Karthikai Deepam 2021: Date, Time, History, Significance And Celebration

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Karthikai Deepam, as the name suggests is an ancient South Indian Festival of Lights and is also known as Karthigai Deepam or Karthika Deepam. If you turn the pages of Indian history, you will see that this auspicious day has been celebrated for ages. It is a belief that this festival also rejuvenates the sister-brother bond and sisters pray and fast for the long life and well-being of their brothers.

This day is fixed based on the Tamil Solar Calendar and it falls in the Karthikai month when Karthigai Nakshatra prevails during Ratrimana. This is also the time when Karthigai Nakshatra coincides with Pournami, the full moon day in the month of Karthikai. This festival is mostly celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and some regions of Andhra Pradesh.

Karthikai Deepam 2021: Date, Puja Time

This year, the festival of Karthikai Deepam is celebrated on the full moon day of Karthikai in the Tamil month. It is also known as Karthika Deepam, Trikartika, Kartika Villaku, Tirrukarttikai, Karthikai Natchathiram, Bharani deepam, Vishnu deepam. As per the Gregorian calendar, it falls usually in the month of either November or December and this year it will be celebrated on Friday, 19 November 2021. The sunrise time is at 6:47 am on 19 November and the sunset time is 5:37 pm on 19 November. The Karthigai Nakshathram will begin at 01:30 am on 19 November 2021 and will end at 04:29 am on 20 November 2021.

Karthikai Deepam 2021: Puja Rituals

On this auspicious day to welcome the deities, people clean their houses and draw floral patterns called 'Kolams' that are made with rice flour paste in front of the house. 'Agal' which is basically lamps are lit and then placed in front of God. Fasts are kept until the sunset and special dishes are prepared, feasts are organised on this day after the fast.

Karthigai Deepam is lit after sunset at 6 p.m. with the flame taken from Bharani Deepam. This is a popular festival in Andhra Pradesh and on the day of the full moon or Karthika Pournami, in the evening, a flame is carried at the top of the hill to light the Karthigai Maha Deepam. A big lamp with 365 wicks is lit to ward of negative energy or evil. Also, the holy text of Kartheeka Puranam is recited to invite good fortune and positive energy.

Karthikai Deepam 2021: History And Significance

Legend has it that once Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu started quarrelling with each other over their individual supremacy in terms of power and strength. Distressed by their conflicts, Lord Shiva emerged as a flame of fire. Lord Brahma and Vishnu then debated regarding the start and end of this flame. For this Brahma took the form of a swan and Vishnu took the form of a boar. Finally, none of them won and Lord Shiva emerged back into his previous form. This story is symbolic of the fact that the existence of God is infinite and beyond any measurements.

After that Lord Muruga took the form of six flames that emerged from the eyes of Lord Shiva and these flames took the shape of six babies who were together known as 'Saravana Poigai'. So, six of them were accumulated by Goddess Parvati and therefore, it is also the day when Lord Muruga is worshipped.