Karthigai Deepam falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026, the full-moon day of the Tamil month of Karthigai. That evening the Maha Deepam will be lit on top of the Arunachala hill at Tiruvannamalai, around 6 pm, and homes across Chennai will light rows of agal lamps at about the same time. Published festival calendars place the flag hoisting that opens the ten-day festival at the Arunachaleswarar temple on 15 November.
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department and the Tiruvannamalai district administration usually confirm the schedule, passes and travel plans in November. Nothing official for 2026 had been published as of 18 October, so the arrangements below are based on last year’s festival and should be checked against the district’s site nearer the date.
What happens on Deepam day
The day has two moments. Before dawn, around 4 am, the Bharani Deepam is lit inside the Arunachaleswarar temple. In the evening, the focus moves to the hill. In 2023, DT Next described the preparations: a cauldron about five feet across is hauled to the summit of the 2,668-foot hill, filled with around five tonnes of ghee and fitted with a wick made from about a kilometre of cloth. When it is lit at 6 pm, the flame is visible for kilometres and is kept burning for days.
Many devotees combine the darshan with girivalam, the walk around the base of the hill. The route is about 14 km and is walked barefoot by many, often through the night of the full moon.
What last year’s arrangements looked like
The 2025 Maha Deepam was held on 3 December. The day before, the state minister for public works inspected the town, and officials shared figures that give a good idea of the scale:
- About 40 lakh devotees expected.
- 4,764 special buses, around a fifth more than the year before.
- 24 temporary bus stands and 130 parking areas on the edge of town.
- 220 buses, lent by private firms and educational institutions, running free between parking areas, bus stands and the girivalam path, plus 200 mini buses with a minimum fare of Rs 10.
- 51 drinking water points, 14 purified water centres, and AI-enabled cameras covering the temple, the Mada streets and the girivalam route.
Expect a similar model this year: private cars stopped at the outskirts, shuttles into town, and temple entry for the Bharani and Maha Deepam darshans regulated by passes.
Climbing the hill
Climbing Arunachala on Deepam day is tightly controlled, and in some years it is not allowed at all. In December 2024, after a landslide in the district during Cyclone Fengal, an expert team led by an Anna University professor examined the slopes, and the government barred devotees from climbing that year, citing the hill’s condition and forecast rain. Whether climbing is permitted in 2026, and how passes are issued, will be announced by the authorities. Do not attempt the climb without an official pass, especially during the monsoon.
Travelling from Chennai
Tiruvannamalai is a long day trip from Chennai by road. The options:
- Government buses: during this year’s Ayudha Pooja and Deepavali rush, Tiruvannamalai buses were moved to a temporary stand near Kilambakkam. Check which stand the Deepam specials use when they are announced, and book on the TNSTC portal as soon as the services appear.
- Trains: Tiruvannamalai is on the Villupuram to Katpadi line. Southern Railway usually runs festival specials and unreserved trains; check its official announcements in the week before the festival.
- Car: be ready to park well outside town and walk or take a shuttle. Leave Chennai early, because traffic builds through the afternoon.
Rooms in Tiruvannamalai sell out months ahead for the full-moon nights. If you cannot find one, many Chennai visitors simply do an early-morning girivalam the next day, when the crowd thins.
Crowd and health tips
- Fix a meeting point with your group; mobile networks are often jammed near the temple.
- Write a phone number on a card in children’s pockets.
- Carry water, wear a cap, and if you walk the girivalam barefoot, watch for wet patches and debris after rain.
- Elderly devotees and people with heart or breathing problems should avoid the densest crowds at the temple gates around 6 pm and consult their doctor before attempting the full walk.
Celebrating at home in Chennai
For most Chennai families, Karthigai Deepam is a home festival. Lamps are lit at the entrance, on window sills and along compound walls at dusk, usually after the Tiruvannamalai flame is lit. Temples such as Kapaleeshwarar in Mylapore also light lamps that evening. Keep agal lamps away from curtains and two-wheelers, and never leave them burning unattended.
Quick answers
When is Karthigai Deepam 2026?
Tuesday, 24 November 2026. The Maha Deepam is lit on Arunachala around 6 pm.
When does the Tiruvannamalai festival begin?
Published calendars give the flag hoisting as 15 November 2026. Confirm with HR&CE closer to the date.
Can I climb the hill on Deepam day?
Only if the authorities allow it and you hold an official pass. Climbing was banned in 2024 after a landslide.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Karthigai Deepam Tiruvannamalai guide (arunachalamtemple.org)
- Tiruvannamalai all set for annual grand spectacle Maha Deepam, 2023 (DT Next)
- Karthigai Deepam festival: Minister inspects Girivalam and facilities, Dec 2025 (DT Next)
- Devotees cannot climb Tiruvannamalai hill this year for Maha Deepam, Dec 2024 (DT Next)
- Tiruvannamalai District (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- TNSTC online reservation
- Karthigai Deepam 2026 (Srirangam Info)
