Quick answer: Karthigai Deepam 2026 falls on Monday 23 November 2026 in the USA and Canada, and on Tuesday 24 November 2026 in India, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK and Australia. The date is set by the Krittika (Karthigai) nakshatra at sunset in the Tamil month of Karthigai, which is why North America observes a day earlier. These are HinduTone calculated dates (Drik method); confirm with your temple.

Karthigai Deepam 2026 date by country

CountryKarthigai Deepam 2026Kartik Purnima 2026Note
USAMon 23 NovTue 24 NovKrittika at sunset on Monday locally
CanadaMon 23 NovTue 24 NovSame as the USA
SingaporeTue 24 NovTue 24 NovSame as India
MalaysiaTue 24 NovTue 24 NovSame as India
UKTue 24 NovTue 24 NovSame as India
AustraliaTue 24 NovTue 24 NovSame as India
IndiaTue 24 NovTue 24 NovDrik Panchang listing

A nakshatra, like a tithi, begins and ends at the same instant everywhere, but that instant lands on different local clock times. In the Americas the Krittika star is already in force at sunset on Monday, so local reckoning gives Monday 23 November. Do not convert India's nakshatra times to your time zone; use your temple's calendar or a panchang set for your city. Some temples abroad may follow the India date, so check their announcement. For the festival in India, see our main Karthigai Deepam 2026 page.

What Karthigai Deepam celebrates

Karthigai Deepam is one of the oldest Tamil festivals of light. It is celebrated in the Tamil month of Karthigai (17 November to 15 December in 2026, by HinduTone's calculation) on the day the moon is in the Krittika nakshatra, which usually falls on or near the full moon. Two stories are commonly linked to it:

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  • Shiva as the column of light: as told in the Puranas, Brahma and Vishnu argued over who was greater, and Shiva appeared as an endless pillar of fire. Brahma flew up as a swan and Vishnu dug down as a boar, but neither found its end. This form, Lingodbhava, is remembered at Tiruvannamalai, where the Arunachala hill itself is worshipped as Shiva in the form of fire.
  • Murugan and the six Krittikas: Murugan was born as six infants from Shiva's divine sparks and nursed by the six Krittika maidens, the stars of the Pleiades, before Parvati joined them into one child with six faces. This is why Murugan is called Kartikeya, and why Murugan temples also celebrate the day.

The Maha Deepam at Tiruvannamalai

The most famous Karthigai Deepam celebration is at the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. As the tradition is generally described, the Bharani Deepam is lit inside the temple early on the festival day, and at dusk the Maha Deepam, a huge flame in a giant vessel, is lit on top of the Arunachala hill and can be seen for miles around. Lakhs of devotees gather, and many walk the path around the hill (Girivalam). For the meaning of the hill, read our story of why Arunachala is considered Lord Shiva. Abroad, many families watch the lighting on a live broadcast and light their own lamps at the same time of their own local evening.

Lighting agal vilakku at home

At home, the heart of the festival is simple: rows of small clay lamps (agal vilakku) lit at dusk at the entrance, windows, steps, shrine and around the house, turning the home into a field of light. A typical home sequence:

  • Clean the house and the shrine during the day, and draw a kolam at the entrance if you can.Soak new clay lamps in water for a few hours beforehand so they absorb less oil, then dry them.Use sesame oil or ghee with cotton wicks. Place each lamp on a small tray or plate.At sunset, light the main lamp at the shrine first, offer a prayer to Shiva, Murugan or your family deity, then use it to light the others.Offer pori urundai, fruit or a simple sweet, and share prasadam with family and neighbours.Some Vaishnava families light lamps the next day as well, called Vishnu Deepam; follow your family's custom.

Fire safety in apartments and rented homes abroad

Rows of open flames need extra care in homes with carpets, curtains, wooden floors and sensitive smoke detectors. A few sensible rules:

  • Check your lease and building rules: many apartments, condominiums and student housing restrict open flames, especially on balconies and in corridors.
  • Mix real and LED lamps: light one or a few real lamps at the shrine where an adult can watch them, and use LED tealights or battery diyas for windows, balconies and children's areas.
  • Smoke detectors: never cover or disable them. Keep lamps away from the detector and ventilate the room; ghee and camphor can trigger alarms.
  • Safe surfaces: use metal or ceramic trays, keep lamps away from curtains, paper decorations, tablecloths and hair, and never place them near exits.
  • Never unattended: put out real flames before leaving the room or going to bed, and keep water or a small fire extinguisher nearby.
  • Weather: in Canada and the northern USA, outdoor lamps may be impractical in late November; indoor rows or LED lamps outside are fine.

Singapore and Malaysia: celebrating with the community

With large Tamil Hindu communities, Singapore and Malaysia celebrate Karthigai Deepam with lamps in homes and at temples, including well-known Murugan and Shiva temples such as Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Singapore and Batu Caves Sri Subramaniar Temple in Selangor. In high-rise homes, the same safety points apply: keep lamps inside your unit, away from corridors and windows that open onto common areas. Check temple notices for programmes, and see our Karthika Masam 2026 in Singapore and Karthika Masam in Malaysia guides.

Telugu families: Karthika Pournami

Telugu families celebrate the full moon of Karthika as Karthika Pournami, with lamps, Jwala Thoranam at Shiva temples and the 365-wick lamp. In 2026 it falls on Tuesday 24 November in India and abroad by HinduTone's calculation, so in the USA and Canada Karthigai Deepam (Monday) and Karthika Pournami (Tuesday) are on consecutive evenings. See our Karthika Pournami 2026 guide, the Karthika Pournami celebrations in the USA and Canada guides, and the 365-wick oil deepam guide.

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Kids' activity: paint-and-light lamp rows

  • A few days before, let children paint plain clay lamps with acrylic paint, dots and simple kolam patterns, and let them dry fully.Make a paper Arunachala hill on card and tape a battery tealight to the top as a mini Maha Deepam.On the evening, give each child an LED tealight to place in a row while an adult lights the real lamps.Tell the story of the pillar of light in two minutes: two gods searching for the top and bottom, and realising the light has no end.Count the lamps together, and let the children take a photo of the house lit up for grandparents.

Frequently asked questions

When is Karthigai Deepam 2026 in the USA and Canada?

Monday 23 November 2026, by HinduTone's panchang calculation (Drik method). Karthigai Deepam is celebrated when the Krittika nakshatra prevails at sunset in the Tamil month of Karthigai, and in North America that happens on Monday evening. Confirm with your temple, as some may follow the India date.

Why is it a day earlier in the USA than in India?

The nakshatra changes at the same moment worldwide, but that moment falls at different local clock times. In the Americas, the Krittika star is already in force at sunset on Monday 23 November local time, while in India, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK and Australia the matching sunset is on Tuesday 24 November.

Is Karthigai Deepam the same as Karthika Pournami?

They are closely related but not the same. Karthigai Deepam is the Tamil festival fixed by the Krittika nakshatra, while Karthika Pournami (Kartik Purnima) is the full moon, celebrated especially by Telugu families. They often fall on the same day, as in India in 2026, but abroad they can be a day apart: in the USA, Karthigai Deepam is Monday 23 November and Kartik Purnima is Tuesday 24 November.

Can I use LED lamps instead of oil lamps?

Yes. Many families abroad light one or a few real oil lamps at the home shrine, where they can be watched, and use LED tealights for the rows of lamps at windows, doors and balconies. Check your lease or building rules on open flames.

What food is made for Karthigai Deepam?

Common Tamil Karthigai Deepam foods include pori urundai (puffed rice balls with jaggery), appam and adai, though recipes vary by family and region. Many families keep the day vegetarian.

How many lamps should I light?

There is no fixed number. Families light as many lamps as they can safely manage, often in rows at the entrance, windows and shrine. Even a single lamp, lit with devotion, is a complete offering.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

This guide was written in October 2026. Karthigai Deepam dates are HinduTone panchang calculations (Drik method) of the Krittika nakshatra at sunset: Monday 23 November 2026 in the USA and Canada, and Tuesday 24 November 2026 in India, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK and Australia. Kartik Purnima is Tuesday 24 November 2026 in all these countries. Please confirm with your temple. We give no clock times, temple timings or event listings. The Tiruvannamalai traditions and legends are described in general terms as commonly told.