Quick answer: Monday 30 November 2026 is Day 21 of Karthika Masam in India. The tithi is Krishna Saptami (began 1:46 AM IST today) until 12:11 AM IST on Tue 1 Dec, then Ashtami (Drik Panchang, IST). It is the third Karthika Somavaram. Light the evening deepam at local sunset: 5:40 PM IST in Hyderabad (Drik Panchang); times for 12 more cities are below. Today's reading is Karthika Puranam Chapter 21.

Karthika Masam 2026 (amanta) began on Tuesday 10 November in India and a day earlier, on Monday 9 November, in the USA, UK and Canada. It ends with Amavasya on Tuesday 8 December. Full dates are in our Karthika Masam 2026 guide and the day-by-day calendar.

Advertisement

Sunrise, sunset and deepam time by city (Day 21)

Light the deepam at sunset in your city. Hyderabad times are from Drik Panchang's day page. Times marked 'calculated (approx.)' use the standard sunrise equation because Drik Panchang's page for that city and date was not available to us; on the dates we could check they matched Drik within a minute. Indian cities are for Monday 30 November. For cities abroad, the date shown is the local day on which Saptami is running at sunrise, and a note is added where the local panchang differs.

  • Hyderabad: sunrise 6:29 AM, sunset 5:40 PM IST
  • Vijayawada: sunrise 6:19 AM, sunset 5:32 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Bengaluru: sunrise 6:25 AM, sunset 5:51 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Chennai: sunrise 6:15 AM, sunset 5:40 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New Delhi: sunrise 6:55 AM, sunset 5:24 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Mumbai: sunrise 6:54 AM, sunset 5:59 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New York: sunrise 6:59 AM, sunset 4:30 PM EST, calculated (approx.) (Mon 30 Nov)
  • Dallas: sunrise 7:10 AM, sunset 5:21 PM CST, calculated (approx.) (Mon 30 Nov)
  • San Jose: sunrise 7:02 AM, sunset 4:50 PM PST, calculated (approx.) (Mon 30 Nov)
  • London: sunrise 7:42 AM, sunset 3:56 PM GMT, calculated (approx.) (Mon 30 Nov)
  • Toronto: sunrise 7:30 AM, sunset 4:42 PM EST, calculated (approx.) (Mon 30 Nov)
  • Dubai: sunrise 6:46 AM, sunset 5:29 PM GST, calculated (approx.) (Mon 30 Nov)
  • Sydney: sunrise 5:37 AM, sunset 7:49 PM AEDT, calculated (approx.) (Mon 30 Nov). Shashthi is at sunrise here on Mon 30 Nov; Saptami is at sunrise on Tue 1 Dec. Check your city's panchang
Advertisement

For other cities, check your city's panchang. Country guides: USA, UK, Canada, UAE, Australia.

Today's tithi and nakshatra

  • Tithi: Krishna Saptami (began 1:46 AM IST today) until 12:11 AM IST on Tue 1 Dec, then Ashtami.
  • Nakshatra: Ashlesha until 9:42 AM IST, then Magha (until 9:00 AM IST on Tue 1 Dec).
  • Paksha and month: Krishna Paksha, Kartika (amanta).

A tithi changes at the same moment everywhere in the world. Only the clock time differs. When Saptami ends in your time zone:

  • New York and Toronto: Saptami ends 1:41 PM EST on Mon 30 Nov
  • Dallas: 12:41 PM CST on Mon 30 Nov
  • San Jose: 10:41 AM PST on Mon 30 Nov
  • London: 6:41 PM GMT on Mon 30 Nov
  • Dubai: 10:41 PM GST on Mon 30 Nov
  • Sydney: 5:41 AM AEDT on Tue 1 Dec
Advertisement

Festival of the day: the third Karthika Somavaram

Monday 30 November 2026 is the third Karthika Somavaram in India (the fourth in the USA, UK and Canada, where the month began on 9 November). Families keep a fast or a single meal for Lord Shiva and light the lamp at sunset. See all Karthika Somavaram 2026 dates in India.

In India, Kalabhairav Jayanti is tomorrow, Tuesday 1 December (Ashtami from 12:11 AM IST). In the USA, Canada, the UK and the UAE it is kept tonight, Monday 30 November, because the night worship follows the Ashtami at local midnight. See festival dates that differ abroad.

Advertisement

Today's Karthika Puranam reading: Chapter 21

On Day 21, read Karthika Puranam Chapter 21. Many families read one chapter each day, often after the evening lamp. For the whole story in one place, see Karthika Puranam: the complete sacred narrative.

5 things to do today

  1. Early bath: bathe before or around sunrise. Warm water is fine if the morning is cold, especially for elders and children.
  2. Lamp at sunset: light a ghee or sesame-oil deepam at local sunset (see the city list above) at the door, the puja shelf or near Tulasi.
  3. Tulasi puja: offer water and a lamp to the Tulasi plant and walk around it. Our daily Tulasi puja vidhi has the steps.
  4. Read the Puranam: read or listen to Karthika Puranam Chapter 21.
  5. Sattvic food and charity: keep meals simple and vegetarian, and give food, a lamp, oil or clothes to someone in need if you can.
Advertisement

3 things to avoid today

  • Non-vegetarian food and alcohol, if that is your family tradition for Karthika.
  • Arguments and harsh words: the month is kept for calm, prayer and kindness.
  • Wasting food or skipping the evening lamp: even one small diya at sunset keeps the daily practice going.

Mantra for today

Om Namah Shivaya

Meaning: "I bow to Lord Shiva." This five-syllable (Panchakshari) mantra is the most common chant of Karthika Masam. Chant it 11, 27 or 108 times with the evening lamp.

Chant with devotion and at your own pace. Traditions differ from family to family, so follow your elders or your temple priest where they guide you differently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tithi on Monday 30 November 2026?

According to Drik Panchang (IST), the tithi is Krishna Saptami (began 1:46 AM IST today) until 12:11 AM IST on Tue 1 Dec, then Ashtami. The nakshatra is Ashlesha until 9:42 AM IST, then Magha (until 9:00 AM IST on Tue 1 Dec).

What time should I light the Karthika deepam on 30 November 2026?

Light the lamp at local sunset. In Hyderabad sunset is 5:40 PM IST (Drik Panchang). In Chennai it is 5:40 PM and in New Delhi 5:24 PM IST (calculated, approx.). Other cities are listed on this page.

Which Karthika Puranam chapter is read on Day 21?

Chapter 21. Many families read one chapter a day through Karthika Masam.

Is Day 21 on the same date in the USA, UK and Australia?

Mostly. Going by Drik Panchang's tithi times and calculated sunrise, Saptami is at sunrise on Monday 30 November in New York, Dallas, San Jose, London, Toronto and Dubai. In Sydney the tithi at sunrise on 30 November is different (see the city list). Check your city's panchang.

Which mantra can I chant on Day 21?

Om Namah Shivaya. Meaning: I bow to Lord Shiva. This five-syllable (Panchakshari) mantra is the most common chant of Karthika Masam. Chant it 11, 27 or 108 times with the evening lamp.

Sources

Tithi and nakshatra times are from Drik Panchang's day pages (IST, checked on 9 October 2026); a tithi ends at the same moment everywhere in India, and Drik's New Delhi pages give the same times where we checked. Sunrise and sunset for Hyderabad are from Drik Panchang; lines marked calculated (approx.) use the standard sunrise equation. Clock times abroad are the same instants converted to local time.

Continue the Karthika journey