Kartik Purnima 2026 and Dev Deepawali: Date, Vidhi and Significance

Quick answer: Kartik Purnima 2026 falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. It is the full-moon day of the Kartik month and is observed with holy bathing, deep-daan (lamp offering), Dev Deepawali on the Kashi ghats, and, in the South, the lighting of Karthigai Deepam.

Kartik Purnima is the full-moon (Purnima) day of the sacred month of Kartik, and for many devotees it is the spiritual high point of the year. In 2026 it falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. The day carries several layers of meaning at once: it is the day of Dev Deepawali on the ghats of Kashi (Varanasi), the traditional day associated with Karthigai Deepam in the South, and it coincides with Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) for the Sikh community.

Because so many observances gather on this single tithi, families across India keep it differently — holy dips at first light, rows of earthen lamps at dusk, temple deepotsavas, and simple home worship. This guide lays out the date and tithi, the puja vidhi, the regional variations, and who traditionally observes the day, so you can follow the practice your own family and temple keep.

Kartik Purnima 2026: Quick Facts

• FestivalKartik Purnima (Kartik Poornima)
• DateTuesday, 24 November 2026
• TithiPurnima of Shukla Paksha, Kartik month
• Also known asTripurari Purnima, Dev Deepawali, Kartik Poornima
• Coincides withDev Deepawali (Kashi), Karthigai Deepam (South), Guru Nanak Jayanti
• Key observancesHoly bath (snan), deep-daan (lamp offering), fasting, charity
• Presiding themesVishnu (Matsya avatar), Shiva (Tripurari), Kartikeya

Date and Tithi: Understanding the Panchang

Kartik Purnima 2026 is observed on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. The Purnima tithi spans a window that begins on the preceding day and continues into the 24th; because a tithi is a lunar interval and not a calendar day, panchangs mark the start and end by clock time. Those exact start and end clock times, and any snan-daan or puja muhurat, vary by panchang and by your city's longitude, so confirm them against your local panchang or temple calendar. [VERIFY]

There is a genuine reckoning point worth noting. Under the Purnimanta calendar (widely used in North India), the month ends on the full moon, so this Purnima closes the month of Kartik. Under the Amanta calendar (used in much of the South and West), the month ends on the new moon, but the naming of Kartik Purnima remains consistent for this full moon. Both systems arrive at the same full-moon day; where a household calendar labels the surrounding fortnight differently, follow the panchang your family and temple use rather than treating one as 'correct'.

A related nuance: because Karthigai Deepam in the Tamil tradition is fixed by the Karthigai nakshatra in the Tamil month of Karthigai, its observance can fall on the same day as Kartik Purnima or on an adjacent day depending on the year. In 2026, check your regional Tamil panchang for the exact Karthigai Deepam date and time. [VERIFY]

Significance of Kartik Purnima

Kartik Purnima is rich in tradition. It is remembered as the day the Matsya (fish) avatar of Vishnu is honoured, and the Kartik month itself is especially dear to Vishnu in many devotional traditions. For Shaivites, the same full moon is Tripurari Purnima, marking the tradition in which Shiva vanquished the demon Tripurasura and destroyed the three cities (Tripura) — hence the celebratory lighting of lamps. In several accounts it is also linked with Kartikeya (Murugan/Skanda), the son of Shiva.

These are presented as tradition and devotional narrative. Devotees observe the day for spiritual merit, gratitude and family well-being; it is not a promise of any specific material, health or worldly outcome.

Dev Deepawali: The Festival of Lights of the Gods

Dev Deepawali — 'the Diwali of the gods' — is celebrated on Kartik Purnima, most famously on the ghats of Kashi (Varanasi). By tradition it is the night the devas descend to the earthly Ganga to celebrate, and the stone ghats are lined with countless earthen lamps (diyas) at dusk, mirrored in the river. Devotees offer deep-daan, take part in Ganga aarti, and float lamps on the water.

If you plan to attend Dev Deepawali in Varanasi or any riverfront deepotsava, confirm timings, crowd arrangements and safety guidance from official local sources; do not rely on unverified schedules. This guide does not list specific event venues, programmes, prices or organisers.

Karthigai Deepam in the South

In Tamil Nadu and among Tamil communities, the Kartik full moon is associated with Karthigai Deepam, an ancient festival of lamps. Homes and temples are decorated with rows of agal vilakku (earthen lamps), and the great beacon lit at Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai — the Maha Deepam on the Annamalai hill — draws large gatherings by tradition. The lamp is understood as a form of Shiva as light (jyoti). As above, verify the exact 2026 dates and any temple programme with the temple's own official announcements. [VERIFY]

Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab)

Kartik Purnima is also observed by the Sikh community as Guru Nanak Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru. The day is marked with Akhand Path, Nagar Kirtan processions, and langar (community meals) at gurdwaras. For 2026, the Gurpurab date is tied to the same full moon; confirm the precise date and any local gurdwara programme with your gurdwara. [VERIFY]

Kartik Purnima Puja Vidhi (How to Observe at Home)

1. Wake before dawn and, where possible, take a holy bath (snan) in a river or sacred water source; if that is not possible, add a little Gangajal to your bathing water and bathe at home with a sankalp (intention).
2. Clean the puja space and place images or idols of Vishnu, Shiva or your ishta-devata; light a lamp with pure ghee or oil.
3. Offer water (arghya), flowers, tulsi, roli-akshat, incense (dhoop) and naivedya (a simple prasad such as fruit or kheer).
4. Recite the mantras, stotras or the Vishnu/Shiva names your family follows, and read or listen to the Kartik-mahatmya if that is your tradition.
5. At dusk, light rows of earthen lamps at the doorway, tulsi vrindavan and, where custom permits, offer floating lamps (deep-daan) at a river or pond.
6. Give daan (charity) — food, grains, warm clothing or a lamp — according to your means, and share prasad with family and neighbours.

Vidhi differs from region to region and family to family; treat the above as a general framework and follow the specific sequence your family and temple keep.

Fasting on Kartik Purnima

Many devotees keep a vrat (fast) on Kartik Purnima, ranging from a full waterless fast to a simple satvik phalahar (fruit and milk) fast, breaking it after the evening puja or moonrise. The form of the fast is a matter of family and personal tradition. Anyone who is pregnant, elderly, unwell or living with a medical condition such as diabetes should consult a doctor before fasting, and adapt or set aside the fast on medical advice — devotion is never meant to harm health.

Who Observes and How

Traditionally, Kartik Purnima is observed widely — by men and women, married and unmarried, young and old. In some households the Kartik-month vows (including bathing and lamp offerings) are especially kept by women, while in others the whole family participates together; there is a genuine range of practice across regions and communities. No single rule excludes anyone. If you are unsure what is customary in your family, follow the guidance of your elders and your temple rather than a fixed prescription.

• Take a holy dip at dawn, or bathe at home with Gangajal and a sankalp.
• Light earthen lamps at the doorway, home shrine and, where custom allows, on a riverbank.
• Offer deep-daan and participate in Ganga aarti or a temple deepotsava if one is near you.
• Give charity — food, grains, clothing or lamps — to those in need.
• Keep a fast in the form your family follows, mindful of health.

A Note on Lamps and Fireworks

The heart of Kartik Purnima and Dev Deepawali is light — earthen lamps rather than crackers. If your local celebration involves fireworks, remember that their use is governed by local law and municipal rules, which must be checked and followed; never use fireworks unlawfully or unsafely. Keep lamps away from children, curtains and flammable materials, and never leave an open flame unattended.

Mantras and Aarti

Devotees traditionally recite Vishnu and Shiva names on this day — for example the Vishnu Sahasranama or simple mantras such as 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya' and 'Om Namah Shivaya' — along with the aarti of the deity their family worships. Long stotras like the Vishnu Sahasranama are best recited from a proper text or with guidance rather than reproduced here. Use only traditional, public-domain prayers; devotional practice does not require any modern song.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Kartik Purnima in 2026?

Kartik Purnima 2026 falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. It is the full-moon (Purnima) day of the Kartik month. The exact tithi start and end clock times vary by panchang and city, so confirm them with your local panchang.

What is Dev Deepawali and when is it in 2026?

Dev Deepawali, the 'Diwali of the gods,' is celebrated on Kartik Purnima — Tuesday, 24 November 2026. It is most famous on the ghats of Kashi (Varanasi), where thousands of earthen lamps are lit at dusk and offered to the Ganga.

Is Karthigai Deepam the same day as Kartik Purnima 2026?

Karthigai Deepam is fixed by the Karthigai nakshatra in the Tamil month, so it may fall on Kartik Purnima or an adjacent day depending on the year. Check your regional Tamil panchang for the exact 2026 date and time. [VERIFY]

Why does Guru Nanak Jayanti fall on Kartik Purnima?

Guru Nanak Gurpurab, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is traditionally observed on the Kartik full moon, which is Kartik Purnima. Confirm the precise 2026 date and any gurdwara programme with your local gurdwara. [VERIFY]

What is the significance of Kartik Purnima?

By tradition, Kartik Purnima honours Vishnu's Matsya avatar and, for Shaivites, marks Tripurari Purnima when Shiva destroyed the three cities of Tripura. It is a day of holy bathing, lamp offerings and charity, observed for spiritual merit and gratitude.

How do you perform Kartik Purnima puja at home?

Bathe at dawn (with Gangajal if a river is not available), light a ghee or oil lamp, and offer water, flowers, tulsi, incense and prasad to Vishnu or Shiva. Recite your family's mantras, light earthen lamps at dusk, and give charity. Follow your family and temple practice.

Should everyone fast on Kartik Purnima?

Fasting is a matter of family and personal tradition, ranging from a waterless fast to a simple fruit-and-milk fast. Anyone who is pregnant, elderly, unwell or living with a medical condition should consult a doctor before fasting and adapt it on medical advice.

Why are so many lamps lit on Kartik Purnima?

Light is central to the day: the lamps of Dev Deepawali welcome the devas to the Ganga, the Tripurari tradition celebrates Shiva's victory, and Karthigai Deepam honours Shiva as jyoti (light). Earthen lamps are traditional; if fireworks are used, local law must be checked and followed.