Karwa Chauth 2026 falls on 29 October: Puja muhurat, moonrise timings and fasting rituals

The festival season is here, and Karwa Chauth is the next big occasion on the calendar. Across North India, homes are preparing days in advance, markets are filled with bangles, dupattas and decorated clay pots, and families are asking the same question: what time will the moon come out this year?

According to Drikpanchang, Karwa Chauth falls on Thursday, 29 October 2026. The Chaturthi tithi begins at 1:06 AM on 29 October and ends at 10:09 PM that night, so the vrat is observed on 29 October across India. Chaturthi must be present when the moon rises, because the fast ends with the worship of the moon.

Puja muhurat and moonrise (Delhi)

• Fast begins: 6:31 AM (sunrise)
• Puja muhurat: 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM (1 hour 17 minutes)
• Moonrise: around 8:17 PM

Who is worshipped on Karwa Chauth?

Karva Mata, a form of Goddess Parvati linked with marital bliss, is worshipped along with Lord Shiva, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Ganesha is prayed to first, as Chaturthi is his tithi, and the final arghya is offered to the moon. The moon is associated with the mind, emotions and the bond of care between two people, and worship on this day is meant to bring peace to married life and protect the husband's health and long life.

The legend of Veeravati

The festival is rooted in an age-old story. Veeravati, the only sister of seven brothers who adored her, came to her parents' home for her first Karwa Chauth after her marriage. She fasted without food or water, and by evening hunger and thirst made her faint. Unable to watch her suffer, her brothers lit a fire behind a peepal tree and held a sieve in front of it, so the glow looked like the rising moon.

Veeravati believed them, offered arghya to the false moon and ate. Soon after, news came that her husband had died. Heartbroken, she sat beside his body for a year, praying without pause. Goddess Parvati told her the fast had been broken before the real moonrise, and advised her to keep every Chaturthi vrat that year and observe the next Karwa Chauth with complete faith. Veeravati did so, and her husband's life was restored. The belief is that the fast is complete only when the real moon is seen.

How the festival is celebrated

Traditionally, women keep a nirjala fast, with no food or water from sunrise to moonrise, for the long life of their husbands. In the present day, husbands often join in and couples celebrate the day together. Over the years, the rituals have also helped strengthen social bonds among women, including with in-laws and friends.

Step-by-step fasting guide

• Before dawn (sargi): Wake up early and eat the sargi, usually sent by the mother-in-law. It typically includes dry fruits, pheni or kheer, fresh fruit and mathri. Drink plenty of water, since most women go without any during the day.
• Through the day: Take it easy, avoid heavy work and long trips, and rest in the afternoon if possible. Many women apply mehendi a day earlier.
• Evening attire: Dress in red, maroon or other bridal colours. Solah shringar is traditional, but a simple, neat outfit is just as good.
• Preparing the puja thali: Set up roli, rice, a diya, sweets, a karwa filled with water, and a chalni (sieve). Place a picture of Karva Mata on the wall or a wooden plank, or draw one.
• At puja time: Light the lamp and pray to Ganesha first, then to Karva Mata with Shiva and Parvati, and listen to the katha. In a group, thalis can be passed around seven times while traditional songs are sung.
• Moonrise: View the moon through the chalni and offer water from the karwa. Then look at your husband through the same chalni. He gives you the first sip of water and a sweet, which concludes the fast.
• Afterwards: Follow with a light dinner, since a heavy meal on an empty stomach can cause discomfort.

Frequently asked questions

When is Karwa Chauth in 2026? Thursday, 29 October 2026 in India.

What are the puja muhurat and moonrise timings in Delhi? The puja muhurat is 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM, and moonrise is around 8:17 PM.

Who is worshipped on Karwa Chauth? Karva Mata, Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya are worshipped, with the moon receiving the final arghya.

Why do women look at the moon through a sieve? It is a traditional custom: women view the moon and then their husband through the sieve before the fast is broken.

Can pregnant women or people with health conditions keep the fast? They should not keep a waterless fast, and may take fruits, milk or water after speaking to a doctor.