Quick answer: Thursday 3 December 2026 is Day 24 of Karthika Masam in India. The tithi is Krishna Dashami (began 10:51 PM IST on Wed 2 Dec) until 11:03 PM IST, then Ekadashi (Drik Panchang, IST). Light the evening deepam at local sunset: 5:41 PM IST in Hyderabad (Drik Panchang); times for 12 more cities are below. Today's reading is Karthika Puranam Chapter 24.

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.

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Sunrise, sunset and deepam time by city (Day 24)

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 Thursday 3 December. For cities abroad, the date shown is the local day on which Dashami is running at sunrise, and a note is added where the local panchang differs.

  • Hyderabad: sunrise 6:31 AM, sunset 5:41 PM IST
  • Vijayawada: sunrise 6:21 AM, sunset 5:33 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Bengaluru: sunrise 6:27 AM, sunset 5:51 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Chennai: sunrise 6:16 AM, sunset 5:40 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New Delhi: sunrise 6:57 AM, sunset 5:24 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • Mumbai: sunrise 6:56 AM, sunset 5:59 PM IST, calculated (approx.)
  • New York: sunrise 7:02 AM, sunset 4:29 PM EST, calculated (approx.) (Thu 3 Dec)
  • Dallas: sunrise 7:13 AM, sunset 5:20 PM CST, calculated (approx.) (Thu 3 Dec)
  • San Jose: sunrise 7:05 AM, sunset 4:50 PM PST, calculated (approx.) (Thu 3 Dec)
  • London: sunrise 7:46 AM, sunset 3:54 PM GMT, calculated (approx.) (Thu 3 Dec)
  • Toronto: sunrise 7:33 AM, sunset 4:41 PM EST, calculated (approx.) (Thu 3 Dec)
  • Dubai: sunrise 6:48 AM, sunset 5:29 PM GST, calculated (approx.) (Thu 3 Dec)
  • Sydney: sunrise 5:37 AM, sunset 7:52 PM AEDT, calculated (approx.) (Thu 3 Dec)
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For other cities, check your city's panchang. Country guides: USA, UK, Canada, UAE, Australia.

Today's tithi and nakshatra

  • Tithi: Krishna Dashami (began 10:51 PM IST on Wed 2 Dec) until 11:03 PM IST, then Ekadashi.
  • Nakshatra: Uttara Phalguni until 9:23 AM IST, then Hasta (until 10:22 AM IST on Fri 4 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 Dashami ends in your time zone:

  • New York and Toronto: Dashami ends 12:33 PM EST on Thu 3 Dec
  • Dallas: 11:33 AM CST on Thu 3 Dec
  • San Jose: 9:33 AM PST on Thu 3 Dec
  • London: 5:33 PM GMT on Thu 3 Dec
  • Dubai: 9:33 PM GST on Thu 3 Dec
  • Sydney: 4:33 AM AEDT on Fri 4 Dec
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Festival of the day

Drik Panchang lists no festival for Thursday 3 December 2026 (Hyderabad). Ekadashi begins at 11:03 PM IST tonight, and Utpanna Ekadashi is kept tomorrow, Friday 4 December. Families who fast usually take a light, simple meal today.

Today's Karthika Puranam reading: Chapter 24

On Day 24, read Karthika Puranam Chapter 24. 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 24.
  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.
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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 Thursday 3 December 2026?

According to Drik Panchang (IST), the tithi is Krishna Dashami (began 10:51 PM IST on Wed 2 Dec) until 11:03 PM IST, then Ekadashi. The nakshatra is Uttara Phalguni until 9:23 AM IST, then Hasta (until 10:22 AM IST on Fri 4 Dec).

What time should I light the Karthika deepam on 3 December 2026?

Light the lamp at local sunset. In Hyderabad sunset is 5:41 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 24?

Chapter 24. Many families read one chapter a day through Karthika Masam.

Is Day 24 on the same date in the USA, UK and Australia?

Yes. Going by Drik Panchang's tithi times and calculated sunrise, Dashami is at sunrise on Thursday 3 December in New York, Dallas, San Jose, Toronto, London, Dubai and Sydney too. Only the clock times differ.

Which mantra can I chant on Day 24?

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.

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