Kartik Purnima marks the end of daily holy dips in rivers during the Kartik month.
Tulasi Vivah and Bhishma Panchaka fasting culminate on Kartik Purnima.
Dev Diwali, the festival of lights for Gods, is celebrated on this day.
It is the full moon day when Vaikuntha Chaturdashi rituals conclude.
Kartik Purnima is also known as Tripuri or Tripurari Purnima, marking Shiva's victory over Tripurasura.
Details
Kartik Purnima is one of the most spiritually significant days in the Hindu lunar calendar, celebrated on the full moon of Kartik month, the holiest month in Hindu tradition. Revered across India by different names—Poornima, Poonam, Pournami—it holds special importance in both Vaishnava and Shaiva traditions. In Vaishnavism, Kartik is known as Damodara month, dedicated to Lord Krishna. Devotees take early morning holy dips in sacred rivers throughout the month, starting from Sharad Purnima and culminating on Kartik Purnima. These dips are believed to cleanse sins and bring spiritual merit.
The five-day spiritual climax from Prabodhini Ekadashi to Kartik Purnima includes numerous important rituals. Tulasi Vivah, symbolizing the celestial marriage of Goddess Tulasi and Lord Shaligram (Vishnu), is often performed on Kartik Purnima. Bhishma Panchaka, a rigorous five-day Vaishnava fast observed for spiritual purification, also concludes on this day. Additionally, Vaikuntha Chaturdashi—celebrated the day before—marks the rare worship of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva together, emphasizing divine unity. At Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat, devotees take a sacred dip, especially on Vaikuntha Chaturdashi.
Dev Diwali, or the Diwali of the Gods, is the crowning celebration on Kartik Purnima. As per legend, it commemorates Lord Shiva’s victory over the demon Tripurasura. Known also as Tripuri or Tripurari Purnima, this day marks divine triumph and cosmic light. Temples and riverbanks, especially along the Ganga, glow with thousands of oil lamps, symbolizing divine joy, illumination, and universal celebration.
