Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali)

About

Kartik Purnima falls on the full moon (Purnima) of the month of Kartika. It marks the end of the bright half of Kartika, a month considered one of the holiest, and brings the Diwali season to a close. In the Purnimanta system followed in North India, the month of Kartika itself ends on this day. The day has the same name in the Amanta system.

It is a day of holy baths, lamp-lighting, charity and prayer. It is known by several names: Dev Deepawali (dev = gods, deepawali = row of lamps), Tripurari Purnima and Tripuri Purnima. In Sikh tradition it is also the day of Guru Nanak Jayanti, and Sikh friends and neighbours will be celebrating the birth of Guru Nanak with prayers and langar.

Significance and stories

Tripurari Purnima. Shiva is said to have destroyed the three flying cities (Tripura) of the demon Tripurasura on this day. This earned him the name Tripurari (enemy of Tripura). The gods celebrated by lighting lamps, which is the origin of Dev Deepawali.

Dev Deepawali. In Varanasi, the Ganga ghats are lit with hundreds of thousands of lamps, from Assi Ghat to Rajghat, and there are aartis on the riverbank. The belief is that the gods come down to bathe in the Ganga on this day. It takes place about fifteen days after the main Diwali.

Vishnu and Matsya. Some Vaishnava traditions say that Vishnu took the Matsya (fish) avatar on this day. Kartik Purnima is also the end of the month in which many people have worshipped Vishnu with daily lamps and Tulsi.

Kartikeya. In parts of South India and in Shaiva traditions, the day is also sacred to Kartikeya. In Tamil Nadu, the lamp festival of Karthigai Deepam is related, although its date depends on the Tamil calendar and the Krittika star, so check your regional calendar.

Guru Nanak Jayanti. Sikhs celebrate the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, on this full moon, with prayers, kirtan and community meals, and Hindus around the world send greetings.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. Wake before sunrise and bathe, ideally in a holy river such as the Ganga, Yamuna or Godavari, or in a lake. At home, add a few drops of Gangajal to bath water. This is called Kartik snan.
2. After the bath, offer water to the sun (arghya) and pray to Vishnu and Shiva.
3. Light a lamp before the family shrine. Offer flowers, fruit, Tulsi leaves for Vishnu, and bael leaves for Shiva.
4. Recite or listen to the names of Shiva or Vishnu, or the story of Satyanarayan. Chant "Om Namah Shivaya" (ॐ नमः शिवाय) or "Om Namo Narayanaya". Ask a priest or elder to guide pronunciation.
5. Give donations (daan) of food, clothes, sesame, grain or lamps to those in need.
6. At dusk, light as many lamps as you can at the temple, at the home shrine, near Tulsi and by running water.
7. Float a small lamp in a leaf boat in a river or pond where this is allowed, if your family follows that custom.
8. Break your fast after moonrise or after the evening puja, according to your family custom.

Puja items (samagri)

• Gangajal, clean water and a vessel
• Many clay lamps, ghee or oil, cotton wicks
• Flowers, Tulsi leaves, bael leaves
• Rice, kumkum, turmeric, incense, camphor
• Fruit, sweets, sesame seeds and jaggery for donation
• Leaf boats or small floating lamps

Fasting and food

Many devotees keep a fast on Kartik Purnima and eat only fruit, milk and simple foods until the evening. Some eat one meal after the evening prayer. Others observe the whole month of Kartika with vows such as one meal a day, a lamp every evening and early baths. People with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast. The Satyanarayan Katha is often read and prasad of sheera is shared.

Regional customs

In Varanasi, Dev Deepawali is the highlight, with the ghats lit from end to end. At Pushkar in Rajasthan, the Kartik Purnima bath in the sacred lake and the famous fair draw thousands of pilgrims; the lake is associated with Brahma. At Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Prayagraj and Sonepur in Bihar, holy baths and fairs take place. In Odisha, the festival is Boita Bandana, when people float tiny boats in rivers and ponds to remember the sea voyages of the old traders, and the Bali Jatra fair in Cuttack takes place at this time. In some regions, families light lamps at the river for the dead of the family. This is a regional custom and not universal. In South India, lamp festivals such as Karthigai Deepam are observed according to the regional calendar. Sikhs celebrate Guru Nanak Jayanti with Akhand Path and processions.

Celebrating in the USA

Few people have a holy river nearby. Bathing at home with a drop of Gangajal is accepted, and a simple prayer at the shrine is enough. Temples in the USA hold Kartik Purnima celebrations, often on the nearest weekend, with a community lamp-lighting and Satyanarayan puja. Many Hindu groups hold a Dev Deepawali evening with lamps arranged in rows.

At home, use tea-light candles or electric diyas, which are safer in apartments. If you light lamps outdoors, stay away from dry leaves and follow building and park rules. If you visit a lake or river, use only biodegradable items and take everything home. Many gurdwaras welcome visitors for langar on Guru Nanak Jayanti.