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Karnataka Festivals and Holidays in December 2025

Karnataka festivals and holidays in December 2025—your quick calendar with dates & tithi for the cool, devotional close of the year. December features Subrahmanya Shashti (Kukke), Gita Jayanti, Datta Jayanti (Margashirsha Purnima), Vaikunta Ekadashi (Mukkoti), Hanuman Jayanti (Karnataka), and Christmas. Expect temple deepotsava, early-morning darshans, and coastal events as Kambala and local jatres fill weekends. Use this Karnataka holiday list (December 2025) to plan travel, stay bookings, and crowd windows—always recheck temple notices since lunar calculations can shift timings.

Government, Local & Restricted Holidays — December 2025 (Karnataka)

Per Government of Karnataka 2025 notification; some observances are optional/temple-based. Recheck your office/temple notice for updates.

🏛️ Public Holidays (State)

  • 25-December-2025 (Thursday) Christmas Karnataka State — General Holiday.

📍 Local Holiday (District-specific)

  • 05-December-2025 (Friday) Huthri Festival Kodagu only Declared local holiday for Kodagu district (harvest festival).

🗓️ Restricted / Optional (check your office list)

  • 01-December-2025 (Monday) Gita Jayanti / Mokshada Ekadashi Optional Observed at Krishna/ISKCON temples; optional leave varies by employer.
  • 03-December-2025 (Wednesday) Kannada Hanuman Jayanti Optional Regional observance; special sevas at Hanuman temples.
  • 04-December-2025 (Thursday) Datta Jayanti (Margashirsha Purnima) Optional Observed at Dattatreya/Datta Peetha temples across the state.

Heads-up: Vaikuntha Ekadashi (Mukkoti) for the year 2025 was on 10-January-2025 (not in December 2025). Temple events in late December may still mark Dhanurmasa, but the Ekadashi date isn’t in this month.

Important Festivals in December 2025 – Karnataka

Dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar & community schedules. Recheck local temple notices and govt circulars for updates.

01December 2025

Gita Jayanti / Mokshada Ekadashi Optional

Recital of the Bhagavad Gita, discourses and day-long vrata; ISKCON/Viṣṇu temples hold special programs.

Bengaluru ISKCON, Udupi Sri Krishna Matha, major Vaishnava temples.
03December 2025

Hanuman Jayanti (Karnataka) Optional

Alankara, tailabhisheka and bhajans; extended queues at popular Anjaneya temples.

Bengaluru (Hanumanthnagar, Rajajinagar), Hampi area, coastal Karnataka.
04December 2025

Datta Jayanti (Margashirsha Purnima) Optional

Parayana, bhajans and anna prasada; Datta temples host special sevas and processions.

Ganagapura (Kalaburagi), Hariharapura, Dattatreya mathas statewide.
TBADecember 2025

Subrahmanya Shashti – Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple Utsava

Major annual fair with special alankara and seva bookings; dates announced by the temple per lunar tithi.

Kukke (Dakshina Kannada) & Subrahmanya temples across Karnataka.
16December 2025

Dhanurmasa begins (Dhanur Sankranti) Observance

Pre-dawn pujas, Tiruppavai recitations and special naivedya start through mid-January.

Vaishnava temples statewide—Udupi, Melukote, ISKCON centres.
25December 2025

Christmas Public Holiday

Midnight Mass, carols and nativity scenes; traffic diversions near major churches.

Bengaluru (St. Mary’s Basilica, St. Francis), Mangaluru, Mysuru.
TBADecember 2025

Kambala (Coastal Buffalo Races) Seasonal

Traditional night races on muddy tracks; schedules vary by village committee.

Dakshina Kannada & Udupi districts—check local announcements.

Additional Village Festivals / Local Jatres

With Margashirsha and the start of Dhanurmasa, December evenings in Karnataka glow with deepa rows and early-morning sevas. Coastal belts host temple nights and cultural shows, while Dharmasthala often continues its laksha-deepa ambience through the month. Vaishnava centres like Udupi Sri Krishna Matha and Melukote Cheluvanarayana Swamy arrange Tiruppavai recitations at dawn; Shiva kshetras keep special abhisheka on Mondays as devotees observe Kartika/Dhanurmasa fasts.

Major December crowd-pullers include Kukke Subrahmanya for the annual Subrahmanya Shashti utsava (temple-announced dates), coastal Kambala (buffalo race) weekends set by local committees, and Bengaluru’s heritage Kadalekai Parishe (groundnut fair) around Basavanagudi—often late Nov/early Dec. Regular monthly jatres continue: Saundatti Yellamma Pournami gatherings (Belagavi), Sigandur Chowdeshwari full-moon seva (Sagar; plan ferry timings), Ghati Subramanya Shashti crowds (Bengaluru Rural), and extended darshan at Idagunji Mahaganapathi on Sankashti evenings.

Pilgrim movement is high—Ayyappa bhajan groups transit towards Sabarimala via coastal & Malenadu routes, while hill shrines like Male Mahadeshwara Betta see weekend vow offerings and annadanam. Practical tips: check temple/BBMP/DC social notices 24–48 hours ahead for traffic blocks and token systems, carry UPI & water, follow eco-friendly lamp/flower rules, dress modestly, and arrive early at river- or hill-side venues where barricades and ferries create bottlenecks.

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