Tamil Calendar Year 5124 | Running April 14, 2026 – April 13, 2027
This page lists all important Lord Murugan worship days in 2026 — Karthigai star days, major festivals, and monthly Sashti days.
About this calendar: Lord Murugan is most worshipped on Karthigai Nakshatra days (the star of his birth), Sashti (6th day) of each fortnight, and during major festivals like Thaipusam, Vaikasi Visakam, Skanda Sashti, and Karthigai Deepam. Fridays are also considered auspicious for Murugan worship. All dates are in IST (India Standard Time).
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 Thu | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | The 6th day of the Tamil month — observed with fasting and special Murugan prayers. Devotees fast from sunrise to sunset. |
| Jan 8 Thu | Karthigai Nakshatraகார்த்திகை நட்சத்திரம் | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Monthly Karthigai star day — the birth star of Lord Murugan. Temple abhishekam and special archana are performed. |
| Jan 14 Wed | Thai Pongal / Mattu Pongalதை பொங்கல் | ✨ Special Day | Tamil harvest festival — celebrated at Murugan temples with special prayers. Thai month is auspicious for Murugan (Thaipusam falls in this month). |
| Jan 15 Thu | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Second Sashti of the month (Sukla Paksha). Special abhishekam and Vel puja performed at Murugan temples. |
| Jan 25 Sun | Thaipusamதைப்பூசம் | ⭐ Major Festival | The most important Murugan festival. Celebrated when the moon is in Pushya nakshatra during Thai month. Kavadi processions, vel piercings, and fasting mark this day in Tamil Nadu, Malaysia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1 Sun | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Monthly fasting day for Lord Murugan devotees. |
| Feb 5 Thu | Karthigai Nakshatraகார்த்திகை நட்சத்திரம் | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Monthly Karthigai star day. Lamp lighting (Deepam) and special archana at Murugan temples. |
| Feb 13 Fri | Maasi Magamமாசி மகம் | ✨ Special Day | When Magha nakshatra falls in Maasi month — deities are taken in procession to the sea or river for holy bath (Theertham). Celebrated grandly at Thiruchendur and coastal Murugan temples. |
| Feb 15 Sun | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Second Sashti of February. Fasting and special Murugan worship. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2 Mon | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Monthly fasting day. Special Vel puja and Murugan abhishekam. |
| Mar 5 Thu | Karthigai Nakshatraகார்த்திகை நட்சத்திரம் | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Karthigai star day in Panguni month — extremely auspicious as Panguni is Murugan's special month. |
| Mar 17 Tue | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Sukla Paksha Sashti. Special Murugan puja and prayers. |
| Mar 30 Mon | Panguni Uthiramபங்குனி உத்திரம் | ⭐ Major Festival | The marriage of Lord Murugan with Devasena (Deivayani) is celebrated on this day. Panguni Uthiram is one of the most important festivals in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Grand temple chariot processions and special pujas are held. Also celebrated as the marriage of Lord Vishnu with Goddess Lakshmi at Vishnu temples. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1 Wed | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Monthly Sashti fasting and Murugan worship. |
| Apr 1 Wed | Karthigai Nakshatraகார்த்திகை நட்சத்திரம் | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Karthigai Nakshatra day — monthly star of Lord Murugan. |
| Apr 14 Tue | Tamil New Year (Puthandu)தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு — பிரபவ | ✨ Special Day | Tamil New Year begins on Chithirai 1 when the Sun enters Aries (Mesha Rasi). Murugan temples open with special morning pujas and devotees pray for health and prosperity in the new year. |
| Apr 16 Thu | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Sukla Paksha Sashti of the new Tamil year. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 Fri | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Monthly Sashti fasting — Friday Sashti is doubly auspicious for Murugan worship. |
| May 29 Fri | Karthigai Nakshatra in Vaikasiவைகாசி கார்த்திகை | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Karthigai star in Vaikasi month — especially auspicious preceding Vaikasi Visakam. |
| May 25 Mon | Vaikasi Visakamவைகாசி விசாகம் | ⭐ Major Festival | Lord Murugan's birthday — the day he was born to destroy the demon Tarakasura. Celebrated when the moon is in Visakha nakshatra during Vaikasi month. The festival features grand chariot processions at all six Arupadai Veedu temples. Also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Sage Agastya. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1 Mon | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Monthly Sashti — fasting and special Murugan prayers. |
| Jun 26 Fri | Karthigai Nakshatraகார்த்திகை நட்சத்திரம் | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Monthly Karthigai star day. Friday Karthigai is especially auspicious — special abhishekam and archana for Lord Murugan. |
| Jun 22 Mon | Aani Tirumanjanamஆனி திருமஞ்சனம் | ✨ Special Day | Special abhishekam festival in the Aani month when the moon is in Thiruvonam star. Celebrated at Chidambaram Nataraja temple and Murugan shrines. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20 Tue | Skanda Sashti Beginsசூரசம்ஹாரம் ஆரம்பம் | ⭐ Major Festival | The 6-day Skanda Sashti festival begins in the Aippasi month. Devotees fast for all 6 days, observe strict penance, recite Kanda Sashti Kavacham, and attend special pujas at Murugan temples worldwide. |
| Oct 21 Wed | Skanda Sashti — Day 2சஷ்டி விரதம் 2 | ⭐ Major Festival | Continued Skanda Sashti observance. Devotees chant Kanda Sashti Kavacham 108 times for maximum benefit. |
| Oct 22 Thu | Skanda Sashti — Day 3சஷ்டி விரதம் 3 | ⭐ Major Festival | Mid-way through the Skanda Sashti fast. Special Vel puja and processions at major Murugan temples. |
| Oct 23 Fri | Skanda Sashti — Day 4சஷ்டி விரதம் 4 | ⭐ Major Festival | The battle of Lord Murugan against Surapadman is enacted symbolically. Night-long prayers and music worship. |
| Oct 24 Sat | Skanda Sashti — Day 5சஷ்டி விரதம் 5 | ⭐ Major Festival | The eve of Soorasamharam. Final preparations, special Vel abhishekam and night vigil (Jagarana). |
| Oct 25 Sun | Soorasamharam (Skanda Sashti)சூரசம்ஹாரம் | ⭐ Major Festival | The final day of Skanda Sashti — Lord Murugan's victory over the demon Surapadman is dramatically re-enacted at Thiruchendur and other temples. Devotees break their 6-day fast. Grand processions with Vel and peacock mount. One of the most important days in the Tamil Hindu calendar. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 17 Tue | Karthigai Nakshatra (Karthigai Month)கார்த்திகை மாத நட்சத்திரம் | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Karthigai star day in the Karthigai month — the most auspicious Karthigai Nakshatra of the year. This day is like a second birthday of Lord Murugan. Grand celebrations at all Murugan temples. |
| Nov 27 Fri | Karthigai Deepamகார்த்திகை தீபம் | ⭐ Major Festival | The Festival of Lights in the Karthigai month, celebrated when the moon is in Karthigai nakshatra. Rows of lamps are lit in homes and temples at dusk. Lord Murugan's temples glow with thousands of oil lamps. The great fire (Maha Deepam) is lit atop Thiruvannamalai hill. This is a festival of immense spiritual significance for all Shaiva devotees and especially for Murugan devotees. |
| Date | Festival / Occasion | Type | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec (All Month) Daily | Margazhi Month Worshipமார்கழி மாத வழிபாடு | ✨ Special Day | Margazhi (mid-December to mid-January) is considered the most auspicious month. Devotees wake before sunrise for early morning temple visits. Thiruppugazh and Thiruppavai are recited daily. Special early-morning abhishekam for Lord Murugan. |
| Dec 13 Sun | Karthigai Nakshatraகார்த்திகை நட்சத்திரம் | 🌟 Karthigai Star | Monthly Karthigai star day in Margazhi month. Special Murugan prayers and lamp offerings. |
| Dec 20 Sun | Sashti Virathamசஷ்டி விரதம் | 📅 Monthly Sashti | Monthly Sashti fasting in the auspicious Margazhi month. |
The Tamil calendar (Panchangam) is a solar-lunar calendar that has been in continuous use for over 2,000 years. The year is divided into 12 Tamil months, each corresponding roughly to one month of the Gregorian calendar. The current Tamil era is called Vikrama in 2026.
Every Friday (Velli Kilamai) — Friday is the most sacred day for Murugan in the weekly cycle. Devotees visit Murugan temples, offer flowers, fruits, and light camphor (karpoora aarti). A special Friday visit is called "Velli Kilamai Vizha."
Karthigai Nakshatra — The Pleiades star cluster (Karthigai in Tamil, Kritika in Sanskrit) is the birth star of Lord Murugan. It occurs once per month, and Murugan temples observe special pujas on this day. The Karthigai Nakshatra in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November) is the most special.
Sashti Viratham — The 6th day (Sashti) of each lunar fortnight is observed as a fast day dedicated to Lord Murugan. Devotees fast, recite Kanda Sashti Kavacham, and break the fast in the evening after temple worship. The most important Sashti is the Skanda Sashti in the Aippasi month (October).
Arupadai Veedu Pilgrimage — Visiting all six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan during auspicious festival days is considered the greatest Murugan pilgrimage. The six temples are Thiruchendur, Palani, Swamimalai, Thiruparankundram, Thirutthani, and Pazhamudircholai.