Everything most Tamil homes keep ready for the festival of lamps: wicks, oil and ghee for the agal lamps, kolam, and the nel pori and aval pori for naivedyam.
தமிழில் படிக்க →- Date: Tuesday, 24 November 2026 (Kartika Purnima). This is from Drik Panchang for Chennai.
- At Tiruvannamalai: the Maha Deepam is lit on top of the Arunachala hill in the evening of the festival.
- At home: lamps are usually lit at dusk. Check your local panchangam or temple announcement for the exact time in your area.
Karthigai Deepam is Tamil Nadu's festival of lamps. On the evening of the festival, homes light rows of agal lamps at the entrance, around the kolam, on windowsills and along compound walls. The best-known celebration is at Tiruvannamalai, where the Maha Deepam on the Arunachala hill can be seen from a long distance. Many temples also light a sokkapanai bonfire that night.
This guide covers what you need for the lamps and for the naivedyam most families prepare. As with every festival, follow your own family's custom where it differs.
1. Lamps: what to keep ready
- Agal (clay) lamps. Some families reuse last year's lamps after washing and drying them, and others buy new ones each year. Many also light a brass lamp in the pooja room.
- Cotton wicks. Count your lamps and buy a few extra. A pack of 100 is useful when you light many.
- Sesame oil for most lamps. Many families also light at least one lamp with ghee in the pooja room.
- Matchbox. Many families light one lamp first and light the others from it. Hold a small plate underneath to catch oil drips.
2. How many lamps should you light?
There is no single rule. Some homes light a handful of lamps and others light dozens. Some families follow a particular number handed down by their elders. If your family has a custom, follow it. If not, light what you can look after safely, especially near children and anything that can catch fire.
3. Pooja items
Before the lamps are lit, many homes do a short pooja. The usual items are:
You will also need flowers, betel leaves, areca nut and fruits. Buy these fresh on the day.
4. Pori urundai and naivedyam
Pori is the signature naivedyam of Karthigai Deepam. Most homes make nel pori urundai (puffed paddy) or aval pori urundai (puffed flattened rice) bound with jaggery. Many also make appam and adai. Recipes vary, but a basic pori urundai needs:
- Nel pori or aval pori.
- Jaggery.
- Cardamom. Some homes also add dry ginger powder and small pieces of coconut.
- A little ghee.
How pori urundai is usually made
- Clean the pori by sieving out any husk or unpuffed grains.
- Melt grated jaggery with a little water and strain out any grit.
- Boil the syrup until a drop in cold water can be gathered into a firm ball that does not flatten. This is the urundai paagu stage, and many cooks take it to a hard ball for pori urundai.
- Add the cardamom, and the coconut pieces if you use them. Pour the syrup over the pori and mix quickly.
- When the mixture is cool enough to handle but still warm, shape it into balls with hands lightly smeared with ghee or rice flour.
A common home ratio is about 4 cups of pori to 1 cup of grated jaggery. Adjust it to how your family likes it. Take care: hot jaggery syrup can burn badly, so keep children away from the stove.
5. Karthigai Deepam checklist
| Item | Tamil name | Used for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton lamp wicks | விளக்கு திரி | Agal lamps | View |
| Sesame oil | நல்லெண்ணெய் | Lamps | View |
| Cow ghee | பசு நெய் | Ghee lamp, pori urundai | View |
| Matchbox | தீப்பெட்டி | Lighting lamps | View |
| Camphor | சூடம் | Aarti | View |
| Kolam powder | கோல பொடி | Entrance kolam | View |
| Nel pori | நெல் பொரி | Pori urundai, naivedyam | View |
| Aval pori | அவல் பொரி | Pori urundai, naivedyam | View |
| Jaggery cubes | அச்சு வெல்லம் | Pori urundai, appam | View |
| Cardamom | ஏலக்காய் | Pori urundai, appam | View |
| Kumkum, turmeric, sandal | குங்குமம், மஞ்சள், சந்தனம் | Pooja | View |
| Agal / brass lamps | அகல் / பித்தளை விளக்கு | Lamps | Not online. Ask at the store |
| Flowers, betel leaves, fruits | பூ, வெற்றிலை, பழம் | Pooja | Buy fresh locally |
Stock up for Karthigai Deepam
Delivery typically takes 3–7 business days depending on your location (see our Shipping Policy). Please order well before 24 November.
In Dindigul? Visit us at 44, VM Complex, Big Bazaar Street, Begambur. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 9 PM, and closed on Sundays.
Shop wicks, oil & basicsCall 99420 38038Common questions
When is Karthigai Deepam in 2026?
Tuesday, 24 November 2026, according to Drik Panchang for Chennai. Temples may announce the exact lighting time for their area.
Which oil is best for Karthigai Deepam lamps?
Most families use sesame (gingelly) oil for agal lamps. Many also light at least one ghee lamp in the pooja room. Follow your family's practice.
What is the difference between nel pori and aval pori?
Nel pori is puffed paddy. Aval pori is made from flattened rice (aval). Both are used for Karthigai pori urundai. Some families make one kind, and others make both.
Do you sell agal vilakku online?
Not at the moment. We stock wicks, oil, ghee, camphor and pori online. For lamps, please call the store or visit us in Dindigul.
More festival guides
Date source: Drik Panchang Karthigai Deepam page and day panchangam for Chennai (24 November 2026), checked on 13 October 2026. This guide describes common practice in Tamil Nadu. Customs vary by family and community.