Karthigai Deepam at the house of Vinita Ananthan

Guru Nanak Jayanti, Kartigai Deepam, Dev Deepawali, and Kartik Poornima

Deepawali, as you probably know, is celebrated on a new moon day (a night when the moon does not appear). The full moon night that comes immediately after Diwali is also a special celebration for Indians. It is celebrated as Kartik Poornima, Karthigai Deepam, and Dev Deepawali.

The Sikhs celebrate the birth of their first Guru, Guru Nanak, on this day.

To mark the occasion, a special Light and Sound show was held in Varanasi. In the South, all the major temples were richly decorated with lamps. The images from the Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam in Tirupati are very impressive.

Meenakshi Amman Temple Karthigai Deepam. Image shared by temple
Karthigai Deepam and Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam. Image released by temple

Special kirtan darbars (prayer gatherings) were held in all Gurudwaras, including at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak.

Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Gurpurb 2020. Image released by Pakistan Gurudwara Prabandhak Committe

Wishes from all of us. To you. If you have celebrated any of these festivals at home, please do share pictures.