Kartik Purnima: The Holiest Night of the Creator

Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the month of Kartik, is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu year. For devotees of Lord Brahma it carries a special weight: tradition holds that it was on this day the Creator performed his great yagya at the sacred lake of Pushkar.

The day begins before dawn with snan — a holy dip in the sarovar. As the eastern sky lightens, families offer arghya to the sun and make their sankalp for the year ahead. Throughout the day, daan of grain, clothing and lamps is offered to the needy.

As night falls, the waters bloom with light. Thousands of small leaf-boats bearing ghee lamps are released onto the sarovar, each carrying a prayer. This deepdaan is believed to remove darkness from the heart as surely as from the water.

At Brahma Mandir, Kartik Purnima concludes the five-day Brahmotsav with the rath yatra of the Lord and a maha aarti on the ghats. All are welcome — there is no fee for darshan, and prasadam is served to every visitor.