Why Light Lamps on Masik Karthigai 2027?

When Rows of Lamps Smile Through the Evening Dark

In Tamil homes there comes one day each month when, as soon as the sun sets, courtyards, thresholds, windows and prayer spaces glow with small clay lamps. The air carries the fragrance of ghee, the children of the house arrange rows of lamps and devotional songs to Lord Murugan drift from the temples. This day is Masik Karthigai. It is the evening when the Moon is in Krittika nakshatra and devotees light lamps in remembrance of the divine light of Lord Kartikeya and Lord Shiva.

In 2027, the Masik Karthigai of January will be observed on Monday, 18 January. It is the Karthigai of the Tamil month of Thai and is determined according to the solar calendar.

Detail	Information
Name of the observance	Masik Karthigai
Date	18 January 2027
Day	Monday
Tamil month	Thai
Basis of the calendar	Solar calendar and Krittika nakshatra
Nakshatra (lunar mansion)	Krittika
Lunar month and fortnight	Paush month, Shukla Paksha (waxing fortnight)
Lunar tithi	Around Shukla Dashami (tenth lunar day)
Position of the Sun	Capricorn (Makar)
Sunrise in Chennai	Approximately 6:35 in the morning
Sunset in Chennai	Approximately 6:05 in the evening
Best time to light lamps	After sunset, during Pradosh Kaal
Rahu Kaal (Chennai)	Approximately 8:00 to 9:25 in the morning
Deities worshipped	Lord Murugan (Kartikeya) and Lord Shiva

Masik Karthigai is determined by Krittika nakshatra. Lamps are lit on the day when Krittika prevails in the evening. The start and end times of the nakshatra can vary by location, so check the local Panchang for exact timings in your city.

Main Rituals at a Glance

• Taking the vow of the fast after the morning bath
• Fasting or taking only fruits through the day
• Lighting clay lamps in every corner of the home in the evening
• Worship of Lord Murugan and Lord Shiva
• Chanting the mantra "Om Sharavanabhavaya Namah"
• Reciting the Skanda Shashti Kavacham or a hymn to Murugan
• Offering traditional prasad such as pori urundai, appam and adai
• Breaking the fast after lighting the lamps and completing the worship

What Is Masik Karthigai?

Every month the Moon passes through Krittika nakshatra roughly once. The day the Moon is in Krittika is called Karthigai in the Tamil tradition. So Masik Karthigai comes 12 or 13 times a year. It is considered the most beloved day for the worship of Lord Murugan, because he was raised by the six Goddesses of Krittika nakshatra.

The greatest of these is Karthigai Deepam in the Tamil month of Karthigai, celebrated in November or December. On that day the Maha Deepam is lit atop Arunachala hill in Tiruvannamalai and can be seen from far away. Masik Karthigai is the smaller monthly form of that great festival. A devotee who lights lamps on every Karthigai through the year invites a portion of that divine flame into the home every month.

The month of Thai is especially connected with Lord Murugan in the Tamil tradition. Later in this same month comes Thaipusam, when devotees carry the kavadi on pilgrimage to Murugan temples. This adds even more importance to the Karthigai of Thai.

What Is the Story of the Birth of Lord Kartikeya?

According to the legend, a demon named Surapadman performed severe penance and obtained a boon that only a son of Lord Shiva could kill him. At that time Lord Shiva was absorbed in deep meditation and the gods feared that a son of Shiva would never be born. Surapadman took advantage of this and spread terror across the three worlds.

At the prayer of the gods, Lord Shiva brought forth six divine sparks from his third eye. Their radiance was so intense that Agni Dev and Vayu Dev carried them away and placed them in a lake called Sharavana. There the six sparks appeared as six beautiful infants on lotus flowers.

These six infants were raised by the six Krittika Goddesses. The Krittikas are the six stars of the Krittika nakshatra in the sky, known in the West as the Pleiades. Later Mata Parvati embraced the six children with love and they became a single child with six faces. That is why he is called Shanmukha, the six faced one. Because he was raised by the Krittikas he was named Kartikeya and because he appeared in the Sharavana lake he was called Sharavanabhava.

When he grew up, Kartikeya became the commander of the army of the gods. Mata Parvati gave him a divine spear called the Vel. With this Vel he slew Surapadman. According to the legend, Surapadman was split into two, one part becoming a peacock and the other a rooster. The peacock became his mount and the rooster the emblem on his banner.

The Bond Between Krittika Nakshatra and Kartikeya

The connection between Kartikeya and Krittika is not only one of name. It is a bond of affection like that between mother and son. So worshipping Lord Murugan on the day the Moon is in Krittika is seen as remembering him in the home of his foster mothers. Devotees believe that prayers offered on this day reach Murugan most quickly.

What Is the Meaning of Lighting Lamps?

The tradition of lighting lamps on Karthigai is also linked to a story of Lord Shiva. Once Brahma and Vishnu argued over which of them was greater. Just then an endless pillar of fire appeared between them. Brahma took the form of a swan and flew upward to find its top and Vishnu took the form of a boar and dug downward to find its base. Neither could find its end. Then Lord Shiva emerged from the pillar of fire and both acknowledged his infinity. This pillar of fire is believed to be Arunachala hill in Tiruvannamalai.

The lamps of Karthigai symbolise that infinite flame. A small clay lamp reminds us that the light of God is so vast that no one can measure it, yet so simple that it descends into a wick and a little ghee.

From a spiritual point of view, the lamp holds an even deeper meaning.

• The clay lamp is a symbol of the human body
• The ghee or oil is devotion and spiritual practice
• The wick is the ego, which slowly burns away
• And the flame is the soul, which always rises upward

When lamps are lit throughout the home on this day, it is not merely about driving away darkness. It is a resolve to spread the light of wisdom into every corner within oneself.

The Puja Vidhi of Masik Karthigai

1. Wake before sunrise, bathe and wear clean clothes.
2. Meditate on Lord Murugan and take the vow of the fast.
3. Fast through the day. Those who cannot keep a full fast may take fruits or milk.
4. Before evening, clean the home and the prayer space and draw a kolam in the courtyard.
5. Place a picture or idol of Lord Murugan, Lord Shiva or the Vel at the place of worship.
6. After sunset, first light a ghee lamp at the place of worship.
7. Then light rows of clay lamps at the main door, courtyard, windows, stairs and near the Tulsi plant.
8. Offer red flowers, sandalwood, kumkum and panchamrit to Lord Murugan.
9. Chant "Om Sharavanabhavaya Namah" 108 times.
10. Read the Skanda Shashti Kavacham or any hymn to Murugan.
11. Offer pori urundai, appam, adai or fruits as bhog and perform the aarti.
12. After the worship, take the prasad and break the fast.

Worship Items and Prasad

Item or prasad	Use and meaning
Clay lamps	To light the home, a symbol of the infinite flame
Ghee or sesame oil	For lighting the lamps
Red flowers and sandalwood	For the worship of Lord Murugan
Panchamrit	For the abhishek (ritual bathing)
Pori urundai	Balls of puffed rice and jaggery, the traditional Karthigai prasad
Appam	A sweet made of rice and jaggery
Adai	A dish made of lentils and rice

Main Mantras for Masik Karthigai

Mantra	Meaning	Purpose	Count
Om Sharavanabhavaya Namah	Salutations to the one born in the Sharavana lake	Grace of Lord Murugan, courage and victory	108 times
Om Tatpurushaya Vidmahe Mahasenaya Dhimahi, Tanno Skandah Prachodayat	May we know the Supreme Being, meditate on the great commander and may Skanda inspire us	Skanda Gayatri, for wisdom and strength	108 times
Om Namah Shivaya	Salutations to Lord Shiva	Blessings of Lord Shiva and peace of mind	108 times

"Sharavanabhava" is a six syllable mantra called the Shadakshara mantra. These six syllables are regarded as symbols of the six faces of Lord Murugan and the six directions. In the Tamil tradition this mantra is considered extremely powerful.

The Astrological Significance of Masik Karthigai

In Vedic astrology, the ruler of Krittika nakshatra is the Sun and its presiding deity is Agni. So this nakshatra is connected with radiance, purification and light. Its symbol is a razor or sharp blade, which signifies cutting through ignorance and illusion. On a day whose nakshatra is presided over by Agni, lighting lamps becomes an astrological remedy in itself.

The first quarter of Krittika lies in Aries and the remaining three quarters lie in Taurus. The Moon is exalted at 3 degrees of Taurus and this point falls within Krittika itself. This means that in Krittika the Moon is near its strongest position. In astrology the Moon signifies the mind, so spiritual practice on this day is believed to help keep the mind steady and cheerful.

In January 2027, Masik Karthigai falls on a Monday. Monday is the day of the Moon and also a day dear to Lord Shiva. The Moon on its own day, near its exaltation, together with the worship of Shiva's son Murugan, makes this Karthigai special. At the same time the Sun is in Capricorn, during what tradition regards as Uttarayan.

Mangal Dosha and Lord Murugan

In astrology Lord Kartikeya is regarded as the presiding deity of Mars. Both are connected with courage, battle, energy, land and brothers. So for those with Mangal Dosha in their horoscope, delays in marriage, land disputes, excessive anger or blood related troubles, the worship of Murugan is considered an excellent remedy.

Problem	Remedy on Masik Karthigai
Mangal Dosha	Offer red flowers to Murugan and chant the Shadakshara mantra
Excessive anger	Sit before a lamp and chant "Om Sharavanabhavaya Namah" 108 times
Land disputes	Donate a lamp at a Murugan temple
Mental unrest	Since it is Monday, offer water and milk on the Shivalinga
Weak Sun	Offer arghya to the Sun in the morning, since the Sun rules Krittika

The Six Sacred Abodes of Murugan

Tamil Nadu has six principal temples of Lord Murugan, called the Arupadai Veedu. On Karthigai, special worship is held at these temples and large crowds of devotees gather.

Abode	Location	Significance
Thiruparankundram	Near Madurai	Where he married Devasena
Tiruchendur	On the seashore	Site of the victory over Surapadman
Palani	Dindigul district	The Dandayudhapani form, a symbol of renunciation
Swamimalai	Near Kumbakonam	Where he explained the meaning of the Pranava mantra to his father Shiva
Thiruthani	Tiruvallur district	His calm form after marrying Valli
Pazhamudircholai	Near Madurai	Set in a forest, linked to the story of the poetess Avvaiyar

Devotees who cannot travel to these abodes can earn the same merit by lighting lamps at home with a sincere heart, because God seeks devotion, not a place.

Benefits of the Masik Karthigai Fast

• Greater courage and self confidence through the grace of Lord Murugan
• Relief from Mangal Dosha and the obstacles connected with it
• Blessings for children and their progress
• Removal of negative energy from the home
• Peace of mind and the favourable influence of the Moon
• Victory over enemies and hardships

Dos and Donts

Do	Do not
Light lamps only after sunset	Do not use broken or dirty lamps
Bring light to every corner of the home	Do not leave lit lamps unattended
Use pure ghee or sesame oil	Do not take meat, alcohol or tamasic food on this day
Chant the Shadakshara mantra	Stay away from anger and arguments
Donate a lamp at a Murugan temple	Do not break the fast without completing the worship

When One Flame Lights a Thousand Lamps

The evening of Masik Karthigai teaches a simple truth. A thousand lamps can be lit from one lamp and still the light of the first does not diminish. The light of Lord Murugan is the same, entering every devotee yet never growing less. On the evening of Monday, 18 January 2027, when the Moon will be in Krittika near its exaltation, every lamp lit in the courtyard can become a resolve to remove fear, confusion and darkness from the devotee's life. Wherever a lamp burns, the grace of Shanmukha comes on its own.

FAQ

When is Masik Karthigai in January 2027?

The Masik Karthigai of January 2027 falls on Monday, 18 January, when the Moon will be in Krittika nakshatra.

Who is worshipped on Masik Karthigai?

Lord Murugan, also called Kartikeya and Lord Shiva are worshipped on this day. Rows of lamps are lit at home in the evening.

Why are lamps lit on Karthigai?

The lamps symbolise the infinite pillar of fire of Lord Shiva. The presiding deity of Krittika nakshatra is Agni, so lighting lamps on this day is considered auspicious.

Which mantra should be chanted on Karthigai?

Chanting the Shadakshara mantra "Om Sharavanabhavaya Namah" 108 times is considered most auspicious. The Skanda Gayatri may also be chanted.

How does the Karthigai fast help with Mangal Dosha?

Lord Kartikeya is regarded as the presiding deity of Mars. Worshipping him on Karthigai with red flowers and the Shadakshara mantra is believed to help calm Mangal Dosha.