Karwa Chauth 2026: Date, Puja Time, Moonrise Time and Fasting Rules

Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival about love, faith and married life. On this day, married women fast and pray for their husband’s long life, good health and happiness.

Today, many husbands also fast for their wives. Some unmarried girls keep the fast too. They pray for a good life partner, or they do it because of their faith.

In 2026, Karwa Chauth is on Thursday, 29 October. The most important moment is moonrise, because the fast ends only after you see the moon and pray to it. The moon rises at different times in different cities, so check the time for your own city.

Karwa Chauth 2026 Date and Important Timings

Karwa Chauth is observed on Krishna Paksha Chaturthi during the Hindu month of Kartik.

Here are the important details for 2026:

• Karwa Chauth Date: Thursday, 29 October 2026
• Tithi: Kartik Krishna Paksha Chaturthi
• Chaturthi Tithi Begins: 1:06 AM on 29 October 2026
• Chaturthi Tithi Ends: 10:09 PM on 29 October 2026
• Puja Muhurat (New Delhi): 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM
• Moonrise Time (New Delhi): Around 8:17 PM
• Vrat: Observed from sunrise and traditionally completed after moonrise.

The exact sunrise, puja muhurat, and moonrise time can vary according to location. Therefore, devotees should follow their local Panchang for the most accurate timings

Karwa Chauth 2026: City-Wise Moonrise Time in Major Indian Cities

These times are approximate.

What Is Karwa Chauth and Why Is It Celebrated?

Karwa Chauth is traditionally observed by married Hindu women for the well-being and long life of their husbands.

The name has two parts:

• Karwa: It means an earthen pot traditionally used during the puja.
• Chauth: It refers to the fourth day of the lunar fortnight.

The festival has also evolved over time. Some husbands now observe the vrat along with their wives as a symbol of mutual love and commitment.

For many families, Karwa Chauth is not only about fasting. It is also a day of prayer, family traditions, dressing up, applying mehendi, performing puja, and spending quality time together.

What Is Sargi on Karwa Chauth?

Sargi is a meal eaten before sunrise, just before the fast begins. A mother-in-law usually gives it to her daughter-in-law with her blessings.

A good Sargi can include:

• Fresh fruits
• Dry fruits and nuts
• Coconut
• Curd
• Paneer
• Roti or a light paratha
• Homemade sweets
• Plenty of water

Because the fast is long, choose foods that give you energy for many hours. Try not to eat very salty, spicy, oily or very sweet food. These can make you feel more thirsty later.

Karwa Chauth 2026 Vrat Vidhi: How to Observe the Fast

Customs can differ between families and regions, but this is the common way:

• Eat Sargi before sunrise: Drink enough water if you plan to keep a fast without water.
• Make a promise (sankalp): In the morning, decide with faith that you will keep the fast.
• Get ready for the puja: During the day, apply mehendi, decorate the puja thali and prepare the karwa and other items.
  
• Dress up: Women usually wear nice clothes and jewellery. Red, maroon and pink are popular, but any colour is fine.
• Worship the gods: In the evening, pray to Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Karwa Mata. Light a diya and keep roli, rice, sweets and water in the thali.
• Listen to the katha: Women sit together to hear or read the Karwa Chauth story. In many places, they pass their thalis around and sing traditional songs.
• Pray to the moon: When the moon appears, offer water (arghya) to Chandra Dev and pray for happiness and a good life.
• End the fast: After the moon puja, break the fast with water, then eat something light.
  

How Do Married Women Break the Karwa Chauth Fast?

The moon sighting ritual is one of the most recognised traditions of Karwa Chauth.

After the moon appears:

1. Light a diya and get your puja thali ready.
2. Look at the moon through a sieve (chalni).
3. Offer water to the moon.
4. Pray for a happy married life.
5. Look at your husband through the sieve.
6. Your husband gives you the first sip of water.
7. Eat something light, then slowly go back to normal food.

Families may have their own rules, so follow what your family does.

Can Unmarried or Engaged Girls Keep the Karwa Chauth Fast?

Yes. Some unmarried girls keep the fast and pray for a good life partner. Engaged women or women in a committed relationship may also fast for the person they want to marry. Others keep it simply because they believe in Goddess Parvati or follow a family custom.

Karwa Chauth Rules for Unmarried or Engaged Girls.

1. A fast without water is not needed: Depending on health, faith and family custom, an unmarried girl can keep a fruit fast, drink water during the day, eat fasting foods, or keep a strict fast if her health allows. Always keep the fast according to what your body can handle.

2. Who gives Sargi: A married woman gets Sargi from her mother-in-law. An unmarried girl can get it from her mother, grandmother or another elder woman in the family.

3. Whom to pray to: Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha. She can ask Goddess Parvati for blessings and a happy married life in the future.

4. Dressing up: She can wear nice traditional clothes, jewellery and bangles, and apply mehendi. Sindoor and mangalsutra, which are signs of a married woman, are usually not part of her ritual.

5. Breaking the fast: She does not do the sieve ritual with a husband. Depending on family custom, she may look at the stars, wait for the moon, offer water to the moon, pray to Chandra Dev, and then drink water and eat. If you are unsure, ask your family or a trusted priest.

The Story of Veeravati and Karwa Chauth

One of the best-known legends associated with Karwa Chauth is the story of Queen Veeravati.

According to the traditional story, Veeravati was the only sister of seven brothers. After marriage, she observed her first Karwa Chauth vrat.

As the day progressed, she became extremely weak because she had not eaten or drunk anything.

Her brothers loved her deeply and could not bear to see their sister suffering. They created an illusion that made it appear as if the moon had already risen.

Believing that the moon was visible, Veeravati completed the ritual and broke her fast.

Soon afterward, she received the devastating news that her husband had died.

When she learned that she had unknowingly broken the vrat before the actual moonrise, Veeravati prayed with complete faith and devotion.

According to the legend, her devotion was eventually rewarded, and her husband's life was restored.

The story is traditionally narrated during the Karwa Chauth puja and is associated with faith, patience, love, and devotion.

Why Is the Moon Worshipped on Karwa Chauth?

Chandra Dev holds an important place in the Karwa Chauth tradition.

In Hindu belief, the moon is associated with the mind, emotions, calmness, and peace. On Karwa Chauth, devotees offer Arghya to the moon and pray for happiness and prosperity in their family life.

The appearance of the moon also marks the final stage of the traditional fast, which is why moonrise is eagerly awaited across the country.

Celebrating Karwa Chauth 2026

Karwa Chauth has been celebrated for generations, but every family may have its own way of observing the festival.

For some, it is a deeply religious vrat. For others, it is an important family tradition. Modern couples may also celebrate the occasion by fasting together and praying for each other's health and happiness.

Whether you are married, engaged, or an unmarried woman observing the vrat according to your faith, the festival is ultimately associated with love, devotion, prayer, and togetherness.

This Karwa Chauth, check the correct moonrise time for your city, prepare your puja essentials in advance, and celebrate the festival according to the traditions that are meaningful to you and your family.

Happy Karwa Chauth 2026!