Vrata

Ṣaṣṭhī

The waxing Ṣaṣṭhī of Skanda

Sacred to Skanda (Murugan)

Fasting day

Next: Sunday, 19 July 2026

Ṣaṣṭhī is the vrata sacred to Skanda, also known as Murugan, Kārttikeya and Subrahmaṇya, observed on the Ṣaṣṭhī, the sixth tithi of the waxing fortnight.

It is especially dear in the Tamil tradition, where devotees keep the fast and worship the spear-bearing son of Śiva. The Ṣaṣṭhī of Kārtika is kept as the great Skanda Ṣaṣṭhī.

Here the monthly Ṣaṣṭhī is placed on the day the śukla Ṣaṣṭhī prevails at sunrise, computed for your own location.

How to keep the fast

A fast with worship of Skanda, Murugan, Kārttikeya, kept especially in the Tamil tradition; the Ṣaṣṭhī of Kārtika is the great Skanda Ṣaṣṭhī.

Breaking the fast, Broken on the day the śukla Ṣaṣṭhī prevails at sunrise, after worship.

Upcoming dates · Bengaluru, India