Karthika Masam 2026 Calendar Day by Day: Tithi, Somavarams and Festivals from 10 November to 8 December

Quick answer: In the Karthika Masam 2026 calendar followed in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and much of South India, the month runs from Tuesday 10 November to Tuesday 8 December 2026. The four Karthika Somavarams are 16, 23 and 30 November and 7 December. Key days are Nagula Chavithi (13 November), Ksheerabdi Dwadashi and Tulasi Vivah (21 November), Karthika Pournami (24 November), Karthika Masa Shivaratri (7 December) and Karthika Amavasya (8 December). The full day-by-day table is below.

All dates and times come from Drik Panchang for New Delhi, in Indian Standard Time (IST). Other cities can differ, because sunrise changes from place to place. In Hyderabad, Vijayawada or Bengaluru, a festival may occasionally fall a day earlier or later. Outside India, use a panchang for your own city; we do not convert India's times to other time zones.

How to read this calendar

• Date and day: the civil date in 2026.
• Tithi: the lunar day running at sunrise, with the clock time (IST, New Delhi) at which it ends. A time with a later date, such as "to 2:00 AM, 16 Nov", means the tithi continues past midnight.
• Shukla and Krishna: the bright half (waxing moon, up to Pournami) and the dark half (waning moon, up to Amavasya).
• Festivals and vrats: the main Hindu festivals and fasts listed by Drik Panchang for that day. We have left out purely astrological labels. Days most important for Karthika devotees are in bold.

Karthika Masam 2026: day-by-day table

Notes: Ekadashi in the bright half starts at 7:15 AM on 20 November and ends before sunrise on 21 November, so it does not appear at any sunrise. Chaturthi in the dark half starts at 9:48 AM on 27 November and ends before sunrise on 28 November. Navami in the bright half covers two sunrises (18 and 19 November). Such skipped and repeated tithis are normal.

The four Karthika Somavarams

Every Monday of Karthika is a Karthika Somavaram, the most important weekly day of the month for Shiva devotees. Many people fast until evening, offer abhishekam with water or milk, offer bilva leaves and light a lamp after sunset. In 2026 the four Mondays are:

• 16 November: first Somavaram, Shukla Saptami.
• 23 November: second Somavaram, Shukla Chaturdashi, the day before Karthika Pournami. Drik also lists Vaikuntha Chaturdashi this day.
• 30 November: third Somavaram, Krishna Saptami.
• 7 December: fourth Somavaram, which is also Karthika Masa Shivaratri.

See our Karthika Somavaram 2026 guide for the full vidhi and mantra.

Key festivals of the month

Nagula Chavithi: Friday 13 November

Nagula Chavithi falls on Shukla Chaturthi of Karthika. Families offer milk and worship at anthills (puttas) to honour the Naga devatas and pray for the health of their children. Read more in our Nagula Chavithi 2026 guide.

Karthika Ekadashi and Ksheerabdi Dwadashi: 20 and 21 November

Drik Panchang lists Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi for Smartas on Friday 20 November and for Vaishnavas on Saturday 21 November. This Ekadashi marks Lord Vishnu waking from his four-month sleep and the end of Chaturmasa. Ksheerabdi Dwadashi, when Telugu families worship the tulasi plant with an amla branch, and Tulasi Vivah are on Saturday 21 November. See Karthika Ekadashi 2026 and Ksheerabdi Dwadasi and Tulasi Vivah 2026.

Karthika Pournami: Tuesday 24 November

Karthika Pournami is the high point of the month. Devotees take an early bath, light 365 wicks, offer lamps in rivers and temples, and watch the Jwala Thoranam at Shiva temples in the evening. Purnima tithi ends at 8:23 PM IST (New Delhi). Drik lists Karthigai Deepam, Dev Diwali and Guru Nanak Jayanti on the same day. See Karthika Pournami 2026.

Kalabhairava Jayanti: Tuesday 1 December

Kalabhairava Jayanti falls on Krishna Ashtami. Devotees worship Lord Kalabhairava, the fierce protector form of Shiva. See Kalabhairava Jayanti 2026.

Karthika Masa Shivaratri: Monday 7 December

Masa Shivaratri falls on Krishna Chaturdashi, which runs until 4:12 AM IST on 8 December. In 2026 it falls on the last Karthika Somavaram, which makes it a doubly auspicious day for Shiva devotees. See Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026.

Karthika Amavasya: Tuesday 8 December

Karthika Amavasya closes the month. Many families offer lamps and remember their ancestors. Drik Panchang labels this day "Margashirsha Amavasya" because it uses North Indian month names; for Telugu families it is Karthika Amavasya. Margashirsha Masam begins the next day. See Karthika Amavasya 2026.

Daily practices through the month

• Karthika snanam: a bath before sunrise, ideally in a river or with a prayer at home. See Karthika Snanam and Deepa Daanam.
• Deepam: a lamp at dawn and dusk, especially near the tulasi plant and at the doorway.
• Food: many families avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food for the whole month. See our Karthika Masam rules.
• Vana Bhojanam: a community meal under an amla tree, usually on a Sunday or a holiday in the month. See Karthika Vana Bhojanalu 2026.
• Health: if you fast on Mondays or Ekadashi, elders, diabetics, pregnant women and anyone on medicine should consult a doctor and keep a gentle fast.

For the meaning of the month, its stories and the full list of practices, start with our main Karthika Masam 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

When does Karthika Masam 2026 start and end?

For Telugu and other South Indian families who follow the amanta calendar, Karthika Masam 2026 starts on Tuesday 10 November 2026 (Shukla Pratipada) and ends on Tuesday 8 December 2026 (Amavasya), according to Drik Panchang for New Delhi.

What are the Karthika Somavaram dates in 2026?

There are four Karthika Mondays in 2026: 16 November, 23 November, 30 November and 7 December. The last one is also Karthika Masa Shivaratri.

When is Karthika Pournami 2026?

Karthika Pournami is on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Purnima tithi ends at 8:23 PM IST that day (New Delhi). Karthigai Deepam and Dev Diwali are listed on the same day by Drik Panchang.

Why does North India say Kartik ends on 24 November?

North India follows the purnimanta calendar, in which a month ends on the full moon. There, Kartik runs from about 26 October to 24 November 2026. In the amanta calendar used in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra, Karthika runs from 10 November to 8 December 2026. The festivals fall on the same days; only the month names differ.

Why is a tithi missing or repeated in the table?

A tithi is a lunar day, and its length varies. Sometimes a tithi starts and ends between two sunrises, so it never appears at sunrise and seems to be skipped. Sometimes one tithi covers two sunrises, so it appears on two days. This is normal in every panchang.

Are these times valid for my city?

The times are for New Delhi in Indian Standard Time. Tithi end times are the same moment everywhere in India, but sunrise differs by city, which can move a festival by a day in some places. Outside India, use a panchang set to your own city.

Editor's note

Editor's note (6 October 2026): This calendar has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Every date and tithi time comes from Drik Panchang for New Delhi in IST. Other cities can differ, and families should follow their local panchangam or temple announcements. We have kept only Hindu festival and vrat names and left out purely astrological labels.

Related guides

• Karthika Masam 2026
• Karthika Masam rules 2026: food, dos and don'ts
• Karthika Somavaram 2026
• Karthika Pournami 2026
• Karthika Masa Shivaratri 2026
• Nagula Chavithi 2026
• Pancharama Kshetras guide
• November 2026 Hindu festival calendar