When are Kartik Purnima and Dev Diwali in 2026?
Kartik Purnima is on Tuesday, November 24, 2026 in the New Delhi reference. The Varanasi Dev Diwali reference also lists November 24. This is distinct from the main Diwali and Lakshmi Puja celebration earlier in November. When sharing invitations, use the full festival name and the city so relatives do not mistake a Kartik Purnima gathering for the earlier Diwali programme.
Keep the two timing references separate
For New Delhi, Purnima extends from November 23 at 11:42 PM to November 24 at 8:23 PM IST. That is a tithi interval, not an all-purpose puja muhurat. For Varanasi, the referenced Pradosh Dev Diwali window is November 24, 5:08–7:47 PM IST. It applies to Varanasi and should not be described as the timing for every Indian city or as a confirmed public event timetable.
What the observances bring together
Kartik Purnima is associated with devotional observances at the close of Kartik. Dev Diwali in Varanasi is especially associated with the lighting of lamps along the ghats and the tradition of Shiva’s victory over Tripurasura. Families may mark the day through prayer, deepdaan or their customary temple visit. These traditions overlap, but an individual household’s programme and a large public celebration need not have the same sequence.
A simple home deepdaan plan
Choose a safe place for lamps before arranging the decoration. Keep the surface stable and clear of curtains, loose clothing and passageways. Prepare the wicks and the oil or ghee your household uses, and assign an adult to supervise the lit lamps. Children can help arrange unlit diyas or flowers. A modest number of carefully placed lamps can be easier to manage than a display that blocks movement or cannot be supervised.
If you are planning a Varanasi visit
Confirm the current local arrangements directly with the relevant organiser or authorities before travelling. Ask about access points, arrival time, permitted areas, transport and the return route. The Panchang reference in this guide is not a boat-booking timetable, ticket price, fireworks announcement or confirmation of any particular ghat programme. Allow extra travel time and agree on a meeting point if your group separates.
At the riverfront, follow the local instructions
Remain within designated areas and follow the directions of on-site staff. Do not cross barriers or approach an unsafe river edge for a photograph. Accompany children and relatives who need assistance, and keep the path clear for other visitors. Take used packaging to the proper collection point rather than leaving it near the water. These practical arrangements should be settled before the evening, not while everyone is trying to find the same viewing spot.
Snan, prayer and family customs
Some families include Kartik snan, charitable giving or a particular temple prayer in their observance. Ask which practice your household follows and plan it separately from the evening lamps. A familiar custom should not become pressure to undertake an unfamiliar ritual. This guide does not prescribe fasting, bathing in open water or any guaranteed spiritual outcome; a priest or family elder can clarify the ceremony you actually follow.
Check your location and connect the week’s plans
Open CosmosPandit, select the city where you will be and November 24, and review the Panchang. Do not convert Varanasi’s clock time into a foreign-city ritual window. If your family is also arranging Dev Uthani Ekadashi or Tulsi Vivah, keep those dates and ceremony plans separate; the related guides below explain the differences. Date and timing references were checked October 27, 2026; public event arrangements still need a fresh local check.
Kartik Purnima: New Delhi reference · Dev Diwali: Varanasi reference