Narak Chaturdashi in Chidambaram

Date and timing in this city

In Chidambaram (चिदम्बरम), India, Narak Chaturdashi falls on Saturday 7 November 2026 and on Thursday 28 October 2027. These dates are computed for Chidambaram's own sunrise, in the Asia/Kolkata time zone, and follow the tithi Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi.

Narak Chaturdashi is observed as Choti Diwali, a day associated with the worship of Krishna and with Abhyanga snan, the traditional oil bath. The observance is Pan-India in scope, and Chidambaram's date is reckoned from its local sunrise rather than from a single all-India calendar line.

Why the date can differ from India

A festival date is not a fixed number on a wall calendar. It is the outcome of a calculation: which tithi is running at sunrise at a given place. Because sunrise occurs at different moments across the country, the tithi prevailing at sunrise in one city may not be the same tithi prevailing at sunrise in another. Chidambaram's date is therefore computed for Chidambaram, not borrowed from a national listing.

Traditions also differ in how the lunar month is reckoned. Some communities follow the amanta system, others the purnimanta system, and Smarta and Vaishnava practice may place the same observance on adjacent days. Where such differences exist, they are best read as variations within a living tradition rather than as errors. For personal observance, many families follow the family's own customary reckoning; for chart-specific questions, consult a qualified jyotishi.

Where and how the community celebrates

Narak Chaturdashi is observed across India, and in Chidambaram it is kept as Choti Diwali. The day is linked with Krishna and with Abhyanga snan, the oil bath taken as part of the observance. Households generally mark the occasion at home and within their own community custom.

Because the brief does not name specific venues, temples, events or organisers in Chidambaram, no local programme is described here. Readers in the city can look to their family tradition and to local temple practice for the form the day takes in their own circle.

Practical tips

• Note the date for Chidambaram as Saturday 7 November 2026 and Thursday 28 October 2027.
• Treat the date as sunrise-based for Chidambaram; a listing for another city may differ.
• If your family follows a particular amanta, purnimanta, Smarta or Vaishnava custom, follow that custom.
• Keep the observance simple and in keeping with your household's practice.
• For personal chart-based guidance, consult a qualified jyotishi.