Kartik Purnima Celebration in Varanasi

Kartik Purnima falls on the full moon night of the Hindu month of Kartik, and in Varanasi this date carries an extra layer of significance because it is when Dev Deepawali takes place. What starts as a quiet evening slowly builds into one of the most visually overwhelming festivals in India, as volunteers and residents place diyas along every step of the ghats until there is barely a spot left unlit. Some estimates put the number of lamps used across the city in the lakhs, all lit within a short window so the effect hits all at once. Alongside the lamps, cultural programs, classical music, and a special Ganga Aarti are held at the main ghats, drawing crowds from across the country and abroad. Boats packed with visitors line up on the river to get a view of the ghats from the water, where the reflection of the lamps doubles the spectacle. Kartik Purnima in Varanasi is proof that a festival rooted in old tradition can still feel completely alive today.