Kartik Maas 2026: Dates, Kartik Snan, Deepdaan, Tulsi Puja and the Month’s Festivals

Kartik Maas 2026 runs from 26 October to Kartik Purnima on Tuesday, 24 November in the North Indian (purnimanta) reckoning. It is the month of the Kartik snan, of a lamp lit every evening, and of daily Tulsi worship, and it carries more festivals than any other month: Karwa Chauth, Diwali, Chhath, Devuthani Ekadashi and Dev Deepawali among them.

संक्षेप में: कार्तिक मास 2026 उत्तर भारतीय (पूर्णिमांत) गणना में 26 अक्टूबर से मंगलवार, 24 नवम्बर की कार्तिक पूर्णिमा तक है। यह भगवान विष्णु का महीना है — सूर्योदय से पहले कार्तिक स्नान का, हर शाम दीपदान का और प्रतिदिन तुलसी पूजा का। इसी महीने करवा चौथ, दीपावली, छठ, देवउठनी एकादशी और देव दीपावली जैसे पर्व आते हैं। गुजरात, महाराष्ट्र और दक्षिण भारत की अमांत गणना में कार्तिक 9 नवम्बर से 9 दिसम्बर तक है। पूरा लेख हिंदी में पढ़ें →

Kartik Maas 2026: the dates

• Purnimanta Kartik (North India): 26 October, 9:42 AM, to 24 November, 8:24 PM
• Amanta Kartik (Gujarat, Maharashtra, South India): 9 November, 12:32 PM, to 9 December, 6:22 AM
• Kartik snan: daily from the day after Sharad Purnima to Kartik Purnima
• Kartik Purnima and Dev Deepawali: Tuesday, 24 November

The two reckonings name the same lunar fortnights differently: in North India a month ends on the full moon, elsewhere on the new moon. Diwali falls in Kartik in the purnimanta calendar and at the turn of Ashwin and Kartik in the amanta one. The festivals fall on the same days either way.

Why Kartik is the holiest month of the year

Kartik is Vishnu’s month and, for Vaishnavas, the Damodara month, named for Krishna tied with a rope by Yashoda. Vishnu sleeps from Devshayani Ekadashi in the monsoon and wakes on Devuthani Ekadashi, which falls in Kartik; with his waking, weddings and new beginnings resume. The Damodarashtakam is recited every evening of the month in many homes and temples.

Kartik snan: the dawn bath

The Kartik snan is a bath before sunrise every day of the month, in a river where possible and otherwise at home, with water offered to the Sun afterwards. It begins for many families on the day after Sharad Purnima and ends on Kartik Purnima, when crowds gather at the ghats of Varanasi, Prayagraj, Haridwar and Pushkar.

Deepdaan and the akash deep

A lamp is offered every evening of Kartik: at the Tulsi plant, at the household shrine, at the door, and on water where there is a river. Many families hang an akash deep, a lamp raised high on a pole, for the ancestors. The month ends in Dev Deepawali, when the ghats of Varanasi are lit with lakhs of lamps on the night of Kartik Purnima.

Tulsi in Kartik

Tulsi is watered, circled and given a lamp every day of Kartik, with the Tulsi Stuti or the Tulsi Mata aarti. The month culminates in Tulsi Vivah, the marriage of Tulsi to Shaligram, on Saturday, 21 November, the day after Devuthani Ekadashi, with the Tulsi Vivah Mangalashtak sung at the ceremony.

Kartik niyam: what the month asks

Traditional niyam for Kartik include a sattvic diet (many avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food for the month), sleeping on the floor, reading the Bhagavata or the Gita, charity of lamps and food, and keeping the Ekadashis. Take on what suits your health and family; the month values steadiness over severity.

Festivals of Kartik 2026

Each festival has its own guide on our blog as its date approaches; Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami are already up. For tithi and muhurat on any day, see our Panchang. Guru Nanak Jayanti on Kartik Purnima is marked with the Aarti Sahib.

Kartik Maas 2026: FAQs

When does Kartik month start in 2026?
In North India on 26 October, the day after Sharad Purnima, and it ends on Kartik Purnima, Tuesday, 24 November. In the amanta reckoning it runs from 9 November to 9 December.

When is Kartik Purnima in 2026?
On Tuesday, 24 November 2026. Dev Deepawali and Guru Nanak Jayanti fall on the same day.

What is done in Kartik snan?
A bath before sunrise every day of the month, followed by water offered to the Sun, worship of Vishnu and a lamp at the Tulsi plant.

Which festivals fall in Kartik 2026?
Karwa Chauth, Ahoi Ashtami, Rama Ekadashi, Dhanteras, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, Chhath, Akshaya Navami, Devuthani Ekadashi, Tulsi Vivah and Kartik Purnima; see the table above for dates.

Many families complete the month with a Satyanarayan katha on Kartik Purnima; our Satyanarayan Katha Puja can be performed in your name. For what this season holds in your own chart, start with your free kundli.