Kanda Sashti, Karthigai Deepam and Festivals
कंद षष्ठी, कार्तिगै दीपम और उत्सव
Page 6 of 7. Last verified 18 October 2026
Kanda Sashti and Karthigai Deepam both come up in November. This page gives the dates from the sources we found, the festivals Wikipedia lists, and the status of the court case that affects the hilltop lamp.
This is page 6 of our Thiruparankundram series. Start with the Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple complete guide if you are new here.
Quick answer: Kanda Sashti runs six days from 10 November, with Soorasamharam on 15 November. Karthigai Deepam is on 24 November per Drik Panchang. Expect heavy crowds. Hilltop access around Karthigai Deepam depends on court orders and local administration, so confirm before you go.
Last verified: 18 October 2026. Timings, rules and facilities can change. Please confirm with the temple office or the HR&CE website before you travel.
| Kanda Sashti | 10 to 15 November. Six-day vratam |
| Soorasamharam | 15 November (Hindutone, published 6 October; Tiruchendur.org) |
| Karthigai Deepam | 24 November (Drik Panchang, New Delhi timings). Karthigai nakshatram runs from 2:02 AM to 11:25 PM that day, per that page |
| Other festivals | Panguni Uthiram, Thaipusam, Vaikasi Visakam, Thai float festival, Vaikunta Ekadashi (Wikipedia) |
| Brahmotsavam | Panguni, per Wikipedia. Trawell says May or June. Sources disagree |
Kanda Sashti and Soorasamharam
कंद षष्ठी और सूरसंहारम
Wikipedia calls Skanda Sashti, in the Tamil month of Aippasi, the most prominent festival here. Hindutone gives Soorasamharam on Sunday 15 November, with the six-day vratam from Tuesday 10 November. Hindutone also says Tamil panchangams and individual temples may set the date by their own rules, and the date can shift by a day. Follow the temple's own announcement.
The main Soorasamharam ritual is at Tiruchendur, the seashore abode. Tiruchendur.org lists it on 15 November and Tiru Kalyanam on 16 November, but we could not confirm that it is the temple's own site. For Thiruparankundram's own schedule, we found no published programme.
Karthigai Deepam
कार्तिगै दीपम
Drik Panchang gives Tuesday 24 November for Karthigai Deepam, using New Delhi timings. Tamil panchangs can differ by a day, so confirm with the temple. Wikipedia lists the lighting of a lamp on the hilltop as part of the festival here.
The Court Case on the Hill
पहाड़ी पर अदालत का मामला
The hill is also a court matter. In October 2025 the Madras High Court affirmed the temple's ownership of the hill, except 0.33 acres where the dargah stands, and upheld a ban on animal sacrifice (Wikipedia, citing news reports). On 1 December 2025 a single judge of the High Court directed that the Karthigai Deepam lamp be lit at a stone pillar called the Deepathoon, and on 4 December he set aside a prohibitory order that had restricted access to the hill (Supreme Court Observer). On 6 January 2026 a Division Bench upheld the single judge's directions (All India Radio News). The state government contends there was no established custom of lighting the lamp at that spot and that it was traditionally lit elsewhere. On 3 August 2026 the Supreme Court refused to stay the High Court order and issued notice on the state's challenge (Deccan Herald, which also reports the state's position). We found no hearing date. We report court orders only and take no side.
Unrest broke out in December 2025 during the festival, when activists clashed with police, and the court had ordered CISF security (All India Radio News, 6 January 2026).
What this means for you: Plan for possible limits on crowds at the hilltop and short-notice changes. In December 2025 the Collector restricted access to the hill by a prohibitory order (Supreme Court Observer). Ask the temple office, and follow official announcements.
Other Festival Days
अन्य उत्सव
| Day | What we found |
|---|---|
| Skanda Sashti | Most prominent, Aippasi (Wikipedia) |
| Panguni Uthiram, Brahmotsavam | Panguni (Wikipedia). Trawell says the 14-day Brahmotsavam is in May or June |
| Thaipusam, Vaikasi Visakam, Thai float festival | Listed by Wikipedia |
| Vaikunta Ekadashi | Celebrated by Vaishnavites here (Wikipedia) |
| Mondays, Fridays, pradosham, amavasai, pournami | Weekly and monthly observances (Wikipedia) |
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Plan Your Festival Visit
यात्रा की योजना
- Book Madurai rooms early. Festival days fill the city.
- Go very early, and carry water.
- Keep seniors and children close and agree on a meeting point.
- Do not buy a 'special entry' from anyone.
- Check Page 3 for timings and rules.
Beware
सावधान
- Anyone who sells a 'special entry' or quick darshan outside the official counters. HR&CE has warned about such middlemen at other Tamil Nadu temples and told devotees to use official sources only.
- Fake booking sites. Official temple services are on hrce.tn.gov.in. Check the address letter by letter before you pay.
- Advance payment links sent on WhatsApp for pujas, rooms or darshan.
- Autos and cabs that quote a high fare for the short ride from Madurai. Agree the fare first.
We found no news report of a specific scam at Thiruparankundram. The HR&CE warning is from June and names Tiruchendur and Tiruvannamalai. Treat it as a general caution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers
When is Soorasamharam?
When does Kanda Sashti start?
When is Karthigai Deepam?
What is the Deepathoon?
Will the hilltop be open at Karthigai Deepam?
Is the temple crowded at festivals?
What are the other festivals?
Previous: Places to Visit Nearby | Next: Fact Check, True or False | Hub: Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple complete guide | Parent: Six Abodes of Murugan (Arupadai Veedu)
Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple - Complete Guide (7 pages)
- Page 1: Complete Guide (Hub)
- Page 2: History, Legends and Scripture
- Page 3: Timings, Tickets, Rules and Live Darshan
- Page 4: How to Reach Thiruparankundram
- Page 5: Places to Visit Nearby
- Page 6: Kanda Sashti, Karthigai Deepam and Festivals (you are here)
- Page 7: Fact Check, True or False
Plan your Madurai trip
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Sources and further reading
- The official portal is hrce.tn.gov.in (the HR&CE department that runs the temple). We could not open the temple's own page there, so none of the details below come from it. Timings, fees and rules come from recent pages unless a date is shown. Nothing below is an official temple notice.
- Wikipedia: Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thiruparankundram (third party)
- Hindutone: Skanda Sashti, Soorasamharam 15 November, published 6 October (third party)
- Tiruchendur.org: Kanda Sasti dates (archive site, not confirmed as the temple's own)
- Drik Panchang: Karthigai Deepam (panchang site)
- Supreme Court Observer: Lighting of Karthigai Deepam at Thirupparankundram Hill (case tracker, updated 30 January 2026)
- All India Radio News (6 January 2026): Madras High Court upholds lamp order
- Deccan Herald (news, 3 August 2026): Supreme Court issues notice, no stay
- Trawell: Thirupparankundram Temple, copyright from 2015 (third party)
Have a question, or spotted something we should verify? Ask in the comments and we will check it against reliable sources and correct the post. See how we source information.
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