Question 1

When is Tripurotsava celebrated?

Accepted Answer

Tripurotsava falls on Kartika Shukla Purnima: the full-moon tithi, or lunar day, in the bright half of the lunar month Kartika. The tithi current at sunrise governs the observance. Since this is a lunar date, the corresponding Gregorian date changes each year and should be checked in a reliable local panchanga.

Question 2

What is the story behind Tripurotsava?

Accepted Answer

The name Tripurotsava suggests a festival associated with Tripura, often understood as “the three cities.” It may therefore belong to a Shiva-centred tradition, but the precise deity and story for this calendar entry are not securely documented. The commonly proposed Tripura association should be confirmed before being treated as definitive.

Question 3

How is Tripurotsava observed?

Accepted Answer

A cautious observance includes bathing, cleaning the worship space, lighting a lamp, offering flowers and simple vegetarian food, and reciting prayers familiar to the household. Fasting is not confirmed as a universal requirement for this observance. Temple or family instructions should take precedence where a specific Tripurotsava procedure is known.

Question 4

Does Tripurotsava have a fixed date every year?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Tripurotsava is dated by Kartika Shukla Purnima, not by a fixed day in the Gregorian calendar. The full-moon tithi must be current at sunrise for that civil day to govern the observance. This is why the date moves annually and can differ from a nearby evening full-moon reference.

Date	Tithi	Lunar month	Governing time
Fri, 15 Nov, 2024	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Wed, 5 Nov, 2025	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Tue, 24 Nov, 2026	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Sun, 14 Nov, 2027	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Thu, 2 Nov, 2028	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Wed, 21 Nov, 2029	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Sun, 10 Nov, 2030	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Fri, 28 Nov, 2031	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)
Wed, 17 Nov, 2032	ShuklaPurnima	Kartika	sunrise (udaya tithi)

Tripurotsava

Dates by year