December 2026 in the Tamil calendar covers Karthigai and Margazhi: 1–15 December: Karthigai (கார்த்திகை) 15–29 and 16–31 December: Margazhi (மார்கழி) 1–16; Margazhi from 16 December. Year: Parabhava. Main festivals: Vaikunta Ekadasi (20 December) and Arudra Darisanam (24 December). Dates are for Chennai and checked against Drik Panchang.
Tamil months in December 2026
- 1–15 December
- கார்த்திகை Karthigai 15–29 · Parabhava
- 16–31 December
- மார்கழி Margazhi 1–16 · Parabhava
Tamil calendar December 2026: day by day
| Date | Tamil date | Tithi | Nakshatra | Sunrise / sunset | Festivals, vrats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Tue | கார்த்திகை 15Karthigai | Kr. Ashtami | Magha | 6:15 AM5:40 PM | — |
| 2 Wed | கார்த்திகை 16Karthigai | Kr. Navami | Purva Phalguni | 6:16 AM5:40 PM | — |
| 3 Thu | கார்த்திகை 17Karthigai | Kr. Dashami | Uttara Phalguni | 6:16 AM5:41 PM | — |
| 4 Fri | கார்த்திகை 18Karthigai | Kr. Ekadashi | Hasta | 6:17 AM5:41 PM | Utpanna Ekadashi |
| 5 Sat | கார்த்திகை 19Karthigai | Kr. Dwadashi | Chitra | 6:18 AM5:41 PM | — |
| 6 Sun | கார்த்திகை 20Karthigai | Kr. Trayodashi | Swati | 6:18 AM5:42 PM | Pradosham |
| 7 Mon | கார்த்திகை 21Karthigai | Kr. Chaturdashi | Vishakha | 6:19 AM5:42 PM | Masa Sivarathri |
| 8 Tue | கார்த்திகை 22Karthigai | Amavasya | Anuradha | 6:19 AM5:42 PM | — |
| 9 Wed | கார்த்திகை 23Karthigai | Amavasya | Jyeshtha | 6:20 AM5:43 PM | — |
| 10 Thu | கார்த்திகை 24Karthigai | Sh. Pratipada | Mula | 6:20 AM5:43 PM | — |
| 11 Fri | கார்த்திகை 25Karthigai | Sh. Dwitiya | Purva Ashadha | 6:21 AM5:43 PM | — |
| 12 Sat | கார்த்திகை 26Karthigai | Sh. Tritiya | Uttara Ashadha | 6:21 AM5:44 PM | — |
| 13 Sun | கார்த்திகை 27Karthigai | Sh. Chaturthi | Shravana | 6:22 AM5:44 PM | — |
| 14 Mon | கார்த்திகை 28Karthigai | Sh. Panchami | Shravana | 6:22 AM5:44 PM | — |
| 15 Tue | கார்த்திகை 29Karthigai | Sh. Shashthi | Dhanishta | 6:23 AM5:45 PM | Sashti VirathamSubramanya Sashti |
| 16 Wed | மார்கழி 1Margazhi begins | Sh. Saptami | Shatabhisha | 6:24 AM5:45 PM | Dhanu Sankranti |
| 17 Thu | மார்கழி 2Margazhi | Sh. Ashtami | Purva Bhadrapada | 6:24 AM5:46 PM | — |
| 18 Fri | மார்கழி 3Margazhi | Sh. Navami | Uttara Bhadrapada | 6:25 AM5:46 PM | — |
| 19 Sat | மார்கழி 4Margazhi | Sh. Dashami | Revati | 6:25 AM5:47 PM | — |
| 20 Sun | மார்கழி 5Margazhi | Sh. Ekadashi | Ashwini | 6:26 AM5:47 PM | Mokshada EkadashiVaikunta Ekadasi |
| 21 Mon | மார்கழி 6Margazhi | Sh. Dwadashi | Bharani | 6:26 AM5:48 PM | Karthigai VirathamPradosham |
| 22 Tue | மார்கழி 7Margazhi | Sh. Trayodashi | Krittika | 6:27 AM5:48 PM | — |
| 23 Wed | மார்கழி 8Margazhi | Sh. Chaturdashi | Rohini | 6:27 AM5:49 PM | Pournami Viratham |
| 24 Thu | மார்கழி 9Margazhi | Purnima | Ardra | 6:28 AM5:49 PM | Arudra Darisanam |
| 25 Fri | மார்கழி 10Margazhi | Kr. Dwitiya | Punarvasu | 6:28 AM5:50 PM | — |
| 26 Sat | மார்கழி 11Margazhi | Kr. Tritiya | Pushya | 6:29 AM5:50 PM | Sankatahara Chaturthi |
| 27 Sun | மார்கழி 12Margazhi | Kr. Chaturthi | Ashlesha | 6:29 AM5:51 PM | — |
| 28 Mon | மார்கழி 13Margazhi | Kr. Panchami | Magha | 6:29 AM5:51 PM | — |
| 29 Tue | மார்கழி 14Margazhi | Kr. Shashthi | Purva Phalguni | 6:30 AM5:52 PM | — |
| 30 Wed | மார்கழி 15Margazhi | Kr. Saptami | Uttara Phalguni | 6:30 AM5:52 PM | — |
| 31 Thu | மார்கழி 16Margazhi | Kr. Ashtami | Hasta | 6:31 AM5:53 PM | — |
Tithi and nakshatra at sunrise in Chennai (Sh. = Shukla, Kr. = Krishna paksha). Times in Indian Standard Time. Festivals and vrats from Drik Panchang’s Tamil Panchangam for Chennai; in North India some festivals can fall a day apart.
Frequently asked questions
Which Tamil month is December 2026?
1–15 December: Karthigai (கார்த்திகை) 15–29 and 16–31 December: Margazhi (மார்கழி) 1–16 (Parabhava year). A Tamil month changes with the Sun’s Sankranti, so it begins in the middle of the English month.
When does Margazhi 2026 start?
Margazhi (மார்கழி) runs from Wednesday, 16 December 2026 to Thursday, 14 January 2027 (30 days). The Sankranti is at 10:31 AM on 16 December 2026, before sunset, so the month begins that day.
Which festivals are in the Tamil calendar for December 2026?
Vaikunta Ekadasi (20 December) and Arudra Darisanam (24 December). Ekadashi: Utpanna Ekadashi on 4 December and Mokshada Ekadashi on 20 December. Vrats such as Pradosham, Sashti, Karthigai, Pournami and Sankatahara Chaturthi are on their days in the table above.
Which city and which panchangam are the dates for?
By the sunrise of Chennai. The tithi, nakshatra and month dates follow the Thirukanitham (drik) reckoning, which Drik Panchang’s Tamil Panchangam also uses. Many temples and almanacs follow the Vakya Panchangam, in which a month sometimes begins a day earlier or later. For a temple or home ritual, check with your own panchangam or priest.
Sources
- Drik Panchang (drikpanchang.com): Tamil Panchangam, Chennai, the month page for December 2026 (each day’s Tamil date, tithi, nakshatra, sunrise, sunset and festivals); every day compared on 18 October 2026
- Tithi, nakshatra, sunrise and sunset: SanatanBodh panchang calculation (astronomy-engine, Lahiri ayanamsha), Chennai; all 457 days from October 2026 to December 2027 agree with Drik (sunrise and sunset within a minute)
- Wikipedia: "Tamil calendar" (the month names in Tamil, the names of the 60 years)
Something wrong? Report a mistake
