The Karthika Masam 2026 calendar for Telugu devotees runs from Tuesday, 10 November to Tuesday, 8 December 2026. This guide follows the Amanta lunar calendar used in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It also explains which tithi timings come from Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Bengaluru references, so you can check local ritual times without confusing them with festival dates.
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Karthika Masam 2026 calendar at a glance
The Telugu month begins with Karthika Shukla Padyami and closes with Karthika Amavasya. The four Mondays fall on 16, 23 and 30 November, plus 7 December. Karthika Pournami falls on Tuesday, 24 November.
- Month begins: Tuesday, 10 November 2026 — Shukla Padyami.
- Nagula Chavithi: Friday, 13 November 2026.
- Karthika Somavarams: 16, 23 and 30 November, and 7 December.
- Prabodhini Ekadashi: Friday, 20 November 2026.
- Tulasi Vivah: Saturday, 21 November 2026, in the Hyderabad calendar reference.
- Karthika Pournami: Tuesday, 24 November 2026.
- Month ends: Tuesday, 8 December 2026 — Amavasya.
These dates refer to Telugu Amanta observances in India, not to every Hindu calendar worldwide. For a broader festival-by-festival list, see the Karthika Masam festival dates for Andhra Pradesh. Use your own city’s panchang when a ceremony depends on sunrise, sunset or moonrise.
Karthika Masam 2026 calendar: key dates and tithis
The table is a planning reference, not a universal list of puja muhurthams. Its civil dates follow the Telugu Amanta system for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. A tithi may span parts of two dates, while a festival can follow the tithi present during a specific worship period.
| Date | Day | Tithi or observance | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov | Tuesday | Shukla Padyami | Telugu Karthika begins |
| 13 Nov | Friday | Shukla Chavithi | Nagula Chavithi |
| 16 Nov | Monday | Karthika Somavaram | First Monday |
| 20 Nov | Friday | Shukla Ekadashi | Prabodhini Ekadashi |
| 21 Nov | Saturday | Dwadashi | Tulasi Vivah in Hyderabad reference |
| 23 Nov | Monday | Karthika Somavaram | Second Monday |
| 24 Nov | Tuesday | Shukla Pournami | Karthika Pournami |
| 30 Nov | Monday | Karthika Somavaram | Third Monday |
| 7 Dec | Monday | Karthika Somavaram | Fourth Monday |
| 8 Dec | Tuesday | Krishna Amavasya | Telugu Karthika ends |
The daily Andhra Pradesh panchang for Vijayawada identifies Padyami on 10 November, Pournami on 24 November and Amavasya on 8 December. Prokerala’s 2026 Hindu calendar independently places the Amanta Kartika start on 10 November. Check individual dates rather than moving an older festival list forward by a year.
How the Karthika Masam 2026 calendar is calculated
The Karthika Masam 2026 calendar follows the Amanta lunar system. Each month begins after an Amavasya and ends at the next Amavasya. Telugu households in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana commonly use this reckoning for monthly observances.
A tithi is a lunar day rather than a fixed midnight-to-midnight date. Therefore, it can begin in the afternoon, evening or before dawn. Festival rules may depend on sunrise, moonrise or a prescribed worship period instead of the moment the tithi begins.
Why Amanta and Purnimanta calendars show different month names
The Amanta month ends at the new moon, while a Purnimanta month ends at the full moon. As a result, the same date can carry different lunar month names in two valid calendar traditions. This is especially important near 24 November and 8 December.
Many North Indian calendars use the Purnimanta convention. Telugu devotees should not copy their Kartik month boundary into an Andhra Pradesh Karthika calendar. Both traditions use lunar tithis, but they organise the named months differently.
Karthika Masam 2026 calendar: city-specific tithi timings
The exact clocks in this article need a named reference. The Andhra Pradesh daily pages at TeluguCalendar.org use Vijayawada as their displayed location, while Drik Panchang offers separate city selections such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru. All the Indian times below use IST, but sunrise and local ritual windows depend on the selected city.
| Reference | Location shown | Used here for |
|---|---|---|
| TeluguCalendar.org daily panchang | Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh | Padyami, Chavithi, Pournami, Amavasya |
| Drik Panchang | Bengaluru, Karnataka | Nagula Chavithi comparison |
| Drik Panchang | Hyderabad, Telangana | Tulasi Vivah day reference |
Do not mistake a panchang’s location label for a single official time covering every town. Tithi transitions are astronomical events and often display the same IST minute across Indian cities. However, sunrise, moonrise and location-based muhurthams differ, so your personal observance may need a local calculation.
Karthika Masam 2026 calendar: start and end tithi
The Vijayawada-based Andhra Pradesh panchang lists Shukla Padyami from 12:31 PM on 9 November until 2:00 PM on 10 November. Padyami is therefore present at sunrise on 10 November, which marks the opening day of Telugu Karthika Masam.
Its 8 December daily entry places Karthika Amavasya from 4:12 AM on 8 December to 6:21 AM on 9 December. The festival calendar marks 8 December as the month’s final day. Another panchang may differ by a minute, so do not use this clock value as a universal muhurtham.
If you only need the boundaries, the Karthika Masam start and end date guide gives a shorter explanation. This page keeps the wider calendar and tithi context together.
Nagula Chavithi 2026: why 12 and 13 November both appear
Nagula Chavithi is marked on Friday, 13 November 2026 in the Vijayawada-based Telugu daily calendar. The Shukla Chavithi tithi begins at 6:09 PM on 12 November and ends at 8:42 PM on 13 November. Therefore, the tithi’s starting date and the festival day are not the same.
The Drik Panchang page for Bengaluru independently names Friday, 13 November. It shows the same IST Chavithi transition minutes, yet its puja muhurtham belongs to Bengaluru. Devotees in Hyderabad, Vijayawada or elsewhere should select their own city before following a muhurtham.
This distinction is more useful than dismissing a 12 November label as wholly wrong. It may identify when the tithi starts rather than when families observe the festival. Custom also matters, so follow your temple or family tradition for the puja period.
Prabodhini Ekadashi and Tulasi Vivah dates
Prabodhini Ekadashi falls on Friday, 20 November 2026 in the Telugu calendar reference. The Vijayawada-based daily panchang gives Ekadashi from 7:15 AM on 20 November until 6:31 AM on 21 November. Fasting and parana rules can differ by Vaishnava tradition, so do not assume one date suits every sampradaya.
Drik Panchang’s Hyderabad daily calendar lists Tulasi Vivah on Saturday, 21 November. It shows Ekadashi ending at about 6:31 AM, with Dwadashi then continuing into 22 November. Check the local sunrise and the custom your family follows before fixing the exact ceremony time.
These observances honour Lord Vishnu and Tulasi in Hindu tradition. Their spiritual benefits are matters of faith, not guaranteed health outcomes. If you fast, keep your medicines and health needs in mind.
Karthika Pournami 2026 date and tithi timing
Karthika Pournami falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. The Vijayawada-based Telugu daily calendar lists Pournami from 11:42 PM on 23 November until 8:23 PM on 24 November. Its Krittika nakshatra entry ends at 11:25 PM on 24 November.
Drik Panchang’s Kartik Purnima reference also marks 24 November and shows the same tithi interval in IST. The page may default to New Delhi; choose your city before relying on its displayed moonrise or puja time.
This is an important day for many Shiva and Vishnu devotees. Common customs include temple visits, deepam lighting and Pournami vratam. A local temple’s Deepotsavam schedule is separate from the lunar date, so confirm any special event directly with that temple.
Karthika Masam 2026 calendar: Somavaram dates
Four Mondays fall inside the Telugu Karthika month: 16 November, 23 November, 30 November and 7 December. Monday, 9 November does not count because the new lunar month has not begun at sunrise that day.
- First Somavaram: 16 November 2026.
- Second Somavaram: 23 November 2026.
- Third Somavaram: 30 November 2026.
- Fourth Somavaram: 7 December 2026.
Devotees traditionally connect Karthika Mondays with Lord Shiva. Some observe a fast, offer abhishekam or light a deepam after sunset. These are religious practices rather than medical requirements, so adapt them safely to your circumstances.
How to read the Karthika Masam 2026 calendar correctly
A published time answers only part of the question. The Karthika Masam 2026 calendar works best when you first identify the calendar tradition and reference city. Then check whether the tithi begins, ends or remains active at the moment your ritual requires.
- Choose a Telugu Amanta panchang for a Telugu Karthika observance.
- Select your city, because sunrise and moonrise differ across locations.
- Check the required festival rule: sunrise, evening, moonrise or another ritual period.
- Compare the date with a second established panchang when travel or family ceremonies depend on it.
For example, the Nagula Chavithi tithi begins on 12 November but the listed festival is on 13 November. Both facts can be true. You should also check whether your source uses 12-hour or 24-hour time, and whether a post-midnight time belongs to the next civil date.
Why older Karthika calendars become unreliable
Do not move the Karthika Masam 2026 calendar dates from a 2022 or 2025 chart. Lunar months do not align with the same English dates each year. An adhika masa, or extra lunar month, can also shift later festivals by several weeks.
The weekday must match the date as well. For example, 8 December 2026 is a Tuesday, not a Sunday. Before making travel plans, check the target year, the tithi and the civil weekday together. Keep a previous year’s calendar only for historical reference.
Planning a temple visit during Karthika Masam
The Karthika Masam 2026 calendar also helps with temple visits. Choose the observance that matters to you before arranging travel. Karthika Mondays and Pournami may attract larger crowds at popular Shiva temples, so consult the temple’s own schedule rather than assuming special programmes.
For a simple home observance, many families light a deepam in the evening. Others practise Karthika snanam or follow family fasting customs. There is no single routine that every household must copy, and local worship traditions differ.
Carry regular medicines when travelling, stay hydrated and avoid unsafe fasting. If you have diabetes, are pregnant, are older or have another health condition, speak to a medical professional before a strict fast. Religious practices are not substitutes for medical treatment.
Which Karthika Masam date should Andhra Pradesh devotees follow?
For most Telugu household observances in Andhra Pradesh, follow the Amanta calendar from 10 November to 8 December 2026. Use a city-specific panchang when you need sunrise, moonrise or a ritual muhurtham. That keeps your month boundary, tithi and location rules consistent.
A North Indian calendar may end Kartik at Purnima because it follows the Purnimanta system. Do not mix that date with Telugu Somavaram or Karthika Amavasya. The two traditions are different ways of naming the lunar month, not proof that one region’s calendar is faulty.
Before you mark the calendar
The essentials are straightforward: Telugu Karthika begins on 10 November, Pournami falls on 24 November, and the month ends on 8 December 2026. The Somavarams are 16, 23 and 30 November, plus 7 December.
Use this Karthika Masam 2026 calendar to plan your dates, then check local puja windows with a panchang set to your city. For temple-specific programmes, the temple’s own current notice is the best guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Karthika Masam 2026 calendar start date?
The Karthika Masam 2026 calendar starts on Tuesday, 10 November in the Telugu Amanta system. The Vijayawada reference shows Shukla Padyami at sunrise, so the month begins then for the calendar used here. Local ritual times still require a city-specific check.
When does Karthika Masam end in 2026?
It ends on Tuesday, 8 December 2026 with Karthika Amavasya. The Vijayawada-based panchang gives the Amavasya tithi from early 8 December into the morning of 9 December. Do not confuse a tithi end time with the date assigned to the observance.
How many Karthika Somavarams are there in 2026?
There are four: 16, 23 and 30 November, plus 7 December. The preceding Monday, 9 November, falls before the Telugu month begins. Therefore, it is not counted in this calendar.
Is Nagula Chavithi on 12 or 13 November 2026?
The listed festival day is Friday, 13 November. The Chavithi tithi itself begins during the evening of 12 November, which explains the two dates online. Use your local panchang for the puja period.
When is Karthika Pournami in 2026?
Karthika Pournami falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. The Vijayawada daily calendar lists the full-moon tithi from 11:42 PM on 23 November to 8:23 PM on 24 November, in IST. Moonrise and temple ceremony schedules need separate local checks.
When is Prabodhini Ekadashi in Karthika Masam 2026?
Prabodhini Ekadashi is listed on Friday, 20 November. The tithi continues into the morning of 21 November. However, Vaishnava fasting and parana dates can depend on tradition, so consult your sampradaya’s calendar.
When is Tulasi Vivah in 2026?
The Hyderabad Drik Panchang reference lists Tulasi Vivah on Saturday, 21 November 2026. It also marks the Ekadashi-to-Dwadashi change in the early morning. Follow your family’s ritual rule when selecting a puja window.
Why do Telugu and North Indian Kartik dates differ?
Telugu calendars generally count months from one Amavasya to the next, called Amanta. Many North Indian calendars use Purnimanta, ending a month at Purnima. The underlying moon phases agree, but the month names cover different date ranges.
Are Hyderabad and Vijayawada tithi times interchangeable?
Not for every ritual purpose. Astronomical tithi transitions often show the same IST minute in both cities, but sunrise, moonrise and muhurtham times differ. Select the actual worship location before relying on a time for fasting, parana or a temple ceremony.