Kārtika Somavāra 2026

Karthika Somavara (कार्तिक सोमवार) is the observance of Monday (Somavara, sacred to Lord Shiva) falling within the auspicious month of Karthika, one of the most sacred months in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu. This page tracks Karthika Somavara under two independent reckonings: the Chandramana (lunar) Amanta Karthika masa, and the Sauramana (solar) month the Sun spends in Vrischika (Scorpio) rashi, known in Tamil as Karthikai.

The two spans overlap for most of their length but diverge by roughly the lunar/solar calendar offset at the edges, so a given year's Mondays are marked (C) when they qualify only under the Chandramana reckoning, (S) when only under the Sauramana one, and left unmarked when both agree. Devotees observe a fast (upavasa) through the day, worship Lord Shiva with Bilva leaves and Rudrabhishekam, and visit Shiva temples, especially in the evening.