Karkidaka Vavu കർക്കിടക വാവ്
Karkidaka Vavu is the new-moon day of Karkidakam, when Hindu families in Kerala offer vavu bali to their ancestors at rivers, beaches and temples.
| Year | Occasion | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Karkidaka Vavu (new moon in Karkidakam) | |
| 2027 | Karkidaka Vavu (new moon in Karkidakam) |
Calculated for Thiruvananthapuram with sidereal (Lahiri) positions. Temple and devaswom announcements take precedence.
How the date is fixed
Vavu is the Amavasya (new moon) that falls in the Malayalam month of Karkidakam (July to August). The date on this page is the day on which Amavasya prevails at sunrise, which is how the Government of Kerala holiday is fixed.
Vavu bali
Bali tharpanam is performed in the early morning after a day of fasting (orikkal, one meal). Under the guidance of a priest, the person making the offering places balls of cooked rice mixed with sesame, together with darbha grass and water, on a banana leaf, then immerses them in water. Many families perform it for parents and grandparents they have lost.
Where it is performed
Large bali tharpanam gatherings take place at Aluva Manappuram on the banks of the Periyar, Varkala Papanasam beach, Thiruvallam Parasurama temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Thirunavaya on the Bharathapuzha, and Thirunelli temple in Wayanad by the Papanasini stream. Devaswom boards and local bodies set up bali counters and transport for the day.
Holiday
Karkidaka Vavu is a Kerala government office holiday. It is not usually a bank holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, so banks stay open.
Questions
Is Karkidaka Vavu a bank holiday?
In 2026 it was notified as a holiday for government offices but not for banks under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
What time is vavu bali performed?
From the early hours of the morning of Vavu, after sunrise, until around noon at most bali centres.