What is Kartik Purnima?
Kartik Purnima, the full moon of Kartik, is kept as Dev Diwali — "the Diwali of the gods" — and as Tripuri Purnima, marking Shiva’s destruction of the three cities of Tripurasura. It is also observed as Guru Nanak Jayanti.
How it is observed
The ghats at Varanasi are lined with lamps at dusk. Ritual bathing in rivers at dawn and lamp-floating in the evening are the day’s common observances.