Festival · 2026
Dev Deepawali (Kartik Purnima) 2026 — Tuesday, 24 November 2026
Dev Deepawali, the Diwali of the gods, is the full-moon evening of Kartika when the ghats of Varanasi are lined with lamps from end to end.
In 2026
Tuesday, 24 November 2026
- Tithi
- Purnima: 23 Nov, 11:42 PM – 24 Nov, 8:23 PM
- Lunar month
- Kartika
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:50 AM / 5:24 PM
| Puja muhurat | 5:24 PM – 8:05 PM |
|---|---|
| Pradosh kaal | 5:24 PM – 8:05 PM |
Rule: Kartika Purnima prevailing at pradosh, when the lamps are lit; if on both evenings, the first.
In 2027
Saturday, 13 November 2027
- Tithi
- Purnima: 13 Nov, 9:55 AM – 14 Nov, 8:55 AM
- Lunar month
- Kartika
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:41 AM / 5:28 PM
| Puja muhurat | 5:28 PM – 8:07 PM |
|---|---|
| Pradosh kaal | 5:28 PM – 8:07 PM |
Rule: Kartika Purnima prevailing at pradosh, when the lamps are lit; if on both evenings, the first.
Times follow New Delhi’s sunrise and sunset. In other cities the muhurat shifts by some minutes, and occasionally the day by one. Full festival calendar
What is Dev Deepawali (Kartik Purnima)?
Kartik Purnima, the full moon that closes the month of Kartika, is one of the most sacred full moons of the year. It ends the month-long Kartik snan, the daily dawn bath many devotees keep through Kartika, and the lamp offerings, deepadaan, of the month. Fifteen days after the Diwali of people on the new moon, this full-moon evening is called Dev Deepawali, the festival of lamps of the gods, and it is celebrated above all in Varanasi.
The day is also called Tripurari Purnima. The Puranas tell of three asura brothers who ruled three flying cities, Tripura, of gold, silver and iron, which could be destroyed only when they came into one line. Shiva, as Tripurari, the enemy of the three cities, destroyed them with a single arrow at that moment. The gods are said to have celebrated the victory by lighting lamps and coming down to bathe in the Ganga at Kashi, and Dev Deepawali is the city’s way of welcoming them. Some traditions also connect this full moon with the Matsya avatar of Vishnu.
In Varanasi, as the sun sets, lamps are lit along the steps of the ghats on the western bank of the Ganga, from the southern ghats to the northern ones, and on the river itself in small floating leaf-cups. The Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh is performed on a grand scale, the tall lamp tower at Panchganga Ghat is lit, and boats crowd the river so that people can see the whole curve of lamps at once. Local people, temples and ghat committees prepare for days.
Far from Varanasi, the same full moon is marked in many ways. Pilgrims bathe at dawn in the Ganga at Prayagraj, Haridwar and Garhmukteshwar, at the Pushkar lake in Rajasthan, and in rivers and tanks everywhere. Lamps are floated in the evening, and many give food, lamps and clothes. The Sikh community often celebrates Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary, Gurpurab, on this full moon, and for Jains it is the day the pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya at Palitana reopens after the rainy season.
How it is observed
- Devotees bathe at dawn in the Ganga or another river, lake or tank, completing the Kartik snan of the month.
- At dusk lamps are lit along the ghats, on doorsteps and in temples, and floated on the water in leaf-cups.
- In Varanasi the Ganga aarti is held on a grand scale and people watch the lit ghats from boats and the far bank.
- Lamps, food, clothes and sesame are given in charity, and many visit Shiva and Vishnu temples.
- Some keep the Satyanarayan katha or a full-moon fast, breaking it after the evening worship.
- Fairs are held at Pushkar, Garhmukteshwar and many river towns around this full moon.
How the date is fixed
Dev Deepawali is Kartika Purnima; since a full moon closes the bright half, the month is Kartika in both amanta and purnimanta calendars. Because the lamps are lit at dusk, the day is the one on which Purnima is present at pradosh, the period just after sunset. If Purnima is present at pradosh on two evenings, the first is taken. The Kartik Purnima bath is taken on the day Purnima holds at sunrise, which is usually the same day.
Where practice differs
The name Dev Deepawali belongs chiefly to Varanasi and the surrounding region; elsewhere the day is simply Kartik Purnima. In Maharashtra it is Tripurari Purnima, when tall lamp pillars at temples are lit. In Rajasthan the Pushkar fair reaches its height with the full-moon bath, and in Bihar the Sonepur fair at the meeting of the Ganga and the Gandak begins around this time. In Odisha the dawn is Boita Bandana, when small boats of banana bark with lamps are floated in memory of the sea voyages of old traders. Sikh communities celebrate Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab on this full moon in most places, following their own calendar. In Tamil Nadu the lamp festival of the season is Karthigai Deepam, which is fixed by the Krittika nakshatra and falls close to this full moon.
Dates and times are computed by our own engine (sunrise, tithi and kalas for New Delhi, Lahiri ayanamsa). In another city, or in an almanac of another tradition, the day can differ by one — follow your family’s tradition.
Questions people ask
Why is it called Dev Deepawali?
It means the Diwali of the gods. Tradition holds that the gods come down to Kashi to bathe in the Ganga on this full moon, after Shiva’s victory over Tripurasura, and the city lights its ghats to welcome them.
Is Dev Deepawali the same as Kartik Purnima?
Yes, it is the evening of Kartik Purnima. The name Dev Deepawali is used mainly in Varanasi; elsewhere the day is known as Kartik Purnima or Tripurari Purnima.
When is the Kartik Purnima bath taken?
At dawn on the day Purnima is present at sunrise, ideally before sunrise. In most years this is the same day as the evening lamps; the page above shows both.
Is Guru Nanak Jayanti on Kartik Purnima?
The Sikh community widely celebrates Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab on Kartik Purnima, though some calendars place it differently. Check with your gurdwara for the day it keeps.