Karthika Purnima

On the full moon day of the Hindu month of Karthika, people in Odisha and Telengana observe a public holiday to celebrate Karthika Purnima. In 2026, Karthika Purnima falls on Tuesday 24 November. The holiday will be on Sunday 14 November in 2027. The holiday is also referred to as “Deva Diwali” and various other local names in different parts of India. Hindus consider Karthika Purnima to be especially important because it’s the sole day of the year that is specifically dedicated to the worship of both Shiva and Vishnu. Legend has it that Vishnu was incarnated to become Matsya on this day and that this was the first of his 10 incarnations in different forms. And there are many other legends of both Shiva and Vishnu associated with Karthika Purnima, which may well be read and remembered by Hindu devotees on this day. Many Hindus go to a temple of Shiva or Vishnu or both on Karthika Purnima. Sometimes, they light wicks on miniature rafts made of banana stems and float them on a river. Others may fast and pray all day long, while still others give an idol of Shiva a milk-and-honey bath. The total list of rituals is very long and complex.