Karthigai Deepam 2027: date, rule and meaning
Karthigai Deepam 2027 is on Saturday, December 11 in Washington DC, the same day as in India (New Delhi).
- Washington DC
11SaturdayDecember 2027
Computed for this city. Tamil rule.
The same date in India (New Delhi).
How the date is decided
In Washington DC: Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:46 PM to 7:40 PM
The day in the Tamil month Karthigai (Sun in Vrishchika) on which Krittika (Karthigai) nakshatra prevails in the evening (pradosh), when the lamps are lit. If Krittika comes twice in Karthigai, the later day (the one near the Karthigai full moon).
Karthigai Deepam 2027 in each city
US
| City | Date | Times that decide it | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:28 PM to 7:25 PM | – |
| Edison, NJ | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:30 PM to 7:26 PM | – |
| Washington DC | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:46 PM to 7:40 PM | – |
| Atlanta | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:29 PM to 8:18 PM | – |
| Boston | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:11 PM to 7:10 PM | – |
| Philadelphia | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:35 PM to 7:31 PM | – |
| Chicago | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 6:08 AM to 5:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:19 PM to 7:17 PM | – |
| Houston | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 6:08 AM to 5:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:22 PM to 8:07 PM | – |
| Dallas | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 6:08 AM to 5:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:21 PM to 8:09 PM | – |
| Los Angeles | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 4:08 AM to 3:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:44 PM to 7:33 PM | – |
| San Jose, CA | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 4:08 AM to 3:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:49 PM to 7:42 PM | – |
| Seattle | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 4:08 AM to 3:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:17 PM to 7:23 PM | – |
UK
| City | Date | Times that decide it | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 12:08 PM to 11:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 3:51 PM to 7:04 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Birmingham, UK | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 12:08 PM to 11:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 3:53 PM to 7:08 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Leicester | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 12:08 PM to 11:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 3:49 PM to 7:05 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Manchester | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 12:08 PM to 11:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 3:49 PM to 7:06 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
Canada
| City | Date | Times that decide it | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:40 PM to 7:40 PM | – |
| Brampton | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 7:08 AM to 6:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:41 PM to 7:42 PM | – |
| Vancouver | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:08 AM to 4:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:13 PM to 8:22 PM | – |
| Calgary | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 6:08 AM to 5:12 AM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:29 PM to 8:41 PM | – |
Australia
| City | Date | Times that decide it | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Sun, Dec 12 | Krittika 11:08 PM, 11 Dec to 10:12 PM; pradosh 7:59 PM to 9:55 PM | In India (New Delhi): Sat, Dec 11 |
| Melbourne | Sun, Dec 12 | Krittika 11:08 PM, 11 Dec to 10:12 PM; pradosh 8:35 PM to 10:26 PM | In India (New Delhi): Sat, Dec 11 |
| Brisbane | Sun, Dec 12 | Krittika 10:08 PM, 11 Dec to 9:12 PM; pradosh 6:36 PM to 8:38 PM | In India (New Delhi): Sat, Dec 11 |
| Perth | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 8:08 PM to 7:12 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 7:15 PM to 9:13 PM Close call | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
India
| City | Date | Times that decide it | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:24 PM to 8:08 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Mumbai | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 6:01 PM to 8:37 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Kolkata | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:52 PM to 7:31 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Chennai | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:43 PM to 8:14 PM Close call | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Bengaluru | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:54 PM to 8:25 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Hyderabad | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:42 PM to 8:17 PM Close call | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Ahmedabad | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:55 PM to 8:34 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Surat | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:57 PM to 8:35 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Pune | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:58 PM to 8:34 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Jaipur | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:34 PM to 8:16 PM Close call | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Lucknow | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:13 PM to 7:56 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Varanasi | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:08 PM to 7:49 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Patna | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 4:59 PM to 7:40 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Chandigarh | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:21 PM to 8:07 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Bhopal | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 5:35 PM to 8:14 PM Close call | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
| Thiruvananthapuram | Sat, Dec 11 | Krittika 5:38 PM to 4:42 PM, 12 Dec; pradosh 6:04 PM to 8:32 PM | Krittika at sunrise (some Tamil almanacs): Sun, Dec 12 |
About the festival
Karthigai Deepam is the Tamil festival of lamps. It is kept in the Tamil month of Karthigai, on the day the Moon is in the Krittika (Karthigai) nakshatra, which in most years is at or near the full moon.
AI-drafted, reviewed. Written for this app with AI help and checked against the sources listed. See the sources
Questions families ask
When is Karthigai Deepam 2028?
The date moves with the Hindu calendar. In 2028, Karthigai Deepam is on Thursday, November 30, 2028 in Washington DC.
How is the date found for my city?
Each city’s date is computed for that city, from its own sunrise and sunset and the times the tithi begins and ends, with the rule named below. Find your city in the table above.
Which rule sets the date of Karthigai Deepam?
The day in the Tamil month Karthigai (Sun in Vrishchika) on which Krittika (Karthigai) nakshatra prevails in the evening (pradosh), when the lamps are lit. If Krittika comes twice in Karthigai, the later day (the one near the Karthigai full moon). How we compute dates
The rule and its sources
Tradition: Tamil.
- Some Tamil almanacs decide by the nakshatra at sunrise; this can move the date by a day.
Rule sources
- Wikipedia: Karthikai Deepam
- Drik Panchang: Tamil calendar (sunset rule for the month start)
- Rashtriya Panchang (India Meteorological Department, Positional Astronomy Centre, Kolkata), Saka 1942 and 1944-1948: festival dates compared in Gate G1 (tools/g1/rp)
- V. Nagam Aiya, The Travancore State Manual, vol. II (Trivandrum: Travancore Government Press, 1906), p. 306: list of fasts and festivals with the sects who keep them (Thyepoosam, Varalakshmi Vritam, Kartigai, Ekadasi and Amavasya)
Related
Computed for 40 cities on Saturday, December 11, 2027
Rule: The day in the Tamil month Karthigai (Sun in Vrishchika) on which Krittika (Karthigai) nakshatra prevails in the evening (pradosh), when the lamps are lit. If Krittika comes twice in Karthigai, the later day (the one near the Karthigai full moon).
Calculated for your location from NASA JPL's DE440 ephemeris and Astronomy Engine (MIT licence), with the Lahiri ayanamsa. Times can differ by a minute or two from printed panchangs. For vrat and puja timings, follow your family or temple tradition.
Source and licence
- Our explanation
- Explanation written for this site with AI help from the sources listed here, and reviewed. It is not a translation and not the only way to read the text. Free to quote with credit.
- Review
- AI review: 2 independent reviews against the cited edition, October 14, 2026.
Report a problem with this page · or email us · Corrections