Dev Diwali is the full moon of Kartak, fifteen days after Diwali, when the gods are said to celebrate theirs. Lamps are lit again and the last fireworks set off. It ends the festival season and Chaturmas with it. On this day the Lili Parikrama round Girnar concludes, the Jains return to the hill of Palitana after four months, and fairs gather at Somnath, Shamlaji and the meeting of rivers at Vautha.
The story
It is Tripurari Poonam, the day Shiva destroyed the three demon cities, and four days after Vishnu has woken from his sleep; Tulsi Vivah, the wedding of the tulsi plant, is completed and the marriage season opens.
The Lili Parikrama, the "green circuit", is a thirty-six-kilometre walk through the Gir forest round Mount Girnar, made over five days from Agiyaras by hundreds of thousands, who camp in the jungle.
How it is kept
- LampsLit at home and floated on water.
- Tulsi VivahThe tulsi is married to Shaligram with a full wedding rite.
- Kartak Poonam yatraJains climb Shatrunjaya, closed to pilgrims through the rains.
- FairsShamlaji for the tribal peoples of the north-east; Vautha for its trade in donkeys.
- Guru Nanak JayantiKept by the Sikh and Sindhi communities.
Why this date
Dev Diwali is the full-moon tithi of Kartak, on the day it is present at sunrise; lamps are lit that evening.
Dev Diwali in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Sunday | |
| 2028 | Thursday | |
| 2029 | Wednesday | |
| 2030 | Sunday | |
| 2031 | Friday |
More Gujarati festivals
30 OctoberBestu Varasબેસતું વર્ષ
29 OctoberDiwaliદિવાળી
15 JanuaryUttarayanઉત્તરાયણ
18 OctoberKarva Chauthકરવા ચોથ
9 OctoberDussehraદશેરા
8 OctoberNavratri Nomનોમ · મહા નવમી
Where to see Dev Diwali
In Gujarat
- Girnar, JunagadhGujaratThe Lili Parikrama through the forest ends on this full moon.
- SomnathGujaratThe Kartik Purnima fair, when the Moon stands directly over the spire at midnight.
- Shatrunjaya, PalitanaGujaratThe hill reopens to Jain pilgrims after Chaturmas.
- ShamlajiGujaratA fortnight-long fair on the Meshwo river.
Across India
- VaranasiUttar PradeshDev Deepawali, with every ghat on the Ganga lit.
- PushkarRajasthanThe camel fair ends with a bath in the lake.
- AmritsarPunjabGuru Nanak Gurpurab at the Golden Temple.