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Vaishnava  Calendar

Kartik Month (Damodara Month) – Complete Information in English

What Is Kartik Month?

Kartik Month is one of the most sacred months in the Hindu calendar, especially for devotees of Lord Krishna and followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. It is also known as Damodara Month or Kartik Maas.
 

This holy month is dedicated to the worship of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. Devotees believe that performing devotional activities during Kartik brings special spiritual blessings and helps deepen their love and devotion to the Lord.
 

In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, Kartik is particularly associated with the pastime of Mother Yashoda binding little Krishna with a rope, which is remembered through the daily singing of the Damodarashtakam.

When Is Kartik Month Celebrated?

Kartik Month generally falls during October and November, although the exact dates vary each year according to the Hindu lunar calendar and the calendar tradition being followed.
 

In many Gaudiya Vaishnava calendars, the observance is known as Urja Vrata or the Month of Damodara. It is traditionally observed during the lunar month of Kartik, with dates determined by the relevant Vaishnava calendar.
 

For 2026, the exact beginning and ending dates should be checked against the applicable ISKCON or Gaudiya Vaishnava calendar before publishing a festival schedule.
 

For many ISKCON temples, Kartik 2026 is scheduled from October 25 or 26 to November 24, 2026, depending on the local Vaishnava calendar and observance. Confirm the dates with your local temple calendar

Why Is Kartik Month So Special?

Kartik Month is especially important for three reasons:

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  • Special devotion to Lord Krishna: Devotees offer lamps, prayers, flowers, and other devotional services.

  • Mercy of Sri Radha: In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, Kartik is closely associated with Srimati Radharani and the cultivation of loving devotion.

  • The Damodara pastime: It commemorates the beautiful pastime in which Mother Yashoda tied child Krishna to a wooden mortar with the rope of her motherly love.

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The name Damodara refers to Krishna being bound around His belly. This pastime is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapters 9–10.

Main Activities During Kartik Month

1. Damodara Deep Daan

Offer a ghee lamp to Lord Damodara with devotion, especially during the evening worship. This is one of the most important Kartik observances.

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2. Chanting Damodarashtakam

Sing the eight verses of the Damodarashtakam prayer, glorifying Krishna's childhood pastime and His loving relationship with Mother Yashoda.

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3. Hare Krishna Maha Mantra

Increase your chanting according to your ability and follow your spiritual commitments sincerely.

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4. Scripture Reading and Hari Katha

Read the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and other Vaishnava scriptures. Listen to discourses on Radha-Krishna's pastimes.

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5. Seva and Charity

Participate in Sadhu Seva, prasadam distribution, Annadaan, temple service, and other charitable activities with a spirit of devotion.

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These practices are commonly encouraged during Kartik in ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnava communities.

Important Festivals During Kartik Month

Diwali

The festival of lights, celebrated with lamps, prayers, and devotional festivities.

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Govardhan Puja / Annakut

Worship of Govardhan Hill and offerings of food to Lord Krishna.

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Appearance of Radha Kund

A particularly sacred observance for Gaudiya Vaishnavas, associated with the appearance of Radha Kund and Shyama Kund.

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Gopashtami

Celebrates Krishna's cowherding pastimes and the importance of serving and protecting cows.

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Kartik Purnima

The full-moon day marking the conclusion of Kartik observances in many traditions.

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The exact dates of these festivals vary with the relevant lunar and Vaishnava calendar.

Kartik Month in Vrindavan Dham

Vrindavan is a particularly significant destination during Kartik because of its connection with the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krishna. Devotees visit temples, attend kirtan, hear Hari Katha, offer lamps, and participate in devotional service.

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Places many pilgrims include in their Kartik visit are:

  • Sri Radha Damodar Temple

  • Sri Banke Bihari Temple

  • Sri Radha Raman Temple

  • Sri Radha Gokulananda Temple

  • ISKCON Krishna-Balaram Mandir

  • Govardhan Hill and Radha Kund

  • Seva Kunj and Nidhivan, subject to local access rules

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Temple timings and special programmes may change during festival days, so check locally before travelling.

How to Offer a Lamp to Lord Damodara

  1. Prepare a small ghee lamp with a cotton wick.

  2. Place it safely before the deity or a devotional picture of Lord Damodara.

  3. Offer the lamp with reverence and chant the Damodarashtakam.

  4. Pray to Lord Krishna for the development of sincere devotion.

  5. Participate in the prayer with your family and encourage others to join.

Keep the lamp on a stable, non-flammable surface and never leave a burning flame unattended.

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How to Observe Kartik at Home

You do not have to travel to Vrindavan to participate in Kartik observances. You can:

  • Offer a lamp to Lord Damodara daily.

  • Sing or listen to the Damodarashtakam.

  • Chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.

  • Read scriptures and listen to Krishna Katha.

  • Honour prasadam and follow your spiritual vows.

  • Help devotees, sadhus, cows, and people in need.

  • Visit a nearby Krishna temple whenever possible.

The essential mood is to perform these activities with sincerity, humility, and love for Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.

Glories of offering a lamp in Kartika

  • In the skanda Purana, Lord Brahma and Sage Narada, converse that "the month of Kartika is very dear to Lord Krsna". 

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  •     If one offers a lamp during the month of Kartika, his sins of many thousands and millions of births perish in half an eye blink.

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  • Even if there is no mantras, ni pious deeds, and no purity, everything becomes perfect when a person offers a lamp during the month of Kartika.

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  • A person who during the month of Kartika offers a lamp to Lord Keshava has already performed all yajnas (sacrifice for the pleasure of the Lord) and bathing in al the holy rivers.

  • The ancestors say "when someone in our family pleases Lord Keshava by offering Him a lamp during the month of Kartika, then by the mercy of the Lord who holds the Sudarshan-Chakra in His hand, we will all attain liberation.

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  • To one who either at home or in a temple offers a lamp during the month of Kartika, Lord Vasudeva gives a great result.

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  • A person who. offer a lamp to Lord Krishna during the month of Damodara (Kartika) becomes very glorious and fortune.

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  • No sins exist anywhere in the three worlds that will not be purified by offering a lamp to Lord Keshava during Kartika.

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  • A person who offers a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartika attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering.

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  • Sri Sri Damodarastakam is sung during Kartika, also known as month of Damodara. As quoted in the Sri Hari Bhakti Vilasa,"In the month of Kartika one should wprship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by Sage Satyavratra and which attracts Lord Damodara. (Sri Hari Bhakti Vilasa 2.16.198)"

Sri Sri Damodarasthakam

History

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(1)

namāmīśvaram sac-cid-ānanda-rūpam
lasat-kuṇḍalam gokule bhrājamanam
yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānam
parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā

(2)

rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mṛjantam
karāmbhoja-yugmena sātańka-netram
muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāńka-kaṇṭha
sthita-graivam dāmodaram bhakti-baddham

(3)

itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣam nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvam
punaḥ prematas tam śatāvṛtti vande

(4)

varam deva mokṣam na mokṣāvadhim vā
na canyam vṛṇe ‘ham vareṣād apīha
idam te vapur nātha gopāla-bālam
sadā me manasy āvirāstām kim anyaiḥ

(5)

idam te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtam kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitam bimba-raktādharam me
manasy āvirāstām alam lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

(6)

namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnam batānu
gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

(7)

kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktim svakām me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me ‘sti dāmodareha

(8)

namas te ‘stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai
namo ‘nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam

 

(1)

 

To the supreme controller, who possesses and eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifested Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yasoda but was ultimately caught – to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

(2)

Upon seeing His mother’s whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

(3)

Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krishna’s babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: “I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.” To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times.

(4)

O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart.

(5)

O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruits due to Mother Yasoda’s kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.

(6)

O unlimited Vishnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision.

(7)

O Lord Damodara, in Your form as a baby Mother Yasoda bound You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows. You then freed the sons of Kuvera, Manigriva and Nalakuvara, who were cursed to stand as trees and You gave them the chance to become Your devotees. Please bless me in this same way. I have no desire for liberation into Your effulgence.

(8)

O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound by a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani and to Your unlimited pastimes.

Gopi Geet

 

Song Name: Jayati Te 'Dhikaṁ Janmanā Vrajaḥ
Official Name: Gopi Gitam (The Gopīs’ Songs of Separation)
Spoken by: Satyavrata Muni in a conversation with Nārada Muni
Author: Vyasadeva
Book Name: Bhagavata Purana
(Section: Canto 10 Chapter 31 Verses 1 to 19)

(1)
gopya ūcuḥ
jayati te 'dhikaṁ janmanā vrajaḥ
śrayata indirā śaśvad atra hi
dayita dṛśyatāṁ dikṣu tāvakās
tvayi dhṛtāsavas tvāṁ vicinvate

(2)
śarad-udāśaye sādhu-jāta-sat-
sarasijodara-śrī-muṣā dṛśā
surata-nātha te 'śulka-dāsikā
vara-da nighnato neha kiṁ vadhaḥ

(3)
viṣa-jalāpyayād vyāla-rākṣasād
varṣa-mārutād vaidyutānalāt
vṛṣa-mayātmajād viśvato bhayād
ṛṣabha te vayaṁ rakṣitā muhuḥ

(4)
na khalu gopīkā-nandano bhavān
akhila-dehinām antarātma-dṛk
vikhanasārthito viśva-guptaye
sakha udeyivān sātvatāṁ kule

(5)
viracitābhayaṁ vṛṣṇi-dhūrya te
caraṇam īyuṣāṁ saṁsṛter bhayāt
kara-saroruhaṁ kānta kāma-daṁ
śirasi dhehi naḥ śrī-kara-graham

(6)
vraja-janārti-han vīra yoṣitāṁ
nija-jana-smaya-dhvaṁsana-smita
bhaja sakhe bhavat-kińkarīḥ sma no
jalaruhānanaṁ cāru darśaya

(7)
praṇata-dehināṁ pāpa-karṣaṇaṁ
tṛṇa-carānugaṁ śrī-niketanam
phaṇi-phaṇārpitaṁ te padāmbujaṁ
kṛṇu kuceṣu naḥ kṛndhi hṛc-chayam

(8)
madhurayā girā valgu-vākyayā
budha-manojshayā puṣkarekṣaṇa
vidhi-karīr imā vīra muhyatīr
adhara-sīdhunāpyāyayasva naḥ

(9)
tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-mańgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ

(10)
prahasitaṁ priya-prema-vīkṣaṇaṁ
viharaṇaṁ ca te dhyāna-mańgalam
rahasi saṁvido yā hṛdi spṛśaḥ
kuhaka no manaḥ kṣobhayanti hi

(11)
calasi yad vrajāc cārayan paśūn
nalina-sundaraṁ nātha te padam
śila-tṛṇāńkuraiḥ sīdatīti naḥ
kalilatāṁ manaḥ kānta gacchati

(12)
dina-parikṣaye nīla-kuntalair
vanaruhānanaṁ bibhrad āvṛtam
ghana-rajasvalaṁ darśayan muhur
manasi naḥ smaraṁ vīra yacchasi

(13)
praṇata-kāma-daṁ padmajārcitaṁ
dharaṇi-maṇḍanaṁ dhyeyam āpadi
caraṇa-pańkajaṁ śantamaṁ ca te
ramaṇa naḥ staneṣv arpayādhi-han

(14)
surata-vardhanaṁ śoka-nāśanaṁ
svarita-veṇunā suṣṭhu cumbitam
itara-rāga-vismāraṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ
vitara vīra nas te 'dharāmṛtam

(15)
aṭati yad bhavān ahni kānanaṁ
truṭi yugāyate tvām apaśyatām
kuṭila-kuntalaṁ śrī-mukhaṁ ca te
jaḍa udīkṣatāṁ pakṣma-kṛd dṛśām

(16)
pati-sutānvaya-bhrātṛ-bāndhavān
ativilańghya te 'nty acyutāgatāḥ
gati-vidas tavodgīta-mohitāḥ
kitava yoṣitaḥ kas tyajen niśi

(17)
rahasi saṁvidaṁ hṛc-chayodayaṁ
prahasitānanaṁ prema-vīkṣaṇam
bṛhad-uraḥ śriyo vīkṣya dhāma te
muhur ati-spṛhā muhyate manaḥ

(18)
vraja-vanaukasāṁ vyaktir ańga te
vṛjina-hantry alaṁ viśva-mańgalam
tyaja manāk ca nas tvat-spṛhātmanāṁ
sva-jana-hṛd-rujāṁ yan niṣūdanam

(19)
yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuhaṁ staneṣu
bhītāḥ śanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu
tenāṭavīm aṭasi tad vyathate na kiṁ svit
kūrpādibhir bhramati dhīr bhavad-āyuṣāṁ naḥ

 

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TRANSLATION

1) The gopīs said: O beloved, Your birth in the land of Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious, and thus Indirā, the goddess of fortune, always resides here. It is only for Your sake that we, Your devoted servants, maintain our lives. We have been searching everywhere for You, so please show Yourself to us.

2) O Lord of love, in beauty Your glance excels the whorl of the finest, most perfectly formed lotus within the autumn pond. O bestower of benedictions, You are killing the maidservants who have given themselves to You freely, without any price. Isn't this murder?

3) O greatest of personalities, You have repeatedly saved us from all kinds of danger —from poisoned water, from the terrible man-eater Agha, from the great rains, from the wind demon, from the fiery thunderbolt of Indra, from the bull demon and from the son of Maya Dānava.

4) You are not actually the son of the gopī Yaśodā, O friend, but rather the indwelling witness in the hearts of all embodied souls. Because Lord Brahmā prayed for You to come and protect the universe, You have now appeared in the Sātvata dynasty.

5) O best of the Vṛṣṇis, Your lotuslike hand, which holds the hand of the goddess of fortune, grants fearlessness to those who approach Your feet out of fear of material existence. O lover, please place that wish-fulfilling lotus hand on our heads.

6) O You who destroy the suffering of Vraja's people, O hero of all women, Your smile shatters the false pride of Your devotees. Please, dear friend, accept us as Your maidservants and show us Your beautiful lotus face.

7) Your lotus feet destroy the past sins of all embodied souls who surrender to them. Those feet follow after the cows in the pastures and are the eternal abode of the goddess of fortune. Since You once put those feet on the hoods of the great serpent Kāliya, please place them upon our breasts and tear away the lust in our hearts.

8) O lotus-eyed one, Your sweet voice and charming words, which attract the minds of the intelligent, are bewildering us more and more. Our dear hero, please revive Your maidservants with the nectar of Your lips.

9) The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.

10) Your smiles, Your sweet, loving glances, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks we enjoyed with You — all these are auspicious to meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. But at the same time, O deceiver, they very much agitate our minds.

11) Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the cowherd village to herd the cows, our minds are disturbed with the thought that Your feet, more beautiful than a lotus, will be pricked by the spiked husks of grain and the rough grass and plants.

12) At the end of the day You repeatedly show us Your lotus face, covered with dark blue locks ofhair and thickly powdered with dust. Thus, O hero, You arouse lusty desires in our minds.

13) Your lotus feet, which are worshiped by Lord Brahmā, fulfill the desires of all who bow down to them. They are the ornament of the earth, they give the highest satisfaction, and in times of danger they are the appropriate object of meditation. O lover, O destroyer of anxiety, please put those lotus feet upon our breasts.

14) O hero, kindly distribute to us the nectar of Your lips, which enhances conjugal pleasure and vanquishes grief. That nectar is thoroughly relished by Your vibrating flute and makes people forget any other attachment.

15) When You go off to the forest during the day, a tiny fraction of a second becomes like a millennium for us because we cannot see You. And even when we can eagerly look upon Your beautiful face, so lovely with its adornment of curly locks, our pleasure is hindered by our eyelids, which were fashioned by the foolish creator.

16) Dear Acyuta, You know very well why we have come here. Who but a cheater like You would abandon young women who come to see Him in the middle of the night, enchanted by the loud song of His flute? Just to see You, we have completely rejected our husbands, children, ancestors, brothers and other relatives.

17) Our minds are repeatedly bewildered as we think of the intimate conversations we had with You in secret, feel the rise of lust in our hearts and remember Your smiling face, Your loving glances and Your broad chest, the resting place of the goddess of fortune. Thus we experience the most severe hankering for You.

18) O beloved, Your all-auspicious appearance vanquishes the distress of those living in Vraja's forests. Our minds long for Your association. Please give to us just a bit of that medicine, which counteracts the disease in Your devotees' hearts.

19) O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.

1  - Vrindavan Complete Travel Guide 

Information
2  - How to Reach Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan
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Nearest Railway Station

Mathura Junction Railway Station (MTJ) is the main railway station for devotees visiting Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan. It is approximately 14 km from the temple. Taxis, auto-rickshaws and other local transport options are available from the station.

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Nearest Bus Stand

Vrindavan Bus Stand is a convenient option for visitors travelling by bus. Buses and local transport also connect Mathura with Vrindavan. Depending on your bus route, you may be dropped at Chhatikara or another stop on the highway, from where you can take an e-rickshaw or taxi into Vrindavan.

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Nearest Airport

The two commonly used airports for reaching Banke Bihari Temple are: - Agra Airport (AGR): Approximately 70 km from the temple. - Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (DEL): Approximately 150 km from the temple. From either airport, devotees can continue their journey to Vrindavan by road using a taxi or other available transport. Distances are approximate and may vary by route.

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Auto, E-Rickshaw and Taxi Services

Devotees can use auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and taxis to travel around Vrindavan. - From Mathura Junction: Hire a taxi or auto-rickshaw to reach Vrindavan and the Banke Bihari Temple area. - From Vrindavan Bus Stand: Local autos and e-rickshaws are commonly used to travel towards the temple. - From nearby parking areas: You may need to walk through the narrow temple lanes to reach the entrance. - Private vehicles: Cars generally cannot reach the temple entrance directly. Park in a designated parking area and follow local traffic instructions.

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Approximate Travel Time

Starting PointApprox. DistanceEstimated Travel Time Mathura Junction14 km30–60 minutes Vrindavan Bus StandAround 2–3 km10–25 minutes Agra AirportAround 70 km1.5–2.5 hours Delhi AirportAround 150 km3–4 hours Travel times are planning estimates, not live traffic predictions. Actual journey times depend on traffic, road conditions, parking arrangements and festival-day restrictions. The final approach to the temple may require walking.

Darshan
Video
Kartik FAQ

1. What is Kartik Month?

Kartik Month, also known as Damodara Month, is a sacred month dedicated to devotional service to Lord Krishna. Devotees observe special prayers, offer lamps, chant the holy names, and listen to Krishna Katha.
 

2. Why is Kartik Month important for Krishna devotees?

Kartik Month is especially dear to Lord Krishna. In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, devotees use this month to deepen their devotion through lamp offerings, chanting, scripture reading, and other devotional activities.

ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry

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3. When does Kartik Month fall in 2026?

Kartik observances in the ISKCON Damodara Outreach programme run from October 25 to November 24, 2026. Exact dates can differ according to the local Vaishnava calendar.

ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry
 

4. What is another name for Kartik Month?

Kartik Month is also called Damodara Month or Damodara Maas. In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, the observance is also associated with Urja Vrata.

​

5. Who is Lord Damodara?

Lord Damodara is Lord Krishna in His childhood form. The name recalls the pastime in which Mother Yashoda lovingly tied Krishna around His waist with a rope.

​

6. What is Damodara Deep Daan?

Damodara Deep Daan is the devotional offering of a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartik Month. Devotees commonly offer a ghee lamp while singing the Damodarashtakam prayer.

ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry

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7. How can I offer a lamp to Lord Damodara at home?

Place a small ghee lamp safely before your Krishna deity or picture, offer it with devotion, and sing or listen to the Damodarashtakam. Follow your temple's guidance for the offering.

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8. Is ghee necessary for the Kartik lamp offering?

Ghee lamps are traditionally recommended in many Vaishnava observances. If ghee is unavailable, some Damodara programmes allow a candle as an alternative. Follow the practice of your temple or spiritual teacher.

ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry

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9. What is Damodarashtakam?

Damodarashtakam is a prayer consisting of eight verses glorifying Lord Damodara and His loving childhood pastimes. It is commonly sung during the Kartik lamp offering.

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10. Is fasting compulsory during Kartik Month?

No single fasting practice is compulsory for everyone. Devotees may voluntarily follow a Kartik vow according to their tradition, health, and personal circumstances. Consult your spiritual guide before undertaking strict fasting.

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11. Which mantra should I chant during Kartik Month?

Krishna devotees commonly chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

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12. Which festivals are celebrated during Kartik Month?

Important festivals and observances associated with this period include Diwali, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, Gopashtami, the appearance of Radha Kund, and Kartik Purnima. Exact dates vary by calendar.

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13. Why do devotees visit Vrindavan during Kartik Month?

Vrindavan is sacred because of the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krishna. During Kartik, devotees visit temples, attend kirtan and Hari Katha, offer lamps, and participate in devotional service.

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14. Which temples can I visit in Vrindavan during Kartik?

Popular destinations include Sri Radha Damodar Temple, Sri Banke Bihari Temple, Sri Radha Raman Temple, Sri Radha Gokulananda Temple, and ISKCON Krishna-Balaram Mandir. Check temple timings before visiting.

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15. Can I observe Kartik Month without visiting Vrindavan?

Yes. You can observe Kartik at home by offering a lamp, chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, singing Damodarashtakam, reading scriptures, and performing devotional service.

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16. What seva can I perform during Kartik Month?

You can participate in Sadhu Seva, prasadam distribution, Annadaan, cow service, temple cleaning, and other charitable activities according to your means.

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17. Can families and children participate in Damodara lamp offerings?

Yes. Families and children can participate in supervised lamp offerings, kirtan, storytelling, and prayers. Keep open flames away from children and never leave a burning lamp unattended.

ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry

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18. Do I need to make a donation to observe Kartik Month?

No. Devotional practices such as chanting, prayer, and reading scriptures do not require a donation. Any contribution toward seva or temple activities should be voluntary.

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19. What is the best way to observe Kartik Month daily?

Establish a simple routine: chant the holy names, offer a lamp, sing Damodarashtakam, read Vaishnava scriptures, honour prasadam, and perform at least one act of devotional service each day.

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20. When does Kartik Month end?

The ending date depends on the calendar tradition being followed. For the ISKCON Damodara Outreach programme in 2026, the stated period ends on November 24.

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हम आपकी क्या सेवा कर सकते हैं?

आपकी यात्रा को सुखद, सरल और भक्तिमय बनाने के लिए हम आपकी सहायता हेतु सदैव तत्पर हैं। दर्शन, ठहरने, प्रसाद एवं यात्रा संबंधी जानकारी के लिए हमसे संपर्क करें।

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