Karthigai Deepam 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November in the UAE. Lamps go on after sunset at 5:30 PM Dubai time and can stay lit until Krittika (Karthigai) nakshatra ends at 9:55 PM. Besides the big November festival, there is a smaller Karthigai day every month, and the next ones are 30 September and 27 October.

This guide covers every 2026 Karthigai date for the UAE, the story behind the festival, how to light the lamps at home and what to cook. There is also a note on why this year's Deepam lands on the same evening as Kartik Purnima.

Karthigai Deepam 2026: Date and Timing in the UAE

Karthigai Deepam is fixed by the Tamil solar month of Karthigai and the Krittika nakshatra. Krittika has to be present after sunset, and it usually lines up with the full moon. In 2026 both fall on the same Tuesday.

All timings are Dubai local time. Sharjah and Ajman run about a minute ahead, and Abu Dhabi about four minutes behind. Calendars printed for India can show a different time, and sometimes a different day, because India is 90 minutes ahead of the UAE.

All Karthigai Days in 2026 (UAE Dates)

A Karthigai day comes round roughly every 27 days, whenever Krittika nakshatra is in force. Many Tamil families keep each one as a small observance for Lord Murugan, with a lamp at dusk and a simple prayer. The one in the month of Karthigai is the big festival.

The Story Behind Karthigai Deepam

The main legend is about Lord Shiva. Brahma and Vishnu once argued over which of them was greater. Shiva appeared between them as an endless column of fire, and neither could find where it began or ended. Brahma flew up as a swan and Vishnu dug down as a boar, and both came back humbled.

That column of light is linked to Arunachala, the sacred hill at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. It is why the festival is about flame. Every lamp lit on Karthigai Deepam is a small echo of that infinite light.

The festival belongs to Lord Murugan too. He was born from six sparks from Shiva's third eye, which became six infants in the Saravana pond. The six Krittika maidens raised them, and they later merged into one child with six faces. That is where his name Karthikeya comes from. Read more about his birth and battles in how Kartikeya defeated Tarakasura. His other great festival, the six-day Kanda Sashti vratam, falls just before Deepam - see our Skanda Sashti guide for its UAE dates.

The Maha Deepam at Tiruvannamalai

The best-known celebration takes place at the Arunachaleshwarar temple in Tiruvannamalai. There the festival runs for ten days. Before dawn on the main day, the Bharani Deepam is lit inside the temple.

At dusk, a huge fire called the Maha Deepam is lit on the summit of Arunachala hill. It can be seen for kilometres around. Lakhs of pilgrims walk the hill on the same night.

How to Celebrate Karthigai Deepam at Home

The home ritual is simple. What makes it special is the number of lamps. Here is how most Tamil families in the UAE keep the evening:

• Clean and draw the kolam. Clean the home in the afternoon, then draw a rice-flour kolam at the entrance and in front of the puja shelf.
• Set out the agal vilakku. Arrange small clay lamps in rows at the doorway, the windows, the puja shelf and near the tulsi plant. Many families light an odd number, such as 9, 27 or 51.
• Use ghee or sesame oil. Ghee is traditional for the puja shelf, and sesame (nallennai) oil for the doorway rows. Plain cotton wicks give a steady, clean flame.
• Light the main lamp first. Light the kuthu vilakku or the main brass lamp at the puja shelf, then use it to light every other lamp. It is one flame passed on, just like the legend.
• Pray to Shiva and Murugan. Chant Om Namah Shivaya and Om Saravanabhava, then offer the naivedyam.
• Keep the lamps burning. Let them burn for as long as you can through the evening. Traditionally they are not blown out - let them go out on their own.

Rows of lamps for the doorstep

Small clay diyas and wicks, enough for the entrance, the windows and the puja shelf.

Hand-Painted Clay Diya 6 cm with Wicks (Sets of 6, 12 and 25)

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Rui Batti - Kesar Tip Cotton Wicks, Pack of 100

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For naivedyam, the classic Karthigai offering is pori urundai: puffed rice bound with jaggery syrup and rolled into balls. Many homes also make nei appam, adai, vadai and a sweet pongal. All of these can be made easily in a UAE kitchen, and puffed rice (pori) is sold in Indian supermarkets across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

A safe centrepiece for apartment living

Ten lamps in one brass urli, easy to keep in sight on a console or the puja shelf.

10 Diya Urli with Floating Lotus (24.5 cm)

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Karthigai Deepam and Kartik Purnima on the Same Evening

In 2026 Karthigai Deepam falls on the same day as Kartik Purnima, the full moon that North Indian families mark as Dev Deepawali. Purnima ends at 6:53 PM Dubai time, and the moon rises at 5:11 PM. That means the first hour after sunset is lit by both traditions at once. For timings and the North Indian vidhi, see our Kartik Purnima guide.

One custom that crosses both festivals is the 365 batti: a single wick of 365 cotton threads, lit as a symbolic offering of a lamp for every day of the year. It burns bright and long in a large diya, so it makes a good main lamp for the evening. Our 365 batti guide explains how to set it in ghee so it burns evenly.

One lamp for the whole year

The 365-thread wick, for the main lamp on Deepam and Purnima night.

365 Batti - A Diya for Every Day of the Year

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Keeping the Monthly Karthigai Days

The monthly Karthigai day does not need a big puja. Light one lamp in front of Lord Murugan at dusk. Offer a fruit or a little milk, and chant Om Saravanabhava or the Kanda Sashti Kavasam.

Some devotees fast until the evening lamp, taking only fruit and water. Others simply keep the lamp and the prayer. Either way, the discipline is doing it every month, not how elaborate it is.

For your Murugan corner

A framed Murugan for the puja shelf, where the monthly lamp is lit.

Murugan Photo Frame A4 Wooden

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Karthigai Deepam in the UAE

The UAE has a large Tamil community, and Karthigai Deepam is kept mostly at home, doorway by doorway. Many families also visit the Hindu Temple in Jebel Ali, Dubai, in the evening. It is worth checking its timings ahead of the day, as festival evenings get busy. Our guide to the Shiva temple in Dubai has more on visiting.

Lamps and wicks sell quickly in the fortnight before Deepavali and Deepam, so it is sensible to stock up once Diwali shopping begins. The same clay diyas work for both festivals, and whatever is left after Diwali on 8 November is ready for Deepam on 24 November.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Karthigai Deepam 2026 in the UAE?

Karthigai Deepam 2026 is on Tuesday 24 November in the UAE. Krittika nakshatra runs from 12:32 AM to 9:55 PM Dubai time that day, and lamps are lit after sunset at 5:30 PM.

What time should I light the Karthigai Deepam lamps in Dubai?

Light them any time after sunset at 5:30 PM and before Krittika nakshatra ends at 9:55 PM. Most families light the main lamp right at sunset and then light the rows from it.

What is the difference between Karthigai Deepam and monthly Karthigai?

Monthly Karthigai comes round every month on the day of Krittika nakshatra and is a small observance for Lord Murugan. Karthigai Deepam is the one in the Tamil month of Karthigai, near the full moon, and it is the big festival of lamps for Shiva and Murugan.

How many lamps should I light on Karthigai Deepam?

There is no fixed number. Many families light an odd number, such as 9, 27 or 51, spread across the entrance, windows and puja shelf. In an apartment, a few lamps in a safe spot are better than dozens you cannot watch.

Which oil is best for Karthigai Deepam lamps?

Ghee is traditional for the lamp at the puja shelf. Sesame oil (nallennai) is the usual choice for the rows of clay lamps at the doorway. Both give a steady flame with a plain cotton wick.

What food is offered on Karthigai Deepam?

The classic offering is pori urundai, puffed rice balls made with jaggery. Nei appam, adai, vadai and sweet pongal are also common. All of these are easy to make with ingredients from Indian supermarkets in the UAE.

Is Karthigai Deepam the same as Kartik Purnima?

They are different festivals from different traditions, but they often fall close together, and in 2026 they share the same day. Karthigai Deepam follows the Tamil solar month and Krittika nakshatra, while Kartik Purnima is the full moon of the lunar month of Kartik.

Why do Indian calendars sometimes show a different Karthigai date?

Nakshatra and tithi timings shift with location, and India is 90 minutes ahead of the UAE. When a nakshatra begins or ends close to sunrise or sunset, the observance can land on a different day in Dubai. The dates in this guide are worked out for Dubai.