Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026: Monday 7 December, the Last Karthika Somavaram, Puja Vidhi and Fasting
Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026 falls on Monday 7 December, which is also the fourth and last Karthika Somavaram. Chaturdashi tithi runs until 4:12 AM IST on 8 December (Drik Panchang, New Delhi). This guide explains why the day is doubly auspicious, the nishita puja tradition, a simple abhishekam at home, night vigil and safe fasting.
Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026 falls on Monday 7 December, which is also the fourth and last Karthika Somavaram. Chaturdashi tithi runs until 4:12 AM IST on 8 December (Drik Panchang, New Delhi).
Quick answer: Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026 is on Monday 7 December 2026. Krishna Chaturdashi tithi runs until 4:12 AM IST on Tuesday 8 December (Drik Panchang, New Delhi). The day is also the fourth and last Karthika Somavaram of 2026, so Shiva devotees consider it doubly auspicious. Devotees fast, offer abhishekam, worship at night (nishita kaal) and keep a vigil (jagaran). Karthika Masam ends the next day with Karthika Amavasya on Tuesday 8 December.
Dates and times in this guide are from Drik Panchang for New Delhi in Indian Standard Time. Other cities can differ, and outside India you should use a panchang set to your own city.
Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026 at a glance
| Item | Details (New Delhi, IST) |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday 7 December 2026 |
| Tithi | Krishna Chaturdashi, until 4:12 AM on 8 December |
| Also | 4th Karthika Somavaram of 2026 |
| Sunrise and sunset on 7 December | 7:01 AM and 5:24 PM |
| Next day | Karthika Amavasya, Tuesday 8 December (Amavasya until 6:21 AM, 9 December) |
| Nishita puja time | Varies by city; check Drik Panchang for your location |
What is Masa Shivaratri?
Shivaratri means "the night of Shiva". Every lunar month, the fourteenth day of the dark half, Krishna Chaturdashi, is called Masa Shivaratri or Masik Shivaratri. It is the night before the new moon. The great annual Maha Shivaratri is the most famous of these nights, but many devotees observe all twelve monthly Shivaratris through the year.
As it is commonly told, Shiva is especially pleased by worship on this night, and a sincere fast and vigil on Shivaratri washes away past sins and brings peace of mind. Many stories in the Puranas describe ordinary people, even a hunter who stayed awake in a bilva tree by chance, who received Shiva's grace by keeping Shivaratri.
Why 7 December 2026 is doubly auspicious
Three sacred threads meet on this day:
- Karthika Masam: the holiest month of the year for Shiva worship in the Telugu states and much of South India. In 2026 it runs from 10 November to 8 December.
- Somavaram: Monday is Shiva's day. The Mondays of Karthika, the Karthika Somavarams, are the most important weekly days of the month. In 2026 they are 16, 23 and 30 November and 7 December.
- Masa Shivaratri: Shiva's monthly night, on Krishna Chaturdashi.
When Masa Shivaratri in Karthika falls on a Monday, devotees see it as a special opportunity. It also comes just before Karthika Amavasya, the last day of the month, so it is a fitting close to a month of lamps, baths and prayer. For all four Mondays, see our Karthika Somavaram 2026 guide.
The nishita puja tradition
Nishita kaal is the deep-night period around midnight. Shaiva tradition considers it the most powerful time for Shivaratri worship, because it is believed that Shiva manifested as the linga of light at this hour. Many temples hold a special abhishekam during nishita kaal, and devotees at home try to do at least a short puja at this time.
The exact clock time of nishita kaal depends on your city's sunset and sunrise. We do not give a single time here. Please check Drik Panchang or your local panchangam for your location. On 7 December 2026, Chaturdashi runs through the whole night in India, until 4:12 AM IST on 8 December.
Some families also divide the night into four parts (prahara) and offer a short abhishekam in each, with water, milk, curd, honey or ghee. This is optional; one sincere puja is enough.
Simple abhishekam at home
You do not need a large temple ritual to observe Karthika Masa Shivaratri. A simple home abhishekam is a beautiful offering.
- Prepare: bathe, wear clean clothes, and clean the puja place. Place a Shiva linga, or a picture of Shiva, on a plate.
- Lamp: light a ghee or sesame-oil lamp. In Karthika, lamps are especially meaningful.
- Abhishekam: pour water slowly over the linga while chanting "Om Namah Shivaya". You can follow with milk, then curd, honey and ghee, and finish with water again.
- Offerings: offer bilva leaves (traditionally in sets of three), white flowers, sandal paste, vibhuti and a simple naivedyam such as fruit.
- Prayers: chant "Om Namah Shivaya" 108 times, or recite a Shiva stotram or the Shiva Panchakshara Stotram that you know.
- Aarti: end with aarti and a quiet prayer for your family.
If you cannot do a full abhishekam, a lamp, a few bilva leaves and the Panchakshari mantra are enough. Devotion matters more than materials.
Jagaran: keeping the night vigil
Many devotees stay awake through Shivaratri night, singing bhajans, chanting, reading Shiva stories or listening to discourses. This vigil is called jagaran. Families often take turns, so that someone is always chanting. Elders and children can join for part of the night and rest when needed. The vigil is a symbol of staying spiritually awake, and it should not harm your health.
Fasting on Karthika Masa Shivaratri
Fasting customs differ from family to family:
- a full fast (nirjala, without water) for those who are used to it and healthy;
- a fast with only water, milk and fruit;
- one simple meal without grains, or a Karthika-style meal without onion and garlic.
The fast is usually broken the next morning, Tuesday 8 December, after bath and puja. Some families break it after the night's final puja.
Health note: a long fast is not suitable for everyone. Elders, diabetics, people with heart, kidney or blood-pressure conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and anyone on regular medicine should consult a doctor first and keep a gentle fast. Drink enough water. Shiva is pleased by devotion, not by harm to the body.
For NRI families
- Use a panchang set to your own city: the Shivaratri night and nishita time abroad are not the same as in India, and we do not convert India's times.
- If 7 December is a working day, do a short puja in the evening and a longer one at night after work.
- Many Hindu temples abroad hold an evening abhishekam on Masa Shivaratri; check your local temple's website.
- Light a lamp as a family and tell children the story of the hunter and the bilva tree.
For the rules of the whole month, see Karthika Masam rules 2026, and for the full month overview see Karthika Masam 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When is Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026?
Drik Panchang lists Masik Shivaratri in Karthika on Monday 7 December 2026. Krishna Chaturdashi tithi runs until 4:12 AM IST on Tuesday 8 December (New Delhi). Other cities can differ slightly.
Why is Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026 special?
It falls on a Monday in Karthika Masam, so it is also the fourth and last Karthika Somavaram of 2026. Monday is Shiva's day, Karthika is Shiva's favourite month, and Masa Shivaratri is his monthly night. Devotees see this as a rare, doubly auspicious combination.
What is the nishita puja time?
Nishita kaal is the deep-night period around midnight that is considered the most sacred time for Shivaratri worship. Its exact clock time depends on your city, so please check Drik Panchang or your local panchangam for your location.
Is Masa Shivaratri the same as Maha Shivaratri?
No. Masa (monthly) Shivaratri falls on Krishna Chaturdashi every month. Maha Shivaratri is the great annual Shivaratri in the month of Magha (Phalguna in the North Indian calendar). Masa Shivaratri is observed in the same spirit on a smaller scale.
How should I fast on Karthika Masa Shivaratri?
Some devotees keep a complete fast, some take only fruit and milk, and others eat one simple meal. The fast is usually broken the next morning after puja. Elders, diabetics, pregnant women, children and anyone on medicine should consult a doctor and choose a gentle fast.
Can I do the puja at home without a priest?
Yes. A simple abhishekam with water or milk, bilva leaves, a lamp and the chant "Om Namah Shivaya" is a complete offering when done with devotion. A priest is not required for personal worship.
Editor's note
Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. The date and tithi times are from Drik Panchang for New Delhi in IST; other cities can differ. We have not given a clock time for nishita puja because it depends on location; please check Drik Panchang for your city. The fasting advice is general and is not medical advice.
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