Kārtika (month)

Kārtika[a] (Bengali: কার্তি ক Kartik, Bhojpuri: 𑂍𑂰𑂞𑂱𑂍 kātik,

Kārtika
Hindi: कार्तिक Kārtika, Odia: କାର୍ତ୍ତିକ Kārttika, Gujarati: કારતક
Kārtak, Kannada: ಕಾರ್ತಿಕ , Maithili: कातिक, Marathi: कार्तिक, Native கார்த்திகை (Tamil)
Nepali: कार्त्तिक, Sanskrit: कार्तिक,[1] Telugu: కార్తీకం, Tamil: name कार्तिक (Sanskrit)
கார்த்திகை) is the eighth month of the Hindu calendar, কার্তি ক (Bengali)
which falls in October and November of the Gregorian
calendar.[2] In India's national civil calendar, Kartika is the Calendars
Hindu calendar
eighth month of the year, beginning on 23 October and ending
on 21 November. Bengali calendar
Month
In most Hindu calendars, Kartika begins with the transit of the 8 (Hindu calendar)
number
Sun into Libra, beginning on 18 October and lasting until 15 7 (Bengali calendar)
November. In the Nepali calendar, which is also the country's
official calendar, Kartika is the seventh month of the year, similar Number of
30 (Bangladesh)
to the Maithili and Bengali calendars. In Bengal, Kartika marks days
the start of the dry season (হেমন্ত Hemôntô). In the solar Tamil 29/30 (India)
calendar, Kārttikai (கார்த்திகை, /kɑːrt̪iɡəj/) is the eighth Season Autumn
month, corresponding to November/December in the Gregorian
Gregorian October-November
calendar. It begins when the sun enters the sign of Scorpio.
Many festivals, such as Karthikai Deepam, are celebrated in this equivalent
month. Significant Diwali(Purnimanta/Solar)
days Karwa Chauth
Etymology
(Purnimanta/Solar)
The name of the month is derived from the name of a star,
Krittika (Tamil: கார்த்திகை) nakshatra. Prabodhini Ekadashi
Chhath
Festivals Vaikuntha
Ekadashi(Amanta)
Several major religious holidays take place in Kartika. These are
as follows:

1. Part of Diwali (amanta tradition): Balipratipada and

Govardhan Puja/Annakut (Kartika 1), Bhai Dooj (Kartika
2)
2. Karthigai Deepam is a lights festival celebrated by Hindu
Tamizhans across the world on the Full-Moon Day of the
Karthigai Month when the stars align on a Karthika
constellation. Tamizhans light Deepams outside and
inside their homes to celebrate the birth of Lord Murugan.
Nag Nathaiya festival spectators in
3. Diwali (purnimantatradition), including Govatsa Varanasi in Kartik month.
Dwadashi (Kartika 12), Dhanteras (Kartika 13), Naraka
Chaturdasi (Kartika 14), Kali Puja and Lakshmi Puja
(Kartika 15), Balipratipada and Govardhan Puja/Annakut (Kartika 16), Bhai Dooj (Kartika 17)
4. Chhath Mahaparv (Kartika 21)
 5. Kartik Poornima (Kartika 15 or Kartika 30)
6. Sohrai
7. Kartika Ekadashi (Kartika 11 or Kartika 26)
8. Nag Nathaiya in Varanasi
9. Jalaram Jayanti is celebrated mainly in Gujarat on the 7th Shukla Paksha of Kartika.

The festival of Kartik Poornima (Kartika 15/30) falls in this month; it celebrated as Dev Deepavali in
Varanasi. This coincides with the nirvana of the Jain Tirthankara Mahavira, the birth of the Sikh Guru
Nanak, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and the well-known Ayyappan garland festival for the god of Sabarimalai,
which is also known as Tripuri Purnima.

Shukla Paksha Krishna Paksha

1. Prathama 1. Prathama
2. Dwitiya 2. Dwitiya

3. Tritiya 3. Tritiya

4. Chaturthi 4. Chaturthi
5. Panchami 5. Panchami

6. Shashti 6. Shashti

7. Saptami 7. Saptami
8. Ashtami 8. Ashtami

9. Navami 9. Navami

10. Dashami 10. Dashami

11. Ekadashi 11. Ekadashi

12. Dwadashi 12. Dwadashi

13. Thrayodashi 13. Thrayodashi

14. Chaturdashi 14. Chaturdashi

15. Purnima 15. Amavasya

The second day of Kartika's bright fortnight is also called Bhaatri Dwitiyaa (similar to Bhai Dooj). It is
celebrated by sisters entertaining their brothers, following the legend of Yamuna, who entertained her
brother Yama on the same day.[3]

Nag Nathaiya in Varanasi, which falls on the fourth Tithi of Kartika's bright fortnight, is an ancient festival
celebrating the god Krishna's victory of good over evil. Kashi Naresh (the titular king of Varanasi) would
view the festivities from his royal boat.

Every Monday and Ekadashi of this month are special and Abhisheka is offered to Lord Shiva on these
oocasions. This month is also considered as the most auspicious month in the Hindu calendar.

See also
Hinduism portal

Astronomical basis of the Hindu calendar

Hindu units of measurement
 Hindu astronomy
Jyotisha

References
a. alternate spelling: Karthika or Kartik

1. Hindu Calendar (http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_calendar/)

2. Henderson, Helene. (Ed.) (2005) Holidays, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary
Third edition. Electronic edition. Detroit: Omnigraphics, p. xxix. ISBN 0-7808-0982-3
3. Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages (https://archive.org/details/in
diathroughages00mada). Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,
Government of India. p. 78 (https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/78).

External links
Festivals in Karthika masam (http://www.shaktipeethas.org/karthika-masam-t73.html)
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20100124160441/http://www.shaktipeethas.org/karthik
a-masam-t73.html) 2010-01-24 at the Wayback Machine
Kartik Snan - Holy Bathing: A Spiritual Awakening in Hinduism (https://www.thedivineindia.c
om/kartik-snan/7441)
Kartik Month - thedivineindia.com (https://www.thedivineindia.com/kartik-month/7440)

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