Karthika Masam 2026 begins on Tuesday, November 10, and ends on Tuesday, December 8, according to the Telugu panchangam for Hyderabad. The 29-day observance follows Deepavali and brings together traditions of worshipping Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, families mark the month with evening deepams, temple visits, Monday fasts and prayers. The four Karthika Somavarams fall on November 16, 23 and 30 and December 7, while Karthika Pournami falls on Tuesday, November 24.
Karthika Masam 2026 Dates And Significance
The month begins after the Ashwayuja new moon and ends on Karthika Amavasya. Its association with both Shiva and Vishnu is reflected in Hari-Hara worship. The Monday observances focus on Shiva, while Ksheerabdi Dwadasi honours Tulasi and Damodara, a form of Vishnu. In Puranic tradition, simple acts such as lighting a lamp, offering prayers or observing a fast carry special devotional significance during the month.
| Observance | Hyderabad Date | Traditional Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Karthika Masam Begins | Tuesday, November 10 | Families begin the month’s daily prayers and evening lamp-lighting. |
| Bhagini Hasta Bhojanam | Wednesday, November 11 | Brothers share a meal served by their sisters. |
| Nagula Chavithi | Friday, November 13 | Devotees offer prayers to serpent deities for their family’s well-being. |
| First Karthika Somavaram | Monday, November 16 | Devotees mark the first Monday with Shiva puja, fasting or abhishekam. |
| Ksheerabdi Dwadasi | Saturday, November 21 | Families worship tulasi and observe Tulasi Kalyanam. |
| Second Karthika Somavaram | Monday, November 23 | Devotees continue Monday Shiva worship at home or in temples. |
| Karthika Pournami | Tuesday, November 24 | The full moon is marked with ritual baths, lamps and vratams. |
| Third Karthika Somavaram | Monday, November 30 | Families observe Monday prayers and fasting according to their customs. |
| Fourth Karthika Somavaram | Monday, December 7 | The final Karthika Monday coincides with Masa Shivaratri in the Hyderabad calendar. |
| Karthika Amavasya | Tuesday, December 8 | The new moon marks the closing day of Karthika Masam. |
The Hyderabad calendar lists Nagula Chavithi on November 13 and Ksheerabdi Dwadasi on November 21. The supplied guide gives November 12 and November 22, respectively. The dates in the table follow the Hyderabad Telugu panchangam.
Karthika Masam 2026 Somavarams And Pournami
Each Monday in the month is known as Karthika Somavaram. Devotees may begin the day with a bath and Shiva prayers, offer bilva leaves at a temple or perform abhishekam at home. Some arrange Rudrabhishekam, the ceremonial bathing of a Shiva lingam while Sri Rudram is chanted. The ritual may use water, milk, curd, ghee and honey, with flowers and bilva leaves offered according to household or temple custom.
Karthika Pournami on November 24 is the month’s main full-moon observance. Some devotees begin the day with Kartika Snanam, a ritual bath, and return to temples or gather at home for lamp-lighting at dusk. Deepa danam is the devotional offering of lamps. Some households light a lamp with 365 wicks, one for each day of the year, or observe Satyanarayana Vratam or Kedareswara Vratam. Some Shiva temples also hold Jwala Thoranam as part of their evening programme.
Vanabhojanam is another tradition observed during the month. Families and community groups gather for an outdoor meal, traditionally beneath an usiri or amla tree. The gathering can take place on a convenient day during Karthika Masam.
Karthika Masam 2026 Fasting And Home Rituals
Nitya Deepam is the daily lamp-lighting ritual. At local dusk, families may place a cotton wick in an oil or ghee lamp and light it near the tulasi kota, at the entrance or in the puja room. Some follow it with a short prayer or a reading from the Karthika Puranam. On Ksheerabdi Dwadasi, worship centres on tulasi, and some families place an amla branch beside the plant during the puja.
Fasting practices vary by household. Some devotees fast on the four Mondays and have a simple vegetarian meal in the evening. Those who observe Nakta Bhojanam traditionally have one meal after dusk on the days they follow the practice. Some households avoid meat and eggs for the month, and some also leave out onion and garlic. Other families keep the observance through daily prayers, evening deepams or a temple visit on a Karthika Somavaram.
