Karthigai Deepam 2026 in Tiruvannamalai: date and timings

Karthigai Deepam 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November 2026. It is the one night of the year when the whole of Tiruvannamalai turns towards the summit of Arunachala and waits for the great lamp, the Maha Deepam, to be lit. If you are planning to come, this is what the day looks like, hour by hour, and how the ashram at Adi Annamalai fits into it.

The date and the timings

The temple publishes its final schedule close to the day, but the shape of Deepam is the same every year. The Bharani Deepam is lit inside the Arunachaleswarar temple before dawn, at about 4 AM. The Maha Deepam on the summit is lit at dusk, at about 6 PM, and can be seen from the whole town and from far along the Girivalam path. The Kartika Purnima tithi begins at 11:42 PM on 23 November and runs until 8:23 PM on 24 November, so the Pournami Girivalam carries on through the night.

• Bharani Deepam: about 4 AM, inside the temple.
• Maha Deepam: about 6 PM, on the summit of the hill.
• Pournami tithi: 11:42 PM on 23 November to 8:23 PM on 24 November.
• Temple hours are extended on the day. Check the temple's own notice before you travel.

Where to watch the Maha Deepam

You do not have to be inside the temple to see the lamp. The flame on the summit is visible from any open ground around the hill: the temple precincts, the Girivalam road, and the quieter western side at Adi Annamalai, where the ashram stands. The crowd near the main temple is very heavy on Deepam evening, so many pilgrims choose a spot on the path and wait there together with the walkers.

What the ashram does on Deepam

Deepam is the largest annadhanam day in the ashram's year. The kitchen starts before dawn and serves hot food to sadhus, pilgrims and the poor who walk around the hill. The ashram reports that on one Karthigai Deepam about one lakh people were fed. Volunteers are needed for cooking, serving and keeping the path clean; the Annadhanam page explains how to join a shift or sponsor the day.

Practical notes for the day

• Arrive a day early if you can. Roads into town slow to a crawl on Deepam morning.
• Chennai airport is about 175 km away. Tiruvannamalai has a railway station, and the bus stand is about 2 km from the temple.
• Carry water, wear light clothing and expect to walk barefoot on the Girivalam path.
• Mobile networks are congested on the night. Agree a meeting point with your group in advance.
• Rooms in town are booked out weeks ahead. See our note on ashram accommodation before you plan.

Darshan of Mounasamy Siddhar at the ashram continues on Deepam day as on every other day, and the ashram is a natural resting point on the path. The Tiruvannamalai guide on this site keeps the Deepam section and the Girivalam calendar up to date; the Events page has the rest of the festival year.