Karthika Masam 2026: Dates, Somavaram, Deepam, Temples

Karthika Masam is the month Telugu and Kannada families spend lighting lamps at dusk, fasting on Mondays and visiting Shiva temples. This guide gives the exact 2026 dates, a day by day calendar, the rules for food and deepam, and a temple plan with real distances. It also explains why some websites show different dates, and what to do if you live outside India. We checked every date against several panchang based sources on 31 October 2026.

Quick Answer: Karthika Masam 2026 Dates

Karthika Masam 2026 runs from Tuesday 10 November to Tuesday 8 December in the Telugu and Kannada (amanta) calendar. The four Karthika Somavarams are 16, 23 and 30 November and 7 December. Karthika Pournami and Karthigai Deepam fall on 24 November, and the month ends with Karthika Amavasya on 8 December.

Item	2026 date	Note
Karthika Masam begins	Tue 10 Nov	Day after the Diwali Amavasya of 8 to 9 Nov
Nagula Chavithi	Fri 13 Nov	Naga worship on Shukla Chaturthi
1st Karthika Somavaram	Mon 16 Nov	Some Telugu calendars call it Koti Somavaram
Prabodhini (Uttana) Ekadashi	Fri 20 Nov (Smarta), Sat 21 Nov (Vaishnava)	Chaturmasa ends
Ksheerabdi Dwadashi and Tulasi Vivah	Sat 21 Nov	Some calendars allow 22 Nov
2nd Karthika Somavaram	Mon 23 Nov	Same day as Vaikuntha Chaturdashi
Karthika Pournami and Karthigai Deepam	Tue 24 Nov	Purnima tithi: 23 Nov 11:42 PM to 24 Nov 8:23 PM IST
3rd Karthika Somavaram	Mon 30 Nov
Kalabhairava Jayanti	Tue 1 Dec
Utpanna Ekadashi	Fri 4 Dec
4th Karthika Somavaram and Masa Shivaratri	Mon 7 Dec	Last Monday of the month
Karthika Amavasya, month ends	Tue 8 Dec

Dates and tithi times above follow the Hyderabad panchang based on Drik Panchang calculations, with sunrise as the reference. A few of them, such as Tulasi Vivah and the Ekadashi day, can move by one day between regional calendars. Your family priest or local temple notice has the final say.

What Is Karthika Masam?

Karthika Masam is the eighth month of the Hindu lunar year and the month after Diwali in the Telugu, Kannada, Marathi and Gujarati calendars. It is counted from the day after Ashwayuja Amavasya to Karthika Amavasya, so it contains the bright fortnight first and the dark fortnight second. It is held sacred to both Shiva and Vishnu, which is why you will see Somavaram fasts to Shiva and Tulasi Vivah to Vishnu in the same month.

The central practice is a daily lamp (deepam) at dusk, often with a bath before sunrise. Mondays are kept for Shiva. Pournami, the full moon day, is the peak, when temples and homes light 365 wicks and the Arunachala hill in Tamil Nadu is lit with the Maha Deepam. The Karthika Puranam, a Padma Purana narrative told by Vasishtha to King Janaka, is read through the month in 30 chapters.

Which Karthika Month Is Yours? Telugu, Tamil and North India Compared

Three different months are called Karthika or Kartik, and they do not start on the same day. This is the main reason dates differ between websites. Check the row that matches your family tradition.

Calendar	Where it is followed	2026 dates	How the month is counted
Amanta Karthika	Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat	10 Nov to 8 Dec	New moon to new moon, ends on Karthika Amavasya
Purnimanta Kartik	Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and most of North India	About 27 Oct to 24 Nov	Full moon to full moon, ends on Kartik Purnima
Tamil Karthigai	Tamil Nadu	About 17 Nov to 15 Dec (calculated)	Solar month, starts after Vrischika Sankranti on 16 Nov

All three share one day: 24 November 2026. It is Karthika Pournami in Telugu states, Kartik Purnima and Dev Deepawali in the north, and Karthigai Deepam in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Karthigai Somavarams fall on 23 and 30 November and 7 and 14 December, based on a calculated month start, so confirm with a Tamil panchangam. For the north Indian version, see our guides to Kartik Maas in Ayodhya and Dev Deepawali in Varanasi.

Date Mistakes We Found on Other Websites

While checking pages for this guide we found a Karthika Masam start of 17 October, Somavaram dates that fall on a Wednesday, a Pournami listed on 8 November, and Nagula Chavithi on 12 November. These are wrong for 2026. We also found one page that gives both 20 and 21 November for Prabodhini Ekadashi without explaining the difference. The next sections explain why both can be right.

Karthika Somavaram 2026: All Four Mondays

There are four Karthika Somavarams in 2026: 16 November, 23 November, 30 November and 7 December. Each Monday of Karthika is treated like a small Shivaratri, with fasting, abhishekam to Shiva and a lamp at dusk.

Somavaram	Date	What makes it special	Expect at temples
1st	Mon 16 Nov	First Monday of the month. Shravana nakshatra runs from the night of 15 Nov to the early morning of 17 Nov, which some Telugu calendars mark as Koti Somavaram	Heavy crowds from the start
2nd	Mon 23 Nov	Falls on Vaikuntha Chaturdashi, a day when Shiva and Vishnu are worshipped together. Purnima begins at night	Likely the busiest Monday, one day before Pournami
3rd	Mon 30 Nov	Krishna Saptami, after Pournami	Large but easier than 23 Nov
4th	Mon 7 Dec	Karthika Masa Shivaratri on the same day, one day before Amavasya	Heavy again, with night worship at Shiva temples

How to Observe Karthika Somavaram at Home

1. Bathe before sunrise. A home bath with a prayer is accepted when you cannot reach a river.
2. Light a lamp and offer water, milk and bilva leaves to the Shiva linga or picture.
3. Chant the Panchakshari mantra, Om Namah Shivaya, or the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra.
4. Choose your fast: a full fast broken after the evening puja, one vegetarian meal at night, only fruit and milk, or a simple vegetarian day.
5. Light a lamp at dusk, visit a Shiva temple if you can, and break the fast after the evening puja.

Fasting is a personal choice, not a requirement. Children, elders, pregnant women and people with diabetes, low blood pressure, kidney problems or long term illness should ask a doctor before a full fast. Do not stop regular medicines for a vrat.

Karthika Masam 2026 Calendar: Day by Day

This table lists all 29 days, with the tithi at Hyderabad sunrise and the main observance. Tithi times can differ by a few minutes in other cities. Skipped and repeated tithis, such as Navami on 18 and 19 November, are the reason a festival can fall a day earlier or later in different calendars.

Date	Day	Tithi at sunrise	Observance
10 Nov	Tue	Shukla Pratipada	Karthika Masam begins. Govardhan Puja, Annakut
11 Nov	Wed	Shukla Dwitiya	Bhai Dooj, Chitragupta Puja
12 Nov	Thu	Shukla Tritiya	No major festival. Start the daily lamp
13 Nov	Fri	Shukla Chaturthi	Nagula Chavithi
14 Nov	Sat	Shukla Panchami	Labh Panchami
15 Nov	Sun	Shukla Shashthi	Skanda Sashti, Soora Samharam. Chhath Puja
16 Nov	Mon	Shukla Saptami	1st Karthika Somavaram
17 Nov	Tue	Shukla Ashtami	Gopashtami. Sabarimala Mandala season begins
18 Nov	Wed	Shukla Navami	Akshaya Navami, Jagaddhatri Puja
19 Nov	Thu	Navami, then Dashami	No major festival
20 Nov	Fri	Dashami, then Ekadashi	Prabodhini (Uttana) Ekadashi, Smarta. Chaturmasa ends
21 Nov	Sat	Ekadashi, then Dwadashi	Ksheerabdi Dwadashi, Tulasi Vivah. Prabodhini Ekadashi for Vaishnavas
22 Nov	Sun	Shukla Trayodashi	Ravi Pradosh Vrat
23 Nov	Mon	Chaturdashi, then Purnima	2nd Karthika Somavaram. Vaikuntha Chaturdashi
24 Nov	Tue	Purnima, then Pratipada	Karthika Pournami, Karthigai Deepam, Dev Deepawali, Guru Nanak Jayanti
25 Nov	Wed	Krishna Pratipada	Margashirsha begins in North India
26 Nov	Thu	Krishna Dwitiya	No major festival
27 Nov	Fri	Krishna Tritiya	Ganadhipa Sankashti Chaturthi
28 Nov	Sat	Krishna Chaturthi	No major festival
29 Nov	Sun	Krishna Shashthi	No major festival
30 Nov	Mon	Krishna Saptami	3rd Karthika Somavaram
1 Dec	Tue	Krishna Ashtami	Kalabhairava Jayanti, Kalashtami
2 Dec	Wed	Krishna Navami	No major festival
3 Dec	Thu	Krishna Dashami	No major festival
4 Dec	Fri	Krishna Ekadashi	Utpanna Ekadashi
5 Dec	Sat	Krishna Dwadashi	Utpanna Ekadashi parana
6 Dec	Sun	Krishna Trayodashi	Ravi Pradosh Vrat
7 Dec	Mon	Krishna Chaturdashi	4th Karthika Somavaram. Karthika Masa Shivaratri
8 Dec	Tue	Amavasya	Karthika Amavasya, Karthika Masam ends

For Chhath on 15 November, read our Chhath Puja 2026 guide. For Kalabhairava Jayanti on 1 December, see Kaal Bhairav Jayanti in Varanasi.

Karthika Pournami 2026: Date, Tithi Time and What to Do

Karthika Pournami is on Tuesday 24 November 2026. The Purnima tithi begins at 11:42 PM IST on 23 November and ends at 8:23 PM IST on 24 November, so the full moon evening of 24 November is inside the tithi for anyone in India.

• Lamps: homes and temples light 365 wicks together, one for each day of the year, and many families float lamps on a river or tank.
• Jwala Thoranam: a flame arch lit at many Shiva temples in the evening. Reports for Srisailam list it as per tradition, but we found no confirmed 2026 programme, so check the temple notice. Our Srisailam Karthika Masam guide covers it in detail.
• Karthigai Deepam: in Tamil Nadu, the Maha Deepam is lit on the Annamalai hill at Tiruvannamalai at dusk. The Karthigai nakshatra runs from 2:02 AM to 11:25 PM IST on 24 November.
• Dev Deepawali: in Varanasi the ghats are lit on the same night. See our Kashi Dev Diwali guide for the lighting and photography plan.
• Other names: Tripuri Purnima, Kartik Purnima, Guru Nanak Jayanti. For a comparison of Ayodhya Deepotsav and Dev Deepawali, read Deepotsav vs Dev Deepawali.

Karthika Pournami Time in Your City

The table converts the Indian tithi window to local clock time. It shows when the Purnima tithi is running in your city, not the moonrise or a priest's muhurta.

City	Purnima begins	Purnima ends
Hyderabad, Delhi, all India	23 Nov, 11:42 PM	24 Nov, 8:23 PM
Dubai	23 Nov, 10:12 PM	24 Nov, 6:53 PM
London (GMT)	23 Nov, 6:12 PM	24 Nov, 2:53 PM
New York, Toronto (EST)	23 Nov, 1:12 PM	24 Nov, 9:53 AM
Chicago (CST)	23 Nov, 12:12 PM	24 Nov, 8:53 AM
Los Angeles (PST)	23 Nov, 10:12 AM	24 Nov, 6:53 AM
Singapore	24 Nov, 2:12 AM	24 Nov, 10:53 PM
Sydney (AEDT)	24 Nov, 5:12 AM	25 Nov, 1:53 AM

In North America the tithi ends in the morning of 24 November, so many families light the Pournami lamp on the evening of 23 November, or follow the date announced by their local temple. Our guides for the USA, Canada and Australia cover festival planning from abroad.

Karthika Deepam: How to Light the Lamp

Light one ghee or sesame oil lamp at sunset every day of Karthika Masam, from 10 November to 8 December. Many families add a second lamp before dawn. Hyderabad sunset is about 5:40 to 5:42 PM through the month, and sunrise is about 6:17 to 6:32 AM.

When	Where	What to light
Every day at dusk	Doorway, puja room and beside the tulasi plant	One ghee or sesame oil lamp each
Every day before dawn (optional)	Tulasi plant or puja room	One lamp after the morning bath
Each Monday	Shiva temple or home shrine	A dusk lamp and, where possible, deepa daanam
Karthika Pournami, 24 Nov	Temple, home, river or tank	365 wicks together, in the tradition
Karthika Amavasya, 8 Dec	Home	A final lamp to close the month

1. Clean the place and the lamp. Fill it with ghee or sesame oil.
2. Place the wick, light it and say a short prayer or mantra.
3. Set the lamp on a plate, away from curtains, paper and dry decoration.
4. Do not leave an open flame alone. Use an LED diya where flames are not allowed, such as apartments or some overseas buildings.
5. Let the lamp burn down by itself. Do not blow it out.

Lamp counts and oil quantities are family custom, and temples differ. The only number that appears widely is 365 wicks on Pournami.

Karthika Masam Rules: Food, Snanam and Fasting

There is no single rulebook. The points below are common customs in Telugu households, and families follow them to different degrees. Avoid non-vegetarian food, alcohol and tobacco for the whole month, and take a bath before sunrise.

Area	Usually followed	Often avoided
Food	Rice, wheat, millets, moong and toor dal, seasonal vegetables, milk, curd, ghee, buttermilk, fruit and amla	Meat, fish, eggs, alcohol, tobacco
Extra care on Mondays, Ekadashi and Pournami	Simple vegetarian meals	Onion and garlic in many homes
Family custom, varies	Payasam, pongal or halwa as naivedyam	Brinjal, urad dal, masoor dal, stale or day-old food in some families
Snanam	Bath before sunrise, in a river, tank or sea if possible	No fixed list, family custom

Types of Fasting on Karthika Mondays

• Upavasam: no meal during the day, broken after the evening puja and lamp, often after seeing the stars.
• Nakta or Naktam: a single vegetarian meal taken after sunset.
• Ekabhuktam: one meal in the day, usually at night.
• Fruit and milk only: a lighter option for elders.
• Simple observance: no fast, but vegetarian food, a lamp and Shiva prayer.

A fast at home does not need a priest. Ask a doctor first if you are elderly, pregnant, nursing, diabetic or on regular medicine. Drink enough water.

Charity and Daanam in Karthika

Deepa daanam, giving a lamp to a temple or lighting lamps there, is considered very meritorious. Food donation (annadanam), clothing and help given within your means are also common. Give through the temple office or a known charity, not through unknown callers.

Nagula Chavithi, Vana Bhojanam, Tulasi Vivah and Ekadashi

Nagula Chavithi 2026: 13 November

Nagula Chavithi is on Friday 13 November 2026, on Shukla Chaturthi. Devotees, mainly women, worship Naga devata and offer milk at anthills. One site lists 12 November, but Chaturthi is the sunrise tithi on 13 November and ends at 8:42 PM that evening. Do not disturb snakes or anthills.

Vana Bhojanam

Vana bhojanam is a shared vegetarian meal in a garden or grove, traditionally under an amla tree. It has no fixed date and is usually held on a Sunday or holiday during the month. Check that cooking is allowed at the park, keep the place clean and take your waste home.

Prabodhini Ekadashi and Tulasi Vivah

Prabodhini Ekadashi is on Friday 20 November for Smarta families and Saturday 21 November for Vaishnavas. The Ekadashi tithi starts at 7:15 AM on 20 November and ends at 6:31 AM on 21 November at Hyderabad, which is why both days appear. Ksheerabdi Dwadashi and Tulasi Vivah, the marriage of Tulasi to Vishnu with an amla branch, are on Saturday 21 November. Chaturmasa ends on this Ekadashi, and wedding muhurtams resume after it. Ask a local purohit for the parana time.

Karthika Puranam Reading

The Karthika Puranam has 30 chapters, and the month has 29 days. Read one chapter a day from 10 November and take two chapters together on one or two days to finish on Karthika Amavasya, 8 December. Printed Telugu editions do not always divide the chapters in the same place.

Best Temples to Visit in Karthika Masam

The best temples for Karthika Masam are Srisailam, the five Pancharama Kshetras, Srikalahasti, Mahanandi and Kotappakonda in Andhra Pradesh, and Vemulawada and Keesaragutta in Telangana. Mondays and Pournami are the busiest days at all of them. A weekday that is not a Monday is calmer.

Andhra Pradesh

Temple	Place	Why go in Karthika
Srisailam Mallikarjuna	Srisailam, Nandyal district	One of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The Bhramaramba shrine is counted among the Shakti Peethas
Pancharama Kshetras	Amaravati, Draksharama, Bhimavaram, Palakollu, Samalkot	Five Shiva temples that tradition links to one linga
Srikalahasti	Tirupati district	Vayu linga, known for Rahu-Ketu puja
Mahanandi	Nandyal district	Known for its pushkarini, the sacred pool
Kotappakonda Trikoteswara	Near Narasaraopet, Palnadu district	Hill temple. Its biggest festival is Maha Shivaratri
Yaganti Uma Maheswara	Nandyal district	Shiva and Parvati worshipped together in one image
Kapileswara	Tirupati	At the foot of the Tirumala hills, beside the Kapila Theertham waterfall
Lepakshi Veerabhadra	Sri Sathya Sai district	Often a day trip from Bengaluru

Telangana

Temple	Place	Note
Vemulawada Raja Rajeshwara	Rajanna Sircilla district	About 150 km from Hyderabad and 38 km from Karimnagar. Devotees bathe in the Dharma Gundam tank before darshan
Keesaragutta Ramalingeswara	Medchal-Malkajgiri district	A hilltop temple on the north-east edge of Hyderabad, a common choice on Karthika Mondays
Kaleshwaram Mukteswara	Jayashankar Bhupalpally district	Bath at the river confluence, then worship two lingas. Plan an overnight halt from Hyderabad
Ramappa Rudreswara	Mulugu district	UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021, pairs with the Thousand Pillar Temple and Warangal Fort
Alampur Jogulamba	Jogulamba Gadwal district	Often combined with Srisailam
Yadagirigutta	Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district	Narasimha darshan, with a Shiva shrine on the hill

Hyderabad City Temples

Keesaragutta is the usual Karthika Monday choice. Chilkur Balaji is busiest on Karthika Ekadashi and Saturdays, Birla Mandir is easy to visit at dusk, and Peddamma Temple in Jubilee Hills draws many women on Karthika Fridays. Koti Deepotsavam in Hyderabad was not announced for 2026 when we checked, and last year the show began on 1 November at NTR Stadium.

Srisailam in Karthika Masam: How to Reach and What to Plan

Srisailam is about 210 to 230 km from Hyderabad, and the drive takes roughly 5 to 7 hours depending on traffic. It has no railway station, and the nearest rail stop is Markapur Road, about 85 km away.

From	Road distance to Srisailam	Note
Hyderabad	About 210 to 230 km	Guides give several figures, car route about 212 km
Kurnool	About 180 km
Vijayawada	About 263 km
Tirupati	About 389 km
Bengaluru	About 533 km	Better as a two day trip

• Nearest railway station: Markapur Road, about 85 km. Nearest major airport: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad.
• APSRTC buses run from Hyderabad. Reported departures are very early in the morning, so confirm the timetable.
• Drive the Nallamala forest road in daylight. Some guides report night travel limits on that stretch.
• Carry a photo ID for every person. Overseas visitors should carry a passport or OCI card.
• After an inspection on 25 October, the Devasthanam chairman reportedly ordered queue repairs, drinking water and light refreshments for waiting devotees. Sparsha darshan has been reported as unavailable in the morning and afternoon on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays since 3 August 2026, but available at night. Check the Devasthanam notice before you plan.
• Book rooms weeks ahead for Mondays and Pournami.

For the Pournami programme, Jwala Thoranam and the Deepotsavam, read our full Srisailam Karthika Masam 2026 guide.

Pancharama Kshetras: One Day or Two Days?

Two days is the comfortable plan for the five Pancharama Kshetras. One day is possible for healthy adults who start very early, but it is long and tiring.

Kshetra	Deity	Town	District
Amararama	Amareswara Swamy	Amaravati	Palnadu
Draksharama	Bhimeswara Swamy	Draksharama	Konaseema
Somarama	Someswara Swamy	Bhimavaram (Gunupudi)	West Godavari
Ksheerarama	Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy	Palakollu	West Godavari
Kumararama	Kumara Bhimeswara Swamy	Samalkot	Kakinada

Four of the five are close together in the Godavari delta. Amararama is on the Krishna river, well to the south-west. District names changed in 2022, so older maps may show Guntur or East Godavari.

Day	Plan
Day 1	Start from Vijayawada. Visit Amararama at Amaravati and Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada. Halt near Vijayawada or travel on to Rajahmundry
Day 2	Start from Rajahmundry or Kakinada. Draksharama, Samalkot, then Palakollu and Bhimavaram

The order is flexible, so choose it by your starting city: Vijayawada, Rajahmundry or Kakinada. Your Travel Partner can plan the route with a driver for the two days.

Plan Your Karthika Temple Trip: Crowds, Dress and Booking

The busiest days are the four Mondays, 23 November (Somavaram and Vaikuntha Chaturdashi together) and 24 November (Pournami). Travel on a weekday outside these dates for calmer darshan.

Dates	Crowd level (our planning estimate)	Advice
16, 23, 30 Nov and 7 Dec (Mondays)	Very high	Reach before dawn, carry water, avoid with small children and elders
23 and 24 Nov	Highest of the month	Book rooms weeks ahead, allow an extra day
20 and 21 Nov (Ekadashi, Tulasi Vivah)	High at Vishnu temples	Plan Tirupati, Srikalahasti and Vishnu temples around these days
10 to 15 Nov, 25 to 29 Nov, 2 to 3 Dec	Lower	Best for families with elders

This crowd table is our own estimate from the festival calendar. It is not an official forecast.

Checklist Before You Travel

• Wear traditional or modest clothing. Some temples require it for special darshan.
• Carry bilva leaves, a small lamp, flowers and a coconut if the temple allows them.
• Buy prasadam only from official temple counters.
• Pay for darshan, abhishekam and seva only on the temple's official website or counter. Do not pay agents, private numbers or social media pages.
• Carry a photo ID and keep a printed or saved copy of the booking.
• Allow rest and water for elders and children. Hill climbs and long queues tire them fast.
• Keep an extra day for road delays in the Nallamala ghat section.

Visiting from Abroad

Karthika Masam is a good time for NRIs to combine temples with a family visit. Citizens of many countries can apply for an e-Tourist Visa on indianvisaonline.gov.in, the official portal. Apply at least four days before you fly and check the fee table, since fees change. OCI card holders do not need a tourist visa. Temples may ask for a passport or OCI card as ID. Read how we handle everything after you land, or see the 5 day NRI itinerary if you want to add Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj. We also have guides for travellers from the USA, Canada, London and Melbourne.

Karthika Masam Outside Andhra and Telangana

• Tamil Nadu: Karthigai month with Karthigai Deepam at Tiruvannamalai on 24 November. Pilgrims walk the 14 km girivalam path around the hill.
• Karnataka: the same amanta month as Telugu states, 10 November to 8 December.
• Kerala: Vrischika month starts after Vrischika Sankranti on 16 November. The Sabarimala Mandala season begins on 17 November. Many Telugu devotees also take the 41 day Ayyappa mala in this month.
• North India: Kartik snan at river ghats, deepdaan every evening, Tulsi puja and Dev Deepawali on 24 November. Read our guides to Kartik in Ayodhya and the best places to celebrate Diwali.

Plan Your Karthika Temple Trip with Your Travel Partner

Your Travel Partner is a travel company based in Ayodhya that arranges trips across India for families and groups from every state and from abroad. For Karthika Masam we plan the road and stay around the temple visit, from the arrival airport or railway station to the temple town.

• Cab and Tempo Traveller from Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati or any city to Srisailam, Vemulawada or the Pancharama temples: cab service, intercity and round trip.
• Pickup at the airport or the railway station for a family with elders.
• Rooms near the temple town through our hotel booking.
• A multi-day circuit, such as the Pancharamas with Vijayawada, as a custom package.
• Tell us your dates, city and group size on WhatsApp or through the enquiry form.

We do not sell darshan, abhishekam or seva tickets. Book them only through the temple's official channels. See the packages page, read our reviews, learn about us or check the cancellation policy before you book.

Common Mistakes in Karthika Masam

• Using a date from a site that does not say which calendar it follows. Amanta, purnimanta and Tamil months differ.
• Starting a trip to Srisailam late in the day and driving the forest road in the dark.
• Visiting on 23 or 24 November without a room booked.
• Paying an agent for darshan or abhishekam.
• Taking an open flame lamp into a place that does not allow it.
• Observing a full fast without asking a doctor when you have a health condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Karthika Masam 2026?

Karthika Masam 2026 starts on Tuesday 10 November and ends on Tuesday 8 December in the Telugu and Kannada amanta calendar. It lasts 29 days and ends on Karthika Amavasya.

What are the Karthika Somavaram dates in 2026?

The four Karthika Somavarams in 2026 are 16 November, 23 November, 30 November and 7 December. The last one is also Karthika Masa Shivaratri.

When is Karthika Pournami 2026?

Karthika Pournami is on Tuesday 24 November 2026. The Purnima tithi runs from 11:42 PM IST on 23 November to 8:23 PM IST on 24 November.

When is Karthika Deepam 2026?

Families light a lamp every evening of Karthika Masam, from 10 November to 8 December. The main Karthigai Deepam, with the Maha Deepam at Tiruvannamalai, is on 24 November.

What are the main rules of Karthika Masam?

Bathe before sunrise, light a lamp at dusk, avoid non-vegetarian food, alcohol and tobacco, and worship Shiva on Mondays. Many families also avoid onion and garlic. These are customs and vary by family.

Is fasting compulsory on Karthika Somavaram?

No. Fasting is a personal choice. You can keep a full fast, take one vegetarian meal at night, have fruit and milk, or observe the day with a lamp and prayer. Elders and people with health conditions should ask a doctor.

How many lamps should I light in Karthika Masam?

Light at least one ghee or sesame oil lamp at dusk each day. On Karthika Pournami, 24 November, tradition is to light 365 wicks together. Counts are family custom, not a fixed rule.

When is Nagula Chavithi 2026?

Nagula Chavithi is on Friday 13 November 2026, on Shukla Chaturthi. Some pages list 12 November, but Chaturthi is the sunrise tithi on 13 November.

When is Tulasi Vivah 2026 and why are there two Ekadashi dates?

Tulasi Vivah and Ksheerabdi Dwadashi are on Saturday 21 November. Prabodhini Ekadashi is on 20 November for Smarta families and 21 November for Vaishnavas, because the tithi spans both mornings.

Which temples should I visit in Karthika Masam?

Popular choices are Srisailam, the five Pancharama Kshetras, Srikalahasti, Mahanandi and Kotappakonda in Andhra Pradesh, and Vemulawada and Keesaragutta in Telangana. Visit on a weekday outside Monday for fewer crowds.

How far is Srisailam from Hyderabad?

Srisailam is about 210 to 230 km from Hyderabad by road, and the drive takes roughly 5 to 7 hours. It has no railway station, and the nearest rail stop is Markapur Road, about 85 km away.

How many days do the Pancharama Kshetras take?

Two days is the comfortable plan. One day is possible for healthy adults who start very early, but it is long and tiring. Four of the five temples are in the Godavari delta.

Is Karthika Masam different in Tamil Nadu and North India?

Yes. Tamil Karthigai is a solar month starting about 17 November. North Indian Kartik runs about 27 October to 24 November. All three share 24 November as the main full moon day.

Which date should NRIs follow for Karthika Pournami?

Use your local temple's announced date. By the tithi alone, Purnima runs from 23 November 1:12 PM to 24 November 9:53 AM in New York, and from 24 November 5:12 AM to 25 November 1:53 AM in Sydney.

Can Your Travel Partner arrange a Karthika temple trip from my city or from abroad?

Yes. We plan cab, hotel, airport or railway pickup and custom multi-day routes for travellers from any Indian city and from abroad. We do not sell darshan or seva tickets, which you book on the temple's official channels.

Conclusion

Karthika Masam 2026 is from 10 November to 8 December, with Somavarams on 16, 23 and 30 November and 7 December, and Karthika Pournami on 24 November. Light a lamp each evening, keep your fasts within what your health allows, and visit temples on weekdays where you can. If you want help with the road, stay and pickups, message us on WhatsApp with your city and dates.

Sources

• Drik Panchang (tithi and nakshatra basis)
• HinduTone: Karthika Masam 2026 day by day calendar
• HinduTone: Karthika Masam 2026 rules
• HinduTone: Andhra Pradesh Shiva temples in Karthika
• HinduTone: Telangana Shiva temples in Karthika
• HinduTone: Pancharama Kshetras guide
• HinduTone: Karthika Masam 2026 in Hyderabad
• HinduTone: Karthigai month 2026
• Jyothishamu: Karthika Masam 2026 dates
• Telugu Sampada: Karthika Masam dates
• Godavari Pushkaralu: Karthika Masam 2026
• Yatradham: how to reach Srisailam
• Telangana Tourism: Raja Rajeshwara Temple, Vemulawada
• Government of India e-Visa portal