Notes: All timings are represented in 12-hour notation in local time of New Delhi, India with DST adjustment (if applicable).
Hours which are past midnight are suffixed with next day date. In Panchang day starts and ends with sunrise.
Chitragupta Puja is celebrated on the second day of the waxing moon phase in the Hindu lunar calendar month of Kartik, known as Kartik Shukla Dwitiya. The festival is primarily observed by the Kayastha community of Hinduism; they worship Lord Chitragupta on this day. According to Hindu beliefs, Lord Chitragupta keeps a record of the deeds of all living beings using a pen and inkpot. As a result, during Chitragupta Puja, pens, inkpots, and account ledgers are also worshipped. The inkpot is traditionally referred to as Masyadhara which is why Chitragupta Puja is often called Masyadhara Puja.
Lord Chitragupta is also revered as Chitragupta Maharaj. In Hinduism, Lord Chitragupta holds a significant place, as He is worshipped as the assistant to Lord Yama or Yamaraj, the god of death. According to scriptures (Granthas), Chitragupta Maharaj meticulously records the deeds, both known and unknown, of all living beings in the world. Some intellectuals believe that He is called Chitragupta because He records not only the visible deeds (Chitra) but also the hidden ones (Gupta).
In Jabalpur, city of Madhya Pradesh, there is a 250-year-old temple dedicated to Chitragupta Maharaj, and every year, on the next day after Holi, people from the Kayastha community gather here in large numbers to worship Him. Another famous temple dedicated to Him is located in Khajuraho, another city in Madhya Pradesh known for its Hindu and Jain temples. The Chitragupta temple, built in the 11th century, showcases a stunning architectural style known as the Nirandhara Prasada. Beyond India, Chitragupta is also worshipped in Thailand.
As the presiding deity of the Kayastha community, Lord Chitragupta is worshipped as their family deity, and the day holds immense significance in the lives of Kayasthas, who honour Him with devotion and reverence.