Astrologger2026 Masik Karthigai Dates
Masik Karthigai is observed each month on the day the Moon transits Krittika nakshatra — Murugan's star, tended by the six Krittika mothers. Lamps are lit at dusk, and the Karthigai of the Tamil month of Karthigai is the great festival of lights, Karthigai Deepam. Dates below are computed for New Delhi.
| Date | Day | Name | Paksha / Month | Tithi Begins | Tithi Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jan 2026 | Tue | Masik Karthigai (Magha) | Shukla · Magha | 26 Jan, 9:18 PM | 27 Jan, 7:5 PM |
| 23 Feb 2026 | Mon | Masik Karthigai (Phalguna) | Shukla · Phalguna | 22 Feb, 11:10 AM | 23 Feb, 9:9 AM |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Mon | Masik Karthigai (Chaitra) | Shukla · Chaitra | 22 Mar, 9:17 PM | 23 Mar, 6:39 PM |
| 19 Apr 2026 | Sun | Masik Karthigai (Vaishakha) | Shukla · Vaishakha | 18 Apr, 2:11 PM | 19 Apr, 10:50 AM |
| 16 May 2026 | Sat | Masik Karthigai (Jyeshtha) | Krishna · Vaishakha | 16 Apr, 8:12 PM | 17 May, 1:31 AM |
| 13 Jun 2026 | Sat | Masik Karthigai (Jyeshtha) | Krishna · Jyeshtha | 12 Jun, 7:37 PM | 13 Jun, 4:8 PM |
| 10 Jul 2026 | Fri | Masik Karthigai (Ashadha) | Krishna · Jyeshtha | 9 Jul, 10:38 AM | 10 Jul, 8:17 AM |
| 7 Aug 2026 | Fri | Masik Karthigai (Shravana) | Krishna · Ashadha | 6 Aug, 6:53 PM | 7 Aug, 4:37 PM |
| 3 Sept 2026 | Thu | Masik Karthigai (Bhadrapada) | Krishna · Shravana | 4 Aug, 10:3 PM | 4 Sept, 2:26 AM |
| 30 Sept 2026UPCOMING | Wed | Masik Karthigai (Ashwina) | Krishna · Bhadrapada | 29 Sept, 5:10 PM | 30 Sept, 2:56 PM |
| 27 Oct 2026 | Tue | Masik Karthigai (Kartika) | Krishna · Ashwina | 26 Oct, 9:41 AM | 27 Oct, 7:2 AM |
| 24 Nov 2026 | Tue | Masik Karthigai (Kartika) | Shukla · Kartika | 23 Nov, 11:43 PM | 24 Nov, 8:23 PM |
| 21 Dec 2026 | Mon | Masik Karthigai (Margashirsha) | Shukla · Margashirsha | 20 Dec, 8:15 PM | 21 Dec, 5:37 PM |
All dates & times computed for New Delhi (IST) with the Swiss Ephemeris + Lahiri ayanamsa — not copied.
What is Masik Karthigai?
Masik Karthigai follows the Moon's monthly return to Krittika, the Pleiades. Rows of oil lamps at the doorstep at dusk are its signature — light offered to Murugan and to Shiva as the column of flame. The observance is nakshatra-based rather than tithi-based, which is why its dates move differently from the tithi vrats.
Karthigai Deepam
The year's principal Karthigai falls in the Tamil month of Karthigai, when Krittika meets the full moon. At Tiruvannamalai the Maha Deepam is lit atop Arunachala hill, commemorating Shiva's appearance as an endless pillar of light — one of the oldest festivals in Tamil literature.
Frequently asked questions
How many Masik Karthigai are in 2026?+
There are 13 Masik Karthigai days in 2026 for the Delhi region — one each time the Moon transits Krittika nakshatra.
Why Krittika nakshatra?+
Krittika is Murugan's birth star — the six Krittika maidens nursed the six-faced Kartikeya — so the day the Moon joins it is kept sacred to him.
What is Karthigai Deepam?+
The annual Karthigai in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November–December), when the Krittika nakshatra coincides with the full moon, is Karthigai Deepam — rows of oil lamps at every home and the great beacon on Arunachala at Tiruvannamalai.
How is the day observed?+
Devotees light oil lamps at dusk, visit Murugan temples and keep a simple fast. It is primarily a Tamil observance kept across South India.
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