Karthigai Deepam dates (popular practice)
When Karthigai Deepam falls in 2026, 2027 and 2028: the day of Krittika in the Tamil month of Karthigai, as kept at Tiruvannamalai.
Tuesday, 24 November 2026
Karthigai Deepam is in 37 days. In 2026, Krittika runs from Tue 02:02 to 23:25, so it is current at Tuesday’s sunset at Tiruvannamalai, 17:44.
Karthigai Deepam dates, 2026 to 2028
Kept at Tiruvannamalai for every city; Indian time| Year | Day | Krittika |
|---|---|---|
| Karthigai Deepam 2026 | Tue 24 Nov | Tue 02:02 – 23:25 |
| Karthigai Deepam 2027 | Sat 11 DecAlso Sun 12 Dec | Sat 17:38 – Sun 16:42 |
| Karthigai Deepam 2028 | Fri 1 Dec | Thu 18:25 – Fri 19:41 |
Karthigai Deepam is a popular observance: the day of Krittika in the Tamil month of Karthigai, as kept at Tiruvannamalai. Warren’s Kala Sankalita (1825, p. 401) describes it. The texts this site follows give no rule for it. Kala Sankalita p. 401
Our rule, for every city: the day in the solar month of Karthigai whose sunset at Tiruvannamalai falls in the Krittika nakshatra. When Krittika is current at both sunsets, the day that also has it at sunrise is kept (our reading); when it is current at neither, the evening on which it begins is kept.
The month is the Sun’s stay in sidereal Vṛścika, begun by the Tamil rule (The Indian Calendar, Art. 28).
Popular practice: the great lamp lit on the Aruṇācala hill at Tiruvannamalai, the Bharaṇī Dīpam lit in the temple before dawn, and the lamps set out at home. No lighting time is given here.
Questions
Popular practice, from Warren’s Kala Sankalita (1825), with the Tamil month rule of The Indian Calendar (1896).
When is Karthigai Deepam?
As kept at Tiruvannamalai, for every city: Tuesday, 24 November 2026, Saturday, 11 December 2027 and Friday, 1 December 2028. Popular practice. Kala Sankalita p. 401
How is the day fixed?
By the Krittika nakshatra in the Tamil solar month of Karthigai, as kept at Tiruvannamalai. It is popular practice, which Warren’s Kala Sankalita (1825, p. 401) describes; the texts this site follows give no rule for it. Our rule takes the day whose sunset at Tiruvannamalai falls in Krittika. Kala Sankalita p. 401
Is it the same day as Kartik Purnima and Dev Diwali?
Only in some years. In 2026 all three fall on Tuesday, 24 November. In 2027 they fall on different days. In 2028 they fall on different days. Each follows its own rule: Karthigai Deepam follows the nakshatra in the solar month, the other two the Pūrṇimā.
Is the date the same outside India?
Yes. Every city takes the day kept at Tiruvannamalai, so the date is the same abroad. The Krittika times are given in Indian time.
How the day is found
Read the methodology- The day
- Our rule: the day in the solar month of Karthigai whose sunset at Tiruvannamalai falls in Krittika, for every city. Warren’s Kala Sankalita (p. 401) describes the observance as the day of Krittika in Karthigai.
- The month
- Karthigai is the Sun’s stay in sidereal Vṛścika, begun by the Tamil rule: on the day of the ingress when it comes before sunset, and on the next day when it does not (The Indian Calendar, Art. 28).
- Two sunsets or none
- Krittika at both sunsets gives the day that also has it at sunrise (our reading); Krittika at neither gives the evening on which it begins.
- Lamps
- The hill lamp, the Bharaṇī Dīpam and the home lamps are popular practice, and no lighting time is shown.
Sunset at the centre of the Sun’s disc, with refraction · Lahiri ayanamsa · Indian time (IST), reckoned at Tiruvannamalai for every city · Swiss Ephemeris · Method