purnima, when the ghats along the Ganga are lined with earthen lamps. It is traditionally linked with Shiva's victory over the demon Tripurasura, which is why the day is also called Tripurari Purnima.

Is Guru Nanak Jayanti a Hindu festival?

No. Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) is a Sikh observance marking the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru. It falls on Kartika Purnima, so it appears in Hindu panchangs too. Many Hindus respectfully visit gurdwaras or share in langar on this day.

When should I light the Karthika Pournami deepam in Hyderabad?

Lamps are lit after sunset, which is at 5:40 PM in Hyderabad. Purnima tithi lasts until 8:23 PM, so the early evening falls within Purnima. For your own city's timing, see our Karthika Pournami city-wise page or check a local panchang.

What does Bhishma Panchak ending mean?

Bhishma Panchak is a five-day Kartika vow from Prabodhini Ekadashi to Kartika Purnima, associated in tradition with Bhishma's teaching at the end of the Mahabharata war. It concludes today, and those who kept it complete their observance with worship and charity.

A closing thought

One lamp does not light a whole city, but tonight millions of single lamps do. Light yours with a clear mind and let its small, steady flame be your offering to the divine.

Previous and next day

• Previous day: Panchang Monday 23 November 2026
• Next day: Panchang Wednesday 25 November 2026
• The month at a glance: November 2026 Hindu festivals: dates, rituals and significance

Editor's note

Editor's note (9 October 2026): Panchang timings and festival observances can vary by location, regional calendar and family tradition. This guide follows Drik Panchang for Hyderabad (IST). Please verify local puja timings with a trusted panchang or priest.

Related guides

• Karthika Purnima: significance and rituals
• Kartik Purnima melas: Pushkar, Sonepur, Garhmukteshwar
• Thrikarthika 2026: Kerala's Karthika Vilakku
• Karthika Masam 2026 calendar day by day
• Karthika Masam 2026 (pillar guide)