Karwa Chauth 2026 Date, Moonrise Time & Puja Muhurat
Karwa Chauth 2026 is on Thursday, 29 October 2026. In New Delhi the evening puja muhurat is 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM, and the fast ends after moonrise at about 8:17 PM IST. Moonrise is later in most cities to the south and west, so check the time for your own city before breaking the fast.
| Date | Thursday, 29 October 2026 |
| Tithi | Kartik Krishna Chaturthi (Purnimanta calendar) |
| Fasting time (New Delhi) | 6:31 AM to 8:17 PM |
| Karwa Chauth puja muhurat (New Delhi) | 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM (1 hour 18 minutes) |
| Moonrise (New Delhi) | about 8:17 PM IST |
| Next fast | Ahoi Ashtami, Sunday 1 November 2026 |
Timings are for New Delhi and are taken from published panchang listings (sources at the end). Muhurat and moonrise times change with location.
What is Karwa Chauth?
Karwa Chauth is a one-day fast kept by many married Hindu women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. It falls on the Chaturthi (fourth day) of the waning moon in the month of Kartik, about nine days before Diwali. The name joins karwa, the small earthen pot used in the puja, with chauth, the fourth day.
The festival is most widely observed in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, and among families from these regions living abroad. Practice varies: some unmarried women fast for a future husband, some husbands fast alongside their wives, and families differ on whether the fast is kept without water (nirjala).
Karwa Chauth 2026 timings explained
- Sargi (before sunrise): a pre-dawn meal, traditionally prepared or sent by the mother-in-law, eaten before the fast begins at sunrise.
- Fast (sunrise to moonrise): in New Delhi, from about 6:31 AM until the moon is seen at about 8:17 PM.
- Puja muhurat (evening): 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM in New Delhi, when women usually gather for the Karwa Chauth puja and katha.
- Moonrise: the fast is broken after sighting the moon and offering arghya (water) to it.
How Karwa Chauth is observed
- Sargi at dawn. Fruit, dry fruits, sweets such as feni or mathri, and a drink are commonly eaten before sunrise.
- Daytime fast. Many women avoid food and water through the day; others take water or fruit, depending on family custom and health.
- Shringar. Women dress in festive clothes, often red, wear bangles and sindoor, and apply mehndi, frequently the evening before.
- Evening puja. A thali is prepared with a karwa filled with water, a diya, roli, rice, sweets and a sieve. Goddess Parvati (as Gauri), with Shiva, Ganesha and Kartikeya, is worshipped, often from a printed Karwa Chauth image or a clay idol of Gauri.
- Katha. The Karwa Chauth vrat katha is read or heard, usually in a group. The most commonly told story is of Veeravati, whose brothers tricked her into breaking her fast early with a false moon, and who later restored her husband’s life through her devotion.
- Exchanging the thali. In many North Indian homes women sit in a circle and pass their thalis around while singing traditional verses.
- Moon sighting. After moonrise, women look at the moon through a sieve, offer water from the karwa as arghya, then look at their husband’s face through the same sieve.
- Breaking the fast. The husband offers the first sip of water and a bite of food. Elders’ blessings are then taken.
Karwa Chauth puja samagri checklist
- Karwa (earthen or metal pot) with lid
- Puja thali
- Diya with ghee or oil, and cotton wicks
- Roli or kumkum, haldi, rice (akshat)
- Sieve (channi)
- Water in a lota for arghya
- Sweets, mathri and fruits for offering
- Karwa Chauth image or Gauri idol
- Flowers and incense
- Sindoor, bangles and other suhaag items, if your family includes them
Items differ by region and family, so treat this as a starting list rather than a fixed rule.
Health and fasting
A full-day fast without water is demanding. Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, on regular medication or unwell should speak to a doctor first. Many families accept a modified fast with water, milk or fruit, and the sargi meal helps whoever is fasting through the day.
Frequently asked questions
Is Karwa Chauth on 28 or 29 October 2026?
Karwa Chauth is observed on Thursday, 29 October 2026, when the Chaturthi tithi prevails at moonrise. You may see 28 October on some sites because the tithi timing is close; follow your local panchang or temple if it gives a different day.
What time is moonrise on Karwa Chauth 2026?
About 8:17 PM IST in New Delhi. Moonrise is later in cities further south and west, so check your city’s time on the day.
What if the moon is not visible because of clouds?
Customs differ. Many families break the fast once the panchang moonrise time for their city has passed, offering arghya facing the direction of the moon; others wait to see it. Follow your family’s practice.
Can unmarried women keep the Karwa Chauth fast?
Yes, in many families unmarried women keep the fast for a future or intended husband, often with a lighter version of the rules.
Related festival guides
- Hindu Festival Calendar 2027 and remaining 2026 dates
- Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja time
- 5 days of Diwali: Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj
- All puja and vrat guides
Sources
- Drik Panchang – Hindu Calendar 2026 (date)
- VedicFeed – Karwa Chauth 2026 (New Delhi timings)
- NewsBytes – Karwa Chauth 2026 moonrise times (cross-check)
