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जय जय शङ्कर हर हर शङ्कर | ஜய ஜய ஶங்கர ஹர ஹர ஶங்கர |
Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara
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*Important Vratham, Anushtanam and Festival dates for [CST] Central US Time Zone*

*January 2026 Festival Dates and Timings for Central US Time Zone*
January 02  Friday  Pournami / Aarudra Dharshanam
January 05  Monday Sankatahara chathurthi
January 13  Tuesday Ekadasi vratham / Bhogi / Lohri
January 14 Wednesday Makara / Thai Maasam begins / Anusham Nakshatram
                        Thai Pongal Pongal Panai Time: 7:32 AM – 8:45 AM
January 15  Thursday Pradosham
January 17  Saturday Amavasya Tharpanam
January 20 Tuesday Sravishta – Jayendra Periyava Nakshatram
January 23  Friday   Vasantha Panchami
January 24 Saturday Shukla Shasti
January 25 Sunday   Ratha Saptami
January 28 Wednesday  Ekadasi vratham
January 30 Friday Pradosham

*December 2025 Festival Dates and Timings for Central US Time Zone*

December 02 Tuesday Pradosham / Bharani Deepam
December 03 Wednesday Krithigai / *Karthigai Deepam*
December 04 Thursday Pournami / Sarvaalaya Deepam / Vaikaanasa Deepam / Pancharathra Deepam
December 07 Sunday Sankatahara chathurthi
December 15 Monday Ekadasi vratham / Dhanur / Maargazhi Maasam begins
December 16 Tuesday Pradosham / *PujyaShri MahaPeriyava Aradhana*
December 16 Tuesday Pradosham
December 17 Wednesday Anusham Nakshatram
December 19 Friday Amavasya Tharpanam/ *Hanumajjayanthi*
December 24 Wednesday Sravishta – Jayendra Periyava Nakshatram
December 25 Thursday Shukla Shasti
December 30 Tuesday Ekadasi vratham / *Vaikunta Ekadasi*

*Special note on Karthigai Deepam*

*Types of Karthigai Deepam Festivals based on tradition*

*Festival Name : Barani Deepam*
*Barani Deepam is observed on an evening when Barani Nakshatram is there.
*Lamps are lit this evening. This is the start of the karthigai festival.

*Festival Name : Karthigai Deepam*
*Karthigai Deepam is usually observed on an evening when Karthigai Nakshatram is there. Pooja done to Deepam.. Also some people observe karthigai deepam ONLY after the lamp is lit on the holy mountain of Thiruvannamalai. Hence this festival is also called Thiruvannamalai deepam. We make pori urundai and appam and worship the lamps. Pooja is done to lamps.

*Festival Name :Sarvalaya Deepam*
Sarvalaya Deepam is observed on an evening when Pournami tithi is there. This festival is observed in temples and in some family traditions. Temples celebrate it.

*Festival Name :Vaishnava pAnchrAthram Deepam, vaishnava VaikhAnasa Deepam*
Sri Vaishnavas who follow pAncharAtra Tradition: The festival is observed in the evening where Pournami tithi is left over.
Sri Vaishnavas who follow the VaikhAnasa tradition: The festival is observed in the evening when Pournami tithi is more available.

Thanks to Brahmashri Chandramouli Vadhyar of KKSF Dallas for the detailed information about Karthigai.

All the above dates are according to the US calendar tithi and nakshatram per my panchang timings. Please consult your local vadhyars if you have more questions along with your family traditions.

Namaskaram

*Kanchi Kamakoti Seva Foundation*
https://kksfusa.org/panchangam/

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