Kārtika (,) is the eighth month of the

Hindu calendar The Hindu calendar, also called Panchangam, Panchanga (), is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes ...

, which falls in October and November of the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

. In India's national civil calendar. In most Hindu calendars, Kartika begins with the transit of the Sun into

Libra Libra generally refers to: * Libra (constellation), a constellation * Libra (astrology), an astrological sign based on the star constellation Libra may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Libra'' (novel), a 1988 novel by Don DeLillo Musi ...

, beginning on 18 October and lasting until 15 November. In the Nepali calendar, which is also the country's official calendar, Kartika is the seventh month of the year, similar to the Maithili and

Bengali calendar The Bengali Calendar or Bangla Calendar (, colloquially , or , , "Bangla Year") is a solar calendar used in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. In contrast to the traditional Indian Hindu calendar, which begins with the month Chait ...

s. In Bengal, Kartika marks the start of the dry

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...

( ''Hemôntô''). In the solar

Tamil calendar The Tamil calendar (தமிழ் நாட்காட்டி) is a Sidereal time, sidereal solar calendar used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It is also used in Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, and by the Tamil ...

, ''Kārttikai'' (கார்த்திகை, ) is the seventh month, corresponding to November/December in the

. It begins when the sun enters the sign of Scorpio. Many festivals, such as Karthikai Deepam, are celebrated in this month.

Etymology

The name of the month is derived from the name of a star, Krittika (, )

nakshatra Nakshatra () is the term for Lunar mansion in Hindu astrology and Buddhist astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to a prominent star or asterisms in or near the respective s ...

Festivals

Several major religious holidays take place in Kartika. These are as follows: # Part of

Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...

( amanta tradition):

Balipratipada Balipratipada ('), also called as ''Bali-Padyami'', ''Padva'', ''Virapratipada'' or ''Dyutapratipada'', is the fourth day of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated in honour of the notional return of the daitya-king Bali (Mahabal ...

and Govardhan Puja/ Annakut (Kartika 1), Bhai Dooj (Kartika 2) # Karthigai Deepam is a lights festival celebrated by

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

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 Kartikeya (/ kɑɾt̪ɪkejə/; ), also known as Skanda ( /skən̪d̪ə/), Subrahmanya (/ sʊbɾəɦməɲjə/, /ɕʊ-/), Shanmukha ( /ɕɑnmʊkʰə/) and Murugan (/ mʊɾʊgən/), is the Hindu god of war. He is generally described as the ...

. #

( purnimantatradition), including Govatsa Dwadashi (Kartika 12),

Dhanteras Dhanatrayodashi (), also known as Dhanteras (), is the first day that marks the festival of Diwali or Tihar in most of India and Nepal It is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day (Trayodashi) of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the Hind ...

(Kartika 13), Naraka Chaturdasi (Kartika 14),

Kali Puja Kali Puja (ISO: ), also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is celebrated on the new moon day (Dipannita Amavasya) of the Hindu calendar month o ...

and Lakshmi Puja (Kartika 15),

and Govardhan Puja/ Annakut (Kartika 16), Bhai Dooj (Kartika 17) # Chhath Mahaparv (Kartika 21) # Kartik Pournami (Kartika 15 or Kartika 30) # Sohrai # Kartika Ekadashi (Kartika 11 or Kartika 26) # Nag Nathaiya in

Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...

# 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

. This coincides with the

nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...

of the Jain

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsā ...

Mahavira Mahavira (Devanagari: महावीर, ), also known as Vardhamana (Devanagari: वर्धमान, ), was the 24th ''Tirthankara'' (Supreme Preacher and Ford Maker) of Jainism. Although the dates and most historical details of his lif ...

, the birth of the Sikh Guru Nanak, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and the well-known

Ayyappan Ayyappan, also known as Dharmasastha and Manikandan, is the Hindu deity of truth and righteousness. According to Hindu theology, he is described as the son of Shiva and Mohini (the female avatar of Vishnu), thus representing a bridge between S ...

garland festival for the god of Sabarimala, which is also known as Tripuri Purnima. 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 The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Low ...

, who entertained her brother

Yama Yama (), also known as Kāla and Dharmarāja, is the Hindu god of death and justice, responsible for the dispensation of law and punishment of sinners in his abode, Naraka. He is often identified with Dharmadeva, the personification of ''Dharm ...

on the same day. Nag Nathaiya in

, which falls on the fourth Tithi of Kartika's bright fortnight, is an ancient festival celebrating the god

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

'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 Ekadashi () is the eleventh lunar day (''tithi'') of the waxing (''Shukla Paksha, Shukla Pakṣa)'' and waning (''Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa)'' lunar cycles in a Hindu calendar, Vedic calendar month. Ekadashi is popularly observed within Vaishnavism one ...

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

References

External links

Festivals in Karthika masam
{{Indian astronomy *08 Months of the Bengali calendar

Etymology

Festivals

See also

References

External links