The Karthika Masam start date in 2026 is Tuesday, November 10, and the sacred Telugu month runs until Karthika Amavasya on Sunday, December 8, 2026. If you have seen October dates online, they are simply wrong for this year. That is because 2026 carries an extra lunar month that pushed the whole calendar forward.
Karthika Masam is the holiest month for both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu devotees, so getting the dates and pooja days right really matters. Below you will find the verified Telugu Panchangam dates, the festival calendar, the Karthika Somavaram Mondays, and the real pooja timings, all cross-checked against authoritative panchangams.
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Karthika Masam 2026 at a Glance
- Start date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026 (Karthika Shukla Padyami)
- End date: Sunday, December 8, 2026 (Karthika Amavasya)
- Deepavali gateway: Sunday, November 8, 2026
- Karthika Pournami / Deepam: Tuesday, November 24, 2026
- Karthika Somavaram Mondays: November 16, 23, 30 and December 7
- Calendar system: Telugu Amanta (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka)
Karthika Masam Start Date and End Date in 2026
The Karthika Masam start date for Telugu devotees is Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the first day of the bright fortnight after Deepavali. The month then closes on Karthika Amavasya, which falls on December 8, 2026. So this year the sacred month spans 29 days across November and early December.
Karthika Masam always begins the day after Deepavali Amavasya in the Telugu calendar. Since Deepavali falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the new month opens on November 10. Because the count follows the moon, the Gregorian dates change every year. That is why last year’s dates never work for this year.
One point confuses many devotees, so it is worth clearing up. The month does not end on Karthika Pournami. The full moon (Karthika Pournami) on November 24 is the spiritual peak of the month, yet the masam itself continues until the next new moon on December 8. Older articles that say the month “ends on Pournami” are mixing up the peak day with the closing day.
Why the Karthika Masam Start Date Shifts So Late in 2026
The Karthika Masam start date lands in November this year instead of October because 2026 is an Adhika Masa year. In simple terms, the Hindu lunar year gained one extra month. That single shift is the reason so many websites still show the wrong October dates for Karthika Masam 2026.
Here is what happened. A lunar year runs about 354 days, while the solar year runs about 365 days. To close that 11-day gap, the calendar inserts an extra month, called Adhika Masa or Purushottama Masa, roughly once every two and a half years. In 2026, that extra month was Adhika Jyeshta Masam, observed from May 17 to June 15, 2026.
Because the calendar added an extra month in mid-2026, every lunar month after it slid forward by around four weeks. So festivals that normally fall in October, like Deepavali, moved into November this year. As a result, Karthika Masam followed and now runs November 10 to December 8 rather than the usual mid-October to mid-November window.
This is exactly the kind of detail automated calendars get wrong. Many sites simply carry forward a normal year’s pattern and never adjust for the leap month. When a source claims Karthika Masam 2026 starts on October 17, treat it as an error. Always cross-check with a proper Telugu Panchangam.
Karthika Masam Start Date Across Different Regions
The Karthika Masam start date is not the same for everyone in India, since different regions count the lunar month differently. Telugu, Kannada, and Marathi communities follow the Amanta system, where a month runs new moon to new moon. North Indians follow the Purnimanta system, where the month runs full moon to full moon.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala use a solar calendar instead, so they calculate their Karthigai month another way altogether. The table below shows how the same festival month lands on different date ranges. Notice that Karthika Pournami on November 24 is the one day nearly everyone shares.
| Tradition / Region | System | Karthika 2026 Range |
|---|---|---|
| Telugu, Kannada, Marathi | Amanta (lunar) | Nov 10 – Dec 8, 2026 |
| North India (Hindi belt) | Purnimanta (lunar) | approx Oct 26 – Nov 24, 2026 |
| Tamil Nadu (Karthigai) | Solar | approx mid-Nov – mid-Dec 2026 |
So the Karthika Masam start date you follow depends on your tradition. For readers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Telugu Amanta dates apply, so plan around November 10 to December 8. If you live abroad, remember that lunar tithis follow local sunrise. A festival like Ekadashi or Pournami can therefore shift by one day outside India, so confirm with your nearest temple.
Important Festival Dates in Karthika Masam 2026
Karthika Masam is packed with sacred days, and each one carries its own tradition. The dates below come from the Telugu Panchangam for Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh. Every date was cross-checked against the Drik Panchang Telugu calendar and the Prokerala Telugu Panchangam, since a single wrong date can throw off your whole plan.
| Date | Day | Festival / Observance |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 8 | Sunday | Deepavali (gateway to Karthika) |
| Nov 10 | Tuesday | Karthika Masam begins, Bali Padyami, Govardhana Puja |
| Nov 11 | Wednesday | Yama Dwitiya (Bhagini Hasta Bhojanam) |
| Nov 13 | Friday | Nagula Chavithi |
| Nov 16 | Monday | First Karthika Somavaram |
| Nov 20 | Friday | Prabodhini (Devutthana) Ekadashi, Chaturmasya ends |
| Nov 21 | Saturday | Kshirabdhi Dwadashi, Tulasi Vivah |
| Nov 24 | Tuesday | Karthika Pournami, Karthika Deepam, Deepotsavam |
| Dec 8 | Sunday | Karthika Amavasya (month ends), Poli Swargam |
Nagula Chavithi on November 13 is a major women’s vratam for the wellbeing of children. Tulasi Vivah on November 21 marks the ceremonial marriage of the Tulasi plant to Lord Vishnu, and it reopens the Hindu wedding season after Chaturmasya. For the full ritual details, see our guide to Nagula Chavithi pooja and prasadam.
Karthika Somavaram 2026: The Monday Vratam
Mondays in this month are called Karthika Somavaram, and they are the most powerful days for Shiva worship. In 2026, four Karthika Somavarams fall on November 16, November 23, November 30, and December 7. Devotees fast through the day and break it only after evening Shiva pooja.
The tradition holds that fasting on a Karthika Monday, especially when it aligns with Shravana Nakshatra, grants the merit of “Koti Somavara Upavasa.” Many families visit a Shiva temple, perform abhishekam, and light lamps at dusk. Since the Mondays carry such weight, plan your temple visits around these four dates.
Poojas, Danam and Snanam in Karthika Masam
This month is defined by three simple but powerful practices: the holy bath, the lamp offering, and charity. Together they form the heart of Karthika observance, and none of them needs a priest or a booking. You can do all three at home with sincerity.
Karthika Snanam
Karthika Snanam is the early morning bath taken before sunrise, ideally in a river, but a home bath with a prayer works too. Devotees believe the pre-dawn bath during this month washes away accumulated karma. So try to bathe in the brahma muhurta window, roughly 4:30 to 6:00 AM.
Deepa Danam (Lamp Offering)
Lighting lamps is the signature ritual of Karthika Masam. According to tradition, the Pitru Devatas who visited during Pitru Paksha return to their lokas this month. So lighting lamps guides their path and helps resolve Pitru dosha. Place rows of oil lamps near your Tulasi plant, entrance, and prayer room every evening at twilight.
Tulasi and Vishnu Pooja
Offer Bilva leaves, Ganga Jala, and Bhasma to Lord Shiva during this month. For Lord Vishnu, offer Tulasi leaves and Parijata flowers. Vana Bhojanam, a community picnic-style meal held under Amla or banyan trees, is another cherished Karthika custom in Telugu families.
Karthika Masam Pooja Timings You Should Know
There is no single fixed clock time for Karthika pooja, because the timing depends on the ritual. That said, tradition points to clear windows for each practice. The direct answer is simple: bathe before sunrise and light your lamps at dusk.
The morning Karthika Snanam works best in the brahma muhurta, around 4:30 to 6:00 AM. Devotees do Deepa Danam at twilight, roughly 5:30 to 6:30 PM, as day turns to evening. On Ekadashi and Karthika Somavaram, devotees keep the fast from sunrise and break it after the evening pooja. Temple darshan timings vary by shrine, so check each temple’s own schedule, such as the TTD official website, before you travel.
Do’s and Don’ts During Karthika Masam
Following a few simple disciplines helps you observe the month with the right spirit. None of these are hard rules, yet they shape the traditional practice that families have kept for generations.
- Do take an early bath, light a daily lamp, and visit a Shiva or Vishnu temple when you can.
- Do follow vegetarian food, and offer Deepa Danam and charity to the needy.
- Do chant Om Namah Shivaya or the Vishnu Sahasranama daily, even briefly.
- Don’t eat non-vegetarian food, onion, or garlic if you are keeping strict observance.
- Don’t skip the evening lamp, since Deepa Danam is the core of the month.
A note on fasting and health: Karthika fasting is a personal choice, not a medical prescription. If you are elderly, pregnant, diabetic, or on regular medication, keep a gentle fast with fruit and water, or skip it. Always consult your doctor before a long fast, and never treat a vratam as a substitute for medical care.
What If You Miss a Date or Can’t Do Daily Pooja?
Not everyone can complete every ritual on the exact day, and that is completely fine. Karthika observance depends on devotion, not perfection. If you miss the start on November 10, you can begin any day and still earn merit for the remaining month.
If you cannot do a daily lamp, tradition says even lighting on the four Mondays and on Karthika Pournami carries deep benefit. If you cannot fast fully, a single-meal day or a fruit fast is an accepted alternative. And if you miss Karthika Pournami itself, the following Amavasya charity still counts. The point is to keep the intention alive rather than abandon the month over one missed day.
Plan Around the Karthika Masam Start Date
The Karthika Masam start date to circle is November 10, 2026, with the month closing on December 8. Plan your key days around the four Mondays and Karthika Pournami on November 24. Keep it simple: an early bath, a lamp at dusk, and a temple visit when possible.
Dates like Ekadashi and Pournami can shift by a day for your city or country, so always confirm with a local Telugu Panchangam or your family purohit. For festival specifics, our guides to Karthika Pournami and the Karthika Masam festival list go deeper into each observance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Karthika Masam start date in 2026?
The Karthika Masam start date in 2026 is Tuesday, November 10, in the Telugu Amanta calendar. The month begins the day after Deepavali Amavasya and continues until Karthika Amavasya on December 8, 2026.
Why does Karthika Masam 2026 start in November instead of October?
Because 2026 is an Adhika Masa year with one extra lunar month (Adhika Jyeshta, May 17 to June 15). That extra month pushed all later festivals forward by about four weeks, so Karthika Masam moved from its usual October window into November.
When is Karthika Pournami in 2026?
Karthika Pournami, also called Karthika Deepam and Dev Diwali, falls on Tuesday, November 24, 2026. It is the spiritual peak of the month, celebrated with river baths, lamp lighting, and worship of both Shiva and Vishnu.
How many Karthika Somavarams are there in 2026?
There are four Karthika Somavarams (Mondays) in 2026, falling on November 16, November 23, November 30, and December 7. These Mondays are considered the most auspicious days for Shiva worship and fasting.
Does Karthika Masam end on Karthika Pournami?
No. Karthika Pournami on November 24 is the peak of the month, but the masam continues until the next new moon. In 2026, the month ends on Karthika Amavasya, which is December 8.
What are the main poojas performed in Karthika Masam?
The three core practices are Karthika Snanam (pre-dawn bath), Deepa Danam (lamp offering at dusk), and daily worship of Shiva with Bilva leaves and Vishnu with Tulasi. Nagula Chavithi, Tulasi Vivah, and the Monday Somavara vratam are the major special observances.
Can I begin pooja after the Karthika Masam start date?
Yes. If you miss November 10, you can begin any day and still observe the rest of the month. Karthika merit is based on sincere devotion, so a late start with regular lamps and prayers is fully accepted.