Kartika Amavasya 2026 (Somvati) — Monday, 9 November 2026

About this day

Kartika Amavasya is Diwali. Lakshmi Puja is done in the evening, in the pradosh period, and in Bengal and Assam the same night is Kali Puja.

An Amavasya on a Monday is Somvati Amavasya. Married women circle a peepal tree, often 108 times, for their husbands’ wellbeing, and a river bath on this day is especially valued.

How Amavasya is kept

• Where a fast is kept, it is usually a simple one on Darsha Amavasya: a single sattvic meal, or fruit and milk.
• Tarpan — offering water with black sesame and kusha grass to the ancestors — is done late in the morning or around midday, and any family member may do it with sincerity.
• A bath in a river or at a tirtha is a strong tradition, especially on Mauni and Somvati Amavasya; at home, a bath with a little Ganga water carries the same intent.
• Feeding cows, crows, dogs and ants, and giving food, clothing or sesame to those in need, are common Amavasya customs.
• Lighting a lamp in the evening, under a peepal tree or at the household shrine, is widely practised.
• Many keep the day vegetarian and avoid alcohol as a mark of respect.
• If you are elderly, pregnant, diabetic or unwell, there is no need to fast — remembrance and charity are the heart of the day. Speak to a doctor if you are unsure.

Amavasya: the full guide and every date

Questions people ask