🌕 Significance of Kartik Purnima in Uttar Pradesh
Kartik Purnima, the full moon day in the auspicious month of Kartik (October–November), holds immense religious and spiritual importance across Uttar Pradesh. This day is considered highly sacred in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It marks the culmination of the month-long Kartik rituals that begin right after Sharad Purnima. Devotees believe that taking a holy dip in sacred rivers on this day absolves sins and bestows divine blessings.
🪔 Dev Deepawali in Varanasi: A Spectacle of Light
In Varanasi, Kartik Purnima coincides with the grand Dev Deepawali, meaning “Diwali of the Gods.” Celebrated fifteen days after Diwali, this festival transforms the ghats of the Ganga into a dazzling panorama of light. Over a million earthen lamps (diyas) are lit on the steps of the ghats, temples, and riverfront homes. Special Ganga Aarti ceremonies, fireworks, and cultural performances take place, attracting thousands of devotees and tourists from across the globe.
🛕 Holy Dips at Sacred Rivers and Ghats
Across Uttar Pradesh, devotees wake up early on Kartik Purnima and take ritualistic baths in sacred rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Sarayu, and Gomti. Pilgrimage towns such as Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Mathura, Chitrakoot, and Varanasi see large congregations of devotees performing Snan (holy dip) at the ghats. It is believed that Lord Vishnu resides in water on this day, making it an especially meritorious time to bathe and offer prayers.
🎪 Religious Fairs and Melas
Several religious fairs and melas are organized in Uttar Pradesh to coincide with Kartik Purnima. In Ayodhya, the month of Kartik is marked by daily lamps and culminates with deep daan (lamp donations) on Kartik Purnima. In Bateshwar, near Agra, the month-long Bateshwar Mela reaches its peak on Kartik Purnima with large-scale cattle trading, religious gatherings, and rural festivities. These fairs blend devotion with folk culture, crafts, and traditional cuisines.
🧘♂️ Spiritual Practices and Temple Rituals
Temples across Uttar Pradesh host special rituals, processions, and community events. Devotees observe Satyanarayan Katha, Deep Daan, and Akhand Ramayan Paath. Many undertake Kartik Maas Vrat, involving early morning baths, lighting lamps, feeding Brahmins or cows, and chanting scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita or Vishnu Sahasranama. Kartik Purnima is also associated with the birth of Lord Kartikeya and the killing of demon Tripurasura by Lord Shiva, making it a day of both devotion and mythological reverence.
🕊️ Relevance in Jainism and Sikhism
For Jains, Kartik Purnima is significant as the day when Lord Mahavira’s chief disciple, Gautam Swami, attained Keval Gyan (omniscience). Jain temples in Uttar Pradesh witness special prayers and gatherings. For Sikhs, this day marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and gurdwaras across cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Varanasi organize Guru Nanak Jayanti processions and Langars (community feasts).
🌸 A Celebration of Faith, Light, and Harmony
Kartik Purnima in Uttar Pradesh is not just a religious observance but a vibrant, community-centered celebration. It beautifully integrates river worship, temple rituals, ancient stories, and artistic expression. The devotion, the lights, the holy dips, and the collective participation make this day one of the most spiritually uplifting experiences in the sacred geography of Uttar Pradesh.