Thrikarthika: Kerala's Festival of Lamps, and Where to See It Near Kochi

Thrikarthika is Kerala's festival of lamps, held on the day of the Karthika star in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam. In 2026 it falls on Tuesday, 24 November. At dusk, homes light small oil lamps along the doorstep, verandah and courtyard, and Devi temples hold their biggest evening of worship. Around Kochi, the place to see it at scale is Chottanikkara.

• Which day is Thrikarthika?
• What is the speciality of Thrikarthika?
• Is it the same as Karthigai Deepam?
• Where to see it near Kochi

Which day is Thrikarthika?

It is set by the stars, not the Gregorian calendar. Thrikarthika is the day the Karthika (Krittika) nakshatra falls in Vrischikam, which lands in November or early December. That is why the date moves every year, and why your Malayalam calendar or your local temple is the final word, not a search result.

Year	Thrikarthika
2026	Tuesday, 24 November (Karthika star runs from about 2am to about 11:25pm that day)

One wrinkle worth knowing if you have family abroad: Drik Panchang's US listing for Karthigai Deepam puts it on Monday, 23 November 2026, so families in North America may mark it a day earlier. Check with your temple.

What is the speciality of Thrikarthika?

The lamps. After sunset, families light the main lamp at home and then set rows of small lamps, Karthika vilakku, along the doorstep, the verandah and the courtyard. Traditionally the lamps are placed on banana stems and decorated with coconut and mango leaves. Special dishes are made at home and offerings are made to cattle, though what ends up on the plate differs from family to family and district to district.

The day is dedicated to the Goddess. In Kerala it is usually Devi, as Karthyayani or as the Bhagavathy of the local temple, who is honoured, which is why many of the biggest celebrations are at Devi temples.

The honest observation: the full row-of-lamps version is easier to find in older houses with a proper compound than in a Kakkanad flat. Plenty of Kochi apartment families now light a handful of lamps on the balcony and leave it there. That still counts.

Is it the same as Karthigai Deepam?

They are two versions of the same festival of lamps, falling on the same star in the same solar month: Vrischikam in Malayalam, Karthigai in Tamil. The difference is in the focus. In Tamil Nadu the celebration centres on Shiva, with the Maha Deepam, a huge ghee lamp lit on top of Arunachala hill at Tiruvannamalai. In Kerala the focus is more often on Devi, and the scale is domestic: thousands of small home lamps rather than one giant one. It is also separate from Deepavali, which Kerala marks far more lightly; we explain why in our Diwali in Kerala guide.

Where to see it near Kochi

• Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple: the Karthika star is celebrated here as Devi's birthday, with a three-day festival across the Karthika, Rohini and Makayiram days. A well-known ritual on Karthika day is Karthika Thozhal, and the temple is lit with lamps (deepalankaram). Expect a crowd; devotees often arrive early and stay at the temple. Timings and getting there are in our Chottanikkara guide.
• Panichayam Devi Temple, near Perumbavoor: known for thousands of clay oil lamps lit for the festival, along with a thalappoli procession and chenda melam.
• Further afield: Kumaranalloor near Kottayam and Chakkulathukavu in Alappuzha district are two of the best-known Thrikarthika temples in the state, if you want a day trip.

Temples announce their own programmes each year, so call ahead for exact timings. Thrikarthika also falls in the same month as the Vrischikolsavam at Thripunithura. More on the city's culture is on our lifestyle page.