Quick answer (as of 9 October 2026): Confirmed: Sabarimala opens on 16 November 2026 for the Mandala season, and the Pushkar Fair runs 17 to 24 November 2026. Expected: Sonepur Mela from 22 November 2026, and Karthigai Deepam on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Not yet announced: Srisailam's Karthika 2026 arrangements, Annavaram vratham plans, Koti Deepotsavam 2026, Dev Deepawali 2026 plans, Sabarimala's Mandala Pooja and Makaravilakku dates, and APSRTC/TGSRTC Pancharama buses. Karthika Masam itself runs Tuesday 10 November to Tuesday 8 December 2026.

With Dasara around the corner, phones in Telugu homes are already buzzing with forwarded messages about Karthika: Srisailam rules, Koti Deepotsavam dates, Sabarimala bookings. Some are accurate. Many are last year's news with a new date pasted on. This page does one simple thing: it separates what has actually been announced for 2026 from what has not, with the source and date for every item, so you can plan Karthika Masam 2026 with confidence.

Key Karthika 2026 dates (India)

Dates are from Drik Panchang (New Delhi day panchang). Tithi times are IST and identical across India; local panchangams may differ slightly.

Date (2026)DayObservance
10 NovTuesdayKarthika Masam begins (amanta)
13 NovFridayNagula Chavithi
15 NovSundaySkanda Sashti
16 NovMonday1st Karthika Somavaram; Sabarimala opens (TDB)
20 NovFridayDevutthana (Uttana) Ekadashi
21 NovSaturdayKsheerabdi Dwadasi, Tulasi Vivah
23 NovMonday2nd Somavaram, Vaikuntha Chaturdashi
24 NovTuesdayKarthika Pournami, Karthigai Deepam, Dev Diwali
30 NovMonday3rd Karthika Somavaram
1 DecTuesdayKalabhairav Jayanti
4 DecFridayUtpanna Ekadashi
7 DecMonday4th Somavaram and Masik Shivaratri
8 DecTuesdayKarthika Amavasya, month ends

Purnima tithi runs from 11:42 PM IST on Monday 23 November to 8:23 PM IST on Tuesday 24 November 2026. In the North Indian purnimanta calendar, Kartik ends on 24 November and Margashirsha begins on 25 November. See the full Karthika Masam 2026 calendar, day by day.

Sabarimala: temple opens 16 November for Mandala season

Status: official. Sabarimala temple will open on 16 November 2026 for the Mandala season, following a Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) meeting on preparations (Source: Twentyfour News, 24 September 2026). Drik Panchang marks the start of the Mandala Pooja period on Tuesday 17 November.

Preparations are still catching up. As of 23 September 2026, with the season 53 days away, the TDB had yet to finalise key contracts, including those for Aravana and Appam ingredients (Source: Onmanorama, 23 September 2026).

Not yet announced: no official or major-news confirmation had been found for the 2026-27 Mandala Pooja date, the Makaravilakku date, or the date virtual queue booking opens. Virtual queue booking is through the TDB portal (Source: Travancore Devaswom Board portal, checked 9 October 2026). If you are taking mala, plan your 41-day vratham around the 16 November opening, and book darshan only on the official portal. Our Sabarimala 2026-27 season guide covers the vratham and irumudi.

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Srisailam: current darshan rules, Karthika plans awaited

Status: official (current rule). On 3 August 2026 the Srisailam EO revised the schedule: sparsha (touch) darshan is not available in the morning and afternoon on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays (it is available at night), while other days keep the existing three slots (Source: Deccan Chronicle, 3 August 2026).

Karthika 2026: not yet announced. No Karthika Masam 2026-specific arrangements, whether deepotsavam, Jwala Thoranam or abhishekam changes, had been found as of 9 October 2026 (Source: Deccan Chronicle (tag search)).

Last year's pattern (2025, not 2026): Srisailam's Karthika Mahotsavam 2025 ran from 22 October to 21 November 2025. Sparsha darshan was offered only from Tuesday to Friday, in three sessions, and was suspended on weekends, government holidays and festival days; the Garbhalaya and Samuhika abhishekams were cancelled for that month (Source: Deccan Chronicle, 19 October 2025). Later in the month, sparsha darshan and arjitha abhishekams were suspended on Karthika Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, Ekadashi and Pournami, and deepotsavam arrangements were made at North Mada Street and Gangadhara Mandapam (Source: Deccan Chronicle, 16 November 2025).

If 2026 follows a similar approach, sparsha darshan on Karthika Mondays and Pournami may be restricted again, but wait for the Devasthanam's notice. Read Srisailam in Karthika Masam 2026.

Tiruvannamalai: Karthigai Deepam expected on 24 November

Status: expected. Drik Panchang (Tamil Nadu location) lists Karthigai Deepam on Tuesday 24 November 2026. The temple's flag-hoisting, Bharani Deepam and Maha Deepam dates have not yet been officially announced (Source: Drik Panchang, checked 9 October 2026).

Last year's pattern (2025, not 2026): the festival began with flag hoisting on Monday 24 November 2025, and the Bharani Deepam and the Maha Deepam atop the 2,668-ft hill were lit on 3 December 2025 (Source: The Week (PTI), 24 November 2025). See Karthigai Deepam 2026.

Koti Deepotsavam (Hyderabad): 2026 dates awaited

Status: not yet announced. No 2026 dates for the Bhakthi TV / NTV Koti Deepotsavam were found in any official or news source as of 9 October 2026 (Source: NTV Telugu, 2025 announcement; no 2026 equivalent found).

Last year's pattern (2025, not 2026): Koti Deepotsavam 2025 began on 1 November 2025 at NTR Stadium, Hyderabad, with evening programmes through Karthika month, and was announced on 5 October 2025 (Source: NTV Telugu). More in our Hyderabad Karthika guide.

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Annavaram: vratham arrangements not yet announced

Status: not yet announced. We found no Karthika Masam 2026 (or verifiable 2025) vratham arrangement announcement for the Annavaram Devasthanam in official or news sources (Source: East Godavari district administration (temple page), checked 9 October 2026). Karthika Pournami (24 November) and Uttana Ekadashi (20 November) are traditionally the busiest vratham days. See our Annavaram Karthika 2026 guide.

Endowments: Telangana and AP temples

Status: not yet announced. No Karthika Masam 2026 endowments department announcements were found for Vemulawada, Yadagirigutta, Keesaragutta, Kaleshwaram or Draksharamam as of 9 October 2026 (Source: Deccan Chronicle (tag search)). See Shiva temples in Telangana and Shiva temples in Andhra Pradesh.

APSRTC and TGSRTC: Pancharama buses awaited

Status: not yet announced. No 2026 Karthika or Pancharama special bus announcement had been found. APSRTC's latest specials announcement, on 9 October 2026, covers 5,261 Dasara services from 16 October (Source: Deccan Chronicle, 9 October 2026).

Pattern from 2024 (not 2026): TGSRTC announced Karthika specials to Srisailam, Vemulawada, Dharmapuri and Keesaragutta, an Arunachalam package for Kartika Pournami on 15 November 2024, and buses every Monday to the Pancharamas (Source: Siasat, 2 November 2024). Plan your Pancharama yatra once 2026 services are notified.

Varanasi Dev Deepawali: 2026 plans awaited

Status: not yet announced. No official 2026 date or plan from the Varanasi district administration or the UP government had been found as of 9 October 2026; the latest official-media coverage is from 2025 (Source: News On AIR). Drik Panchang lists Dev Diwali on Tuesday 24 November 2026.

Last year's pattern (2025, not 2026): Dev Deepawali was celebrated on Kartik Purnima, 5 November 2025, with about 25 lakh diyas lit across the ghats (Source: ETV Bharat (PTI); News On AIR). See Dev Deepawali in Varanasi.

Pushkar Fair: 17 to 24 November 2026

Status: official. Rajasthan Tourism's fairs and festivals page lists the Pushkar Fair 2026 from 17 November to 24 November (Source: Rajasthan Tourism, checked 9 October 2026). The fair closes on Kartik Purnima, the day of the holy dip in Pushkar Lake. See Pushkar Kartik Purnima Snan 2026.

Sonepur Mela: expected from 22 November 2026

Status: expected. Sonepur Mela is set to begin on 22 November 2026, with the main Kartik Purnima celebrations on 23 and 24 November, according to a Saran DM review meeting; the closing date was not stated (Source: Patna Press, 30 August 2026). See Sonepur Mela 2026.

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How to read Karthika news this month

  • Check the year: many forwards recycle 2025 notices. If it does not say 2026 and name a source, treat it as unconfirmed.
  • Go to the source: devasthanam websites, the TDB portal and RTC booking sites are the only places to book.
  • Expect weekend and Monday restrictions: at big Shiva temples, Karthika Mondays and Pournami are the most crowded days.
  • NRIs: use your country's dates, not India's. See the USA, UK and Canada pages.

Frequently asked questions

When does Sabarimala open for the Mandala season 2026?

Sabarimala will open on 16 November 2026 for the Mandala season, as reported by Twentyfour News on 24 September 2026 after a Travancore Devaswom Board meeting. The Mandala Pooja date, Makaravilakku date and virtual queue booking opening had not been confirmed as of 9 October 2026.

Has Srisailam announced Karthika Masam 2026 arrangements?

Not as of 9 October 2026. The only current official change we found is the 3 August 2026 revision of sparsha darshan on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays (Deccan Chronicle). In 2025, sparsha darshan was restricted further during Karthika, but that was last year's arrangement.

When is Karthigai Deepam at Tiruvannamalai in 2026?

Drik Panchang (Tamil Nadu) lists Karthigai Deepam on Tuesday 24 November 2026. The temple's flag-hoisting, Bharani Deepam and Maha Deepam dates had not been officially announced as of 9 October 2026.

Is Koti Deepotsavam 2026 announced?

No. As of 9 October 2026, no 2026 dates were found. Last year, Bhakthi TV Koti Deepotsavam began on 1 November 2025 at NTR Stadium, Hyderabad (NTV Telugu).

When is the Pushkar Fair 2026?

Rajasthan Tourism's fairs and festivals page lists the Pushkar Fair 2026 from 17 to 24 November 2026. Kartik Purnima itself falls on Tuesday 24 November 2026.

Will this page be updated?

Yes. We will update each section as temples, devasthanams and transport corporations announce their Karthika 2026 plans. Always confirm with the official source before you travel.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

Every news item on this page comes from a source we checked on 9 October 2026, cited with its publication date. Items marked not yet announced had no 2026 confirmation at that time; any details given for them are last year's pattern only and are labelled as such. Dates and tithi times are from Drik Panchang. This page will be updated as temples, devasthanams and organisers announce their Karthika 2026 plans.