Karthigai Deepam
Festival of lamps in the Tamil month Karthigai on the evening the Moon is in Krittika (Karthigai), with the Maha Deepam lit on the Tiruvannamalai hill.
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Beta Rules awaiting automated Jyotish review
This festival's date rule is applied exactly as documented, but it has not yet passed the platform's Jyotish review (an automated review against the classical texts and published Panchangs). Regional Panchangs may differ; confirm with your family priest or local temple.
- CategoryFestival
- DeityBhagavan Shiva
- RegionRegional observance: Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Timings on Tuesday, 24 November 2026
Rule applied: Regional calendar — Tamil calendar: the day of the Tamil month on which the Moon is in the nakshatra at the festival’s time of day.
Questions about Karthigai Deepam
When is Karthigai Deepam 2026?
Karthigai Deepam 2026 is on Tuesday, 24 November 2026.
Which deity is Karthigai Deepam dedicated to?
Karthigai Deepam is dedicated to Bhagavan Shiva.
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AI explanation of calculated facts — traditional guidance, not a prediction
How the date is determined
- The month is the Tamil solar month of sidereal Vrishchika (Scorpio): it begins on the day the Sun enters Vrishchika (Scorpio) if that happens before sunset, otherwise on the next day, and ends on the day before the next month begins.
- The festival is on the day of that month on which the Moon is in Krittika during Pradosh Kaal; when Krittika covers Pradosh Kaal on two consecutive days, the first.
- If the month has two Krittika days, the later one is taken: the first falls in the first days of the month and belongs with the previous month’s full moon.
- Sidereal positions use the ayanamsa of your calculation profile; a different ayanamsa can shift the moment by several minutes.
Traditional variation
Tamil almanacs on the Vakya system and the Tiruvannamalai temple can differ by a day from this drik reckoning, especially when Krittika ends close to sunset. Some households also light lamps on the Purnima of Kartika. Follow your temple’s announcement.
This is the date given by the rule shown above for the selected place. It is not the only valid date: regional Panchangs, family customs and sampradayas may observe it on a different day.
Rule source: Tamil solar calendar: Krittika (Karthigai) nakshatra in the month Karthigai (sidereal Vrishchika, the Tamil month-start rule), lamps at dusk: the day on whose Pradosh the Moon is in Krittika; when the month has two such evenings, the later (the first falls in its first two days, with the previous month’s Purnima). Engine rule: nakshatra_solar_month with calendar 'tamil'. No official list prints the day in the checked years; the Tiruvannamalai temple announces its own
Traditions may vary by region and Panchang convention. Times are shown for the selected place, time zone and calculation profile.
Calculated with profile north-lahiri-calibrated · ayanamsa Lahiri (calibrated) · Asia/Kolkata
Dates in 2026
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/11/2026 (Tue) Next | — | — | Standard rule applied |
Dates in 2027
| Date | Defining tithi / moment | Time windows | Decision notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/12/2027 (Sat) | — | — | Standard rule applied |