Kartik 2020 Start & End Date (Kartik Maas)
North India (Purnimanta): Sunday, 1 November 2020 – Monday, 30 November 2020
Amanta regions: Monday, 16 November 2020 – Monday, 14 December 2020
The most sacred month for Vishnu — Kartik snan, Damodar deep-daan, Diwali, Chhath and Tulsi Vivah.
Kartik 2020 at a Glance
- Kartik Shivratri
- Sat, 14 Nov
- Purnima
- Mon, 30 Nov
- Amavasya
- Sun, 15 Nov
- Kartik Shivratri
- Sun, 13 Dec
- Purnima
- Mon, 30 Nov
- Amavasya
- Mon, 14 Dec
The significance of Kartik — Lord Vishnu (Damodar)
Kartik is the month of Vishnu, worshipped here as Damodar, and it holds more festivals than any other — Dhanteras, Diwali, Govardhan, Bhai Dooj, Chhath, Tulsi Vivah and Kartik Purnima. It is a month of light: a lamp floated or lit daily (deep-daan) is held to be of the highest merit, and the pre-dawn Kartik snan in a river is the month's defining discipline.
Rituals of Kartik
- Kartik snan — a pre-dawn holy dip through the month
- Daily deep-daan (lighting or floating lamps)
- Tulsi puja every evening and Tulsi Vivah on Ekadashi
- Damodar-ashtakam recitation
- Fasting on the two Ekadashis (Devutthana and Kartik)
- Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima at the ghats
Key days in Kartik 2020
Vrat and tithi dates follow whichever month window your calendar uses, so both systems are listed separately below.
North India · Purnimanta
Sun, 1 Nov – Mon, 30 Nov · 30 days
Amanta regions
Mon, 16 Nov – Mon, 14 Dec · 29 days
Festivals in Kartik 2020
Within the Purnimanta window (Sun, 1 Nov – Mon, 30 Nov). Festivals are fixed by tithi, so each falls on the same civil day in both systems.
- Karwa Chauth — Wed, 4 Nov
- Ahoi Ashtami — Mon, 9 Nov
- Dhanteras — Fri, 13 Nov
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — Sat, 14 Nov
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — Sat, 14 Nov
- Govardhan Puja — Sun, 15 Nov
- Bhai Dooj — Mon, 16 Nov
- Chhath Puja — Fri, 20 Nov
- Devutthana Ekadashi — Wed, 25 Nov
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — Mon, 30 Nov
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — Mon, 30 Nov
Monthly vrats 2020
Kartik 2020 — Frequently Asked Questions
When does Kartik Maas 2020 start?
In North India (Purnimanta calendar) Kartik runs from Sunday, 1 November 2020 to Monday, 30 November 2020. In Amanta-calendar regions it runs Monday, 16 November 2020 to Monday, 14 December 2020.
Why do Kartik dates differ in North and South India?
Because the two regions follow different lunar calendars. In the Purnimanta calendar (North India) a month ends on the Purnima, so it starts about 15 days earlier than in Amanta. In the Amanta calendar (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) the month runs new-moon to new-moon.
Which deity is Kartik 2020 dedicated to?
Kartik is the month of Vishnu, worshipped here as Damodar, and it holds more festivals than any other — Dhanteras, Diwali, Govardhan, Bhai Dooj, Chhath, Tulsi Vivah and Kartik Purnima. It is a month of light: a lamp floated or lit daily (deep-daan) is held to be of the highest merit, and the pre-dawn Kartik snan in a river is the month's defining discipline.
When is Kartik Shivratri 2020?
Kartik Shivratri 2020 — the Masik Shivaratri of Kartik Maas, observed on the Krishna Chaturdashi — falls on Saturday, 14 November 2020 in North India (Purnimanta). In Amanta regions it falls on Sunday, 13 December 2020. Night worship and jalabhishek of the Shiva lingam are traditional on this day.
When does Kartik 2020 end?
In North India (Purnimanta) Kartik ends on Monday, 30 November 2020, on the Purnima. In Amanta regions it ends on Monday, 14 December 2020, on the Amavasya.
Are Kartik and Kartik Maas the same month?
Yes. Kartik Maas is the Sanskrit name of this lunar month and Kartik is the everyday Hindi form of the same word. They refer to the same period — different names, not different dates.
Is Kartik 2020 an Adhik Maas?
No. Kartik 2020 is a normal 30-day month.