Dev Deepawali 2026: Kartik Purnima Date, Varanasi Ganga Aarti and Diya Timings
Dev Deepawali, the Diwali of the Gods, is the festival that closes the lamp-lit season that begins with Diwali. In 2026, Dev Deepawali falls on Tuesday, 24 November, the full moon of the month of Kartik, known as Kartik Purnima. In Varanasi, the ghats along the Ganga are lit with lakhs of earthen lamps on this night, in honour of Mother Ganga and the gods who are believed to descend to bathe in the river.
When Is Dev Deepawali in 2026?
Dev Deepawali 2026 is on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. It is observed on the Purnima (full moon) of the month of Kartik, which is why the day is also called Kartik Purnima and Tripuri Purnima. It falls about two weeks after Diwali, which was on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
The date is much later than last year. In 2025, Kartik Purnima fell on 5 November, but an extra lunar month, Adhika Jyeshtha Masam (17 May to 15 June 2026), pushed every festival after it forward by about nineteen days. If a calendar still shows an early November date for Kartik Purnima 2026, that date is stale.
Kartik Purnima 2026 Tithi Timings
The timings below follow the New Delhi reference used by mainstream panchang publishers. Sunrise, sunset and moonrise shift by a few minutes from city to city, but the tithi start and end times stay the same across India.
| تہوار | Date and Time (IST) |
|---|---|
| Dev Deepawali / Kartik Purnima | Tuesday, 24 November 2026 |
| Purnima tithi begins | 11:42 PM, Monday, 23 November 2026 |
| Purnima tithi ends | 8:23 PM, Tuesday, 24 November 2026 |
| Kartik Snan (holy dip) | Before sunrise, Tuesday, 24 November 2026 |
| Deep daan (evening lamp offering) | Pradosh window after sunset, Tuesday, 24 November 2026 |
| Arghya to the moon | After moonrise, Tuesday, 24 November 2026 (check your city moonrise time) |
What Is Dev Deepawali?
Dev Deepawali means the Diwali of the Gods. While the Diwali of 8 November is the festival of people and homes, this second festival belongs to the deities. Tradition holds that on the Kartik full moon, the gods descend to earth to bathe in the Ganga at Kashi (Varanasi), and the city lights lamps to welcome them.
The day is also called Tripuri Purnima, after the story that gives it its weight. The demon Tripurasura had won control of three fortified cities, collectively called Tripura, and had grown impossible to defeat. Lord Shiva destroyed all three with a single arrow, taking the form of Tripurari, and the gods lit lamps in celebration of his victory. Lighting lamps, rather than feasting, is therefore the central act of the day.
Dev Deepawali in Varanasi: The Ghats, the Diyas and the Ganga Aarti
Varanasi draws the largest gathering. Lamps line all 84 ghats, from Ravidas Ghat at the southern end to Rajghat, a stretch of nearly seven kilometres along the riverfront. By late afternoon, families set out diyas in neat rows along the steps, vendors sell flowers and lamps, and priests prepare for the evening rituals. As dusk falls, the ghats light up in sequence until the whole riverfront glows, and the grand Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat carries its chanting across the water. Devotees also float lamps on the river, deity processions move through the streets, and many homes host Akhand Ramayana recitations.
The day begins before dawn with Kartik Snan, a holy dip in the Ganga, and the evening deep daan is offered in the pradosh window after sunset. The best way to see the ghats is from a boat on the river, but boats and ghat-side stays sell out early, and police close several approach roads to vehicles on the night itself, so plan ahead and confirm the local temple schedule a week before.
Kartik Purnima and the Desi Calendar
In the solar Punjabi calendar, Kartik Purnima 2026 falls in the desi month of Maghar, which begins with Maghar Sangrand on Monday, 16 November 2026. In the lunar reckoning, it is the full moon of the month of Kartik. The same full moon is also marked as Guru Nanak Jayanti by Sikhs, which is why our Gurpurab 2026 guide covers the same date from the Sikh tradition. See our Diwali 2026 guide for the festival that opens this season, and our Maghar month page for the month’s dates and traditions. Devuthani Ekadashi falls on Friday, 20 November 2026, and Tulsi Vivah on Saturday, 21 November 2026, so Dev Deepawali closes the wedding season of Lord Vishnu and the whole Diwali season with it.
How to Observe Kartik Purnima at Home
You do not need a priest or a temple queue to observe the day. Most households follow a familiar sequence, although regional practice varies:
Kartik Snan: Take a holy dip in a river before sunrise, or add a little holy water to a bucket at home.
Lamps: Light ghee or sesame oil lamps at the tulsi plant, the doorway and the puja space.
Puja: Worship Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu together, since this is the one full moon dedicated to both, and recite the Vishnu Sahasranama, the Bhagavad Gita, or Shiva stotras.
Daan: Give food, warm clothing, rice or lamps to those in need, since charity carries special weight during the month of Kartik.
Arghya: After moonrise, offer water to the moon and complete the fast if you kept one.
A note of caution: late November mornings along the Ganga turn genuinely cold, and a long immersion before sunrise is not advisable for elderly people, young children, or anyone with a heart or blood pressure condition. A full-day fast without water is likewise not advisable for anyone who is pregnant, diabetic, or on regular medication, and tradition permits partial fasts with fruit and milk for exactly these situations.
Kartik Purnima Dates in Coming Years
Planning ahead? Here are the Kartik Purnima dates for the last two years and the next year:
| Year | دن | تاریخ |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | جمعہ | 15 November 2024 |
| 2025 | بدھ | 5 November 2025 |
| 2026 | منگل | 24 November 2026 |
| 2027 | اتوار | 14 November 2027 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Dev Deepawali in 2026?
Dev Deepawali 2026 falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026. It is observed on Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the month of Kartik, about two weeks after Diwali.
What are the Kartik Purnima tithi timings for 2026?
The Purnima tithi begins at 11:42 PM on Monday, 23 November 2026 and ends at 8:23 PM on Tuesday, 24 November 2026 (IST, New Delhi reference). Because sunrise on 24 November falls inside that window, the observance day is the 24th.
Where is Dev Deepawali mainly celebrated?
Dev Deepawali is mainly celebrated in Varanasi, where lamps line all 84 ghats from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat along the Ganga, with the grand Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat. The same full moon is also observed across India as Kartik Purnima, with Kartik Snan, lamp lighting and daan at home.
Why is Dev Deepawali called the Diwali of the Gods?
Tradition holds that on the Kartik full moon, the gods descend to earth to bathe in the Ganga at Kashi (Varanasi), and the city lights lamps to welcome them. The day also marks Lord Shiva’s victory over the demon Tripurasura, which is why it is called Tripuri Purnima.
Which desi month does Kartik Purnima 2026 fall in?
In the solar Punjabi calendar, Kartik Purnima 2026 falls in the desi month of Maghar, which begins with Maghar Sangrand on Monday, 16 November 2026. In the lunar reckoning, it is the full moon of the month of Kartik.
When is Kartik Purnima in 2027?
Kartik Purnima in 2027 falls on Sunday, 14 November 2027, returning to the usual November window after the late 2026 date.
