Karthika Masam Rules 2026: Food to Avoid, Dos and Don'ts, Snanam, Deepam and Fasting

Quick answer: Karthika Masam rules apply in 2026 from Tuesday 10 November to Tuesday 8 December 2026 in the South Indian amanta calendar, per Drik Panchang. In the North Indian purnimanta calendar, Kartik runs from about 26 October to Tuesday 24 November 2026. The main traditions are an early morning bath (snanam), lighting a lamp (deepam) at dusk and dawn, vegetarian food without onion and garlic, Monday worship of Shiva, Ekadashi fasting, tulasi puja and giving lamps (deepa daanam).

These are traditions, not fixed laws. Customs vary by family, region and community. Follow your own family's practice, and use this guide as a general reference. This guide has been restored at its original hindutone.com address.

Karthika Masam 2026 dates

Karthika is the eighth lunar month. Different regions start and end the month differently:

• Amanta (Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati): Tuesday 10 November 2026 (Kartika Shukla Pratipada) to Tuesday 8 December 2026 (Amavasya), per Drik Panchang for New Delhi.
• Purnimanta (North India): Kartik runs from about 26 October to Tuesday 24 November 2026, ending on Kartika Purnima.
• Tamil Nadu: The Tamil solar month Karthigai follows a different calendar. Karthigai Deepam falls on Tuesday 24 November 2026 in the Drik listing.

This guide follows the amanta month used in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.

Key Karthika Masam 2026 dates (New Delhi, IST)

The table follows Drik Panchang for New Delhi. Times are in IST and apply to New Delhi only. Outside India, use a panchang set to your own city and do not convert these times.

Your local Telugu or Kannada panchangam may list some days slightly differently. Follow it if your family uses it.

Karthika Masam rules for food

Food rules are the part of Karthika Masam that people ask about most. The idea behind them is sattvic food: simple, light, fresh and vegetarian, to keep the mind calm for prayer.

Foods traditionally avoided

• Non-vegetarian food: meat, fish and eggs. This is the most widely followed rule.
• Alcohol and tobacco: avoided for the whole month.
• Onion and garlic: avoided by many families, especially on Mondays, Ekadashi and Pournami, and by some for the whole month.
• Family-specific foods: some families also avoid brinjal, urad dal, certain gourds, or masoor dal. Others avoid stale food or food cooked the day before. These customs vary widely.

Foods commonly eaten

• Rice, wheat, millets, moong dal and toor dal.
• Fresh vegetables, especially those your family allows during the month.
• Milk, curd, ghee and buttermilk.
• Fruit, and amla (Indian gooseberry), which is closely linked with this month.
• Simple sweets such as payasam, pongal or halwa offered as naivedyam.

If you are unsure about a particular vegetable or dal, ask an elder in your family. There is no single list that every family follows.

Daily dos in Karthika Masam

• Early morning snanam: Bathe before sunrise. Bathing in a river, tank or sea is traditional where possible. At home, a bath before sunrise with a prayer is fully accepted. See our Karthika snanam and deepa daanam guide.
• Deepam at dusk and dawn: Light a ghee or sesame-oil lamp at sunset every evening. Many families also light one before dawn. Lamps are placed at the doorway, in the puja room and near the tulasi plant.
• Tulasi puja: Water the tulasi plant, light a lamp beside it and offer a prayer every day.
• Shiva and Vishnu worship: Karthika is sacred to both. Recite the Shiva Panchakshari 'Om Namah Shivaya' or a Vishnu prayer your family knows.
• Deepa daanam: Give lamps to a temple or to a priest, or light lamps at a temple. This is considered very meritorious in this month.
• Charity: Give food, clothes or help to those in need, according to your means.

Things traditionally avoided in Karthika Masam

• Non-vegetarian food, alcohol and, in many families, onion and garlic.
• Sleeping late. The month encourages waking before sunrise.
• Anger, harsh words and quarrels. The month is meant for calm and devotion.
• Wasting food.
• Some families avoid cutting hair or shaving on certain days, especially Mondays. Follow your own family custom.

Karthika Somavaram fasting options

Mondays in Karthika are especially sacred to Shiva. In 2026 the Karthika Somavarams in the amanta month are 16 November, 23 November, 30 November and 7 December. Fasting options include:

• Full fast: No food during the day. The fast is broken after the evening puja and lamp lighting, often after seeing the stars.
• One meal (ekabhuktam): A single vegetarian meal, usually at night after puja.
• Fruit and milk: Only fruit, milk or light foods during the day.
• Simple observance: No fast, but vegetarian food, an early bath, a temple visit or abhishekam, and a lamp at dusk.

For dates, rituals and mantras, see our Karthika Somavaram 2026 guide.

Health caveat for fasting

Fasting is a devotional choice, never a requirement. Elderly people, pregnant or nursing women, children, people with diabetes, low blood pressure, kidney problems or any long-term illness, and anyone on regular medication should consult a doctor before fasting. Do not stop medicines because of a fast. Drink enough water. A lighter observance is fully respected in every tradition.

Ekadashi, Dwadasi and Pournami

• Prabodhini Ekadashi (20 November): Vishnu is believed to wake from his four-month rest. Many devotees fast and worship Vishnu. See our Karthika Ekadashi 2026 guide.
• Ksheerabdi Dwadasi and Tulasi Vivah (21 November): Tulasi is worshipped with an amla branch, representing Vishnu. See our Ksheerabdi Dwadasi and Tulasi Vivah guide.
• Karthika Pournami (24 November): Many people light 365 wicks together, which is believed to cover the lamp of every day of the year. See our Karthika Pournami 2026 guide.

Vana bhojanam

Vana bhojanam, or Karthika vana bhojanalu, is a shared meal in a garden or grove, traditionally under an amla tree. Families and communities gather, worship the amla tree and eat a vegetarian meal together. See our Karthika vana bhojanalu guide.

Practical tips for NRI families

• Use a panchang set to your own city for tithi, sunrise and sunset. Do not convert New Delhi IST times.
• Treat your morning shower before work as your Karthika snanam, with a short prayer.
• If open flames are not allowed in your apartment or dorm, use an LED diya. Light a real lamp at the temple instead.
• Pack vegetarian, onion-free lunches for work on Mondays. Simple dal-rice, upma or curd rice travel well.
• Many temples abroad hold Karthika Somavaram abhishekam and Karthika Pournami deepotsavam, often on the nearest weekend. Check your temple's calendar.
• For vana bhojanam, check park rules on cooking and fires before planning a picnic. A potted amla plant or amla fruit can stand in for the tree.
• Explain the month to children as a 'month of lamps'. Let them light the evening lamp.

Frequently asked questions

When is Karthika Masam in 2026?

In the amanta calendar followed in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, Karthika Masam runs from Tuesday 10 November to Tuesday 8 December 2026, per Drik Panchang for New Delhi. In the North Indian purnimanta calendar, Kartik runs from about 26 October to Tuesday 24 November 2026.

What foods are avoided in Karthika Masam?

Most families avoid meat, fish, eggs and alcohol for the whole month. Many also avoid onion and garlic. Some families avoid brinjal, urad dal, certain other vegetables, or food cooked the previous day. Customs vary by family, so follow your elders' practice.

Is it compulsory to fast on Karthika Somavaram?

No. Fasting is a personal devotional choice. Some devotees keep a full fast until evening, some eat one meal, and some take only fruit and milk. Elderly people, pregnant women, people with diabetes and anyone on medication should consult a doctor before fasting.

When should I light the Karthika deepam?

Traditionally a lamp is lit at dusk every evening of the month, and many families also light one before dawn after the early bath. Sunrise and sunset times depend on your city, so check a local panchang.

Can I follow Karthika Masam rules while living abroad?

Yes. Take your morning bath before work as your Karthika snanam, light a lamp or LED diya at home in the evening, keep vegetarian food, and visit a local temple on Mondays or on Karthika Pournami. Use a panchang set to your own city.

What is the most important day of Karthika Masam?

Karthika Pournami, on Tuesday 24 November 2026, is usually considered the most important day. Karthika Somavarams, Prabodhini Ekadashi and Ksheerabdi Dwadasi are also very important.

Editor's note

Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Dates and tithi times come from Drik Panchang for New Delhi and are given in IST. They are not converted to other time zones. The rules described here are common traditions; customs vary by family, region and community. Nothing here is medical advice. Please consult a doctor before fasting if you have any health condition.

Related guides

• Karthika Masam 2026: the complete month guide
• November 2026 Hindu festival calendar
• Karthika Somavaram 2026
• Karthika snanam and deepa daanam 2026
• Karthika Amavasya 2026
• Pancharama Kshetras guide for Karthika Masam