← Vrat Calendar

Kartika Masam (Kartika Pournami)

Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu — both are honoured through the entire month of Kartika

Shaiva Siddhanta

Get a reminder before the next Kartika Masam (Kartika Pournami)

At 7pm the evening before, each time it comes around. Turn it off anytime.

Remind me

Dates shown for India (default). Enable JavaScript to set a reminder for your location.

Kartika Masam — the entire month of Kartika observed in Telugu households with daily akasa-deepam (sky-lamp), evening Karthika Puranam paath, ekabhuktam vrat, and culminating on Kartika Pournami with 365 deepams, Shiva abhishekam, and Tulasi puja.

Dates 2026–2027

November 24, 2026November 14, 2027

Mantra

ॐ नमः शिवाय । ॐ नमो नारायणाय । दामोदराय नमः ।

Om namah shivaya. Om namo narayanaya. Damodaraya namah.

Salutations to Shiva. Salutations to Narayana. Salutations to Damodara (Krishna bound by the rope of love).

How to recite

Through the entire month of Kartika (Karthika Masam), light a ghee lamp (akasa-deepam) at sunset before the tulasi plant or at the home shrine. Bathe before sunrise, visit a Shiva or Vishnu temple, perform the Karthika deepam at the temple flagstaff. Read one chapter of the Karthika Puranam each evening with family. On Kartika Pournami, light 365 deepams (one for every day of the year) on a banana stem float in the temple tank or at the river ghat, perform Shiva abhishekam at sunrise, and have darshan of the temple's giri-pradakshina.

Benefits

Kartika Masam is considered the most spiritually meritorious month of the year in Telugu tradition — equally beloved by Shaivas (for the Karthika deepam) and Vaishnavas (for Tulasi vivah and Damodara puja). The month-long ekabhuktam vrat, daily akasa-deepam, evening Karthika Puranam reading, and the climax on Kartika Pournami with the floating deepams and Shiva abhishekam together are said to bestow the merit of all vratas of the year, dispel ignorance, and grant moksha.

✦ Special Note

Per the Drik Panchang for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The anchor date listed is Kartika Pournami; the vrat itself begins on Kartika Shukla Pratipada and runs the full lunar month.

Foods Allowed

Strict satvik vegetarian — single meal per day (ekabhuktam) for those observing the month-long vratVada, payasam, pulihora, and chana-jaggery sundal as temple naivedyamCow's milk, ghee for the deepa (lamp) lighting and for abhishekamTulasi leaves added to all naivedyam during Kartika; usiri (amla) is the sacred fruit of the month

Foods to Avoid

Meat, fish, eggs, alcohol throughout the month of KartikaOnion and garlic for those observing the strict Kartika vratBrinjal, drumstick, and certain leafy greens are traditionally avoided through Kartika Masam

Meal Idea

Single satvik meal per day of vada, pulihora, payasam, sundal, and tulasi-leaf naivedyam; usiri (amla) chutney and rice during Karthika somavaaram (Mondays).

🪔 Aarti

Lord Shiv

Om Jai Shiv Omkara

ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा, स्वामी जय शिव ओंकारा । ब्रह्मा, विष्णु, सदाशिव, अर्द्धांगी धारा ॥ एकानन चतुरानन पंचानन राजे । हंसासन गरुड़ासन वृषवाहन साजे ॥ दो भुज चार चतुर्भुज दसभुज अति सोहे । त्रिगुण रूप निरखत त्रिभुवन जन मोहे ॥ अक्षमाला वनमाला मुंडमाला धारी । त्रिपुरारी कंसारी कर माला धारी ॥ श्वेतांबर पीतांबर बाघंबर अंगे । सनकादिक गरुड़ादिक भूतादिक संगे ॥ कर के मध्य कमंडलु चक्र त्रिशूलधारी । सुखकारी दुखहारी जगपालनकारी ॥ ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव जानत अविवेका । प्रणवाक्षर के मध्ये ये तीनों एका ॥ काशी में विराजे विश्वनाथ, नंदी ब्रह्मचारी । नित उठ दर्शन पावत, महिमा अति भारी ॥ त्रिगुणस्वामी जी की आरती, जो कोई नर गावे । कहत शिवानंद स्वामी, मनवांछित फल पावे ॥

Karpur Gauram Karunavataram

कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥

Lord Vishnu

Om Jai Jagdish Hare

ॐ जय जगदीश हरे, स्वामी जय जगदीश हरे । भक्त जनों के संकट, दास जनों के संकट, क्षण में दूर करे ॥ जो ध्यावे फल पावे, दुःख बिनसे मन का । सुख सम्पत्ति घर आवे, कष्ट मिटे तन का ॥ मात-पिता तुम मेरे, शरण गहूं मैं किसकी । तुम बिन और न दूजा, आस करूं मैं जिसकी ॥ तुम पूरन परमात्मा, तुम अंतर्यामी । पारब्रह्म परमेश्वर, तुम सबके स्वामी ॥ तुम करुणा के सागर, तुम पालनकर्ता । मैं सेवक तुम स्वामी, कृपा करो भर्ता ॥ तुम हो एक अगोचर, सबके प्राणपति । किस विधि मिलूं दयामय, तुमको मैं कुमति ॥ दीनबंधु दुःखहर्ता, ठाकुर तुम मेरे । अपने हाथ उठाओ, अपनी शरण में लाओ ॥ विषय विकार मिटाओ, पाप हरो देवा । श्रद्धा भक्ति बढ़ाओ, संतन की सेवा ॥

Related vrats

Prioritising the same tradition and category, with related tradition or family entries when fewer than six exist.

Browse all Shaiva Siddhanta observances →

Get a reminder before the next Kartika Masam (Kartika Pournami)

At 7pm the evening before, each time it comes around. Turn it off anytime.

Remind me

Dates shown for India (default). Enable JavaScript to set a reminder for your location.

Track this vrat in the app

Personalised timings, reminders, and fasting guides for your tradition.

Open VRAT App →