AstrologgerKarva Chauth
29 October 2026
2026 dates are good-faith estimates from standard panchang references — confirm the exact date and muhurat against a current Panchang before planning.
Significance
Married women fast without food or water from sunrise to moonrise on Kartika Krishna Chaturthi, praying for the longevity and prosperity of their husbands. The fast is broken after sighting the moon through a sieve.
Astrological significance
Karva Chauth is uniquely tied to moonrise: the day-long fast is completed only after the moon is sighted on the fourth night of the waning fortnight. Because moonrise time varies by location, the exact hour of breaking the fast differs from city to city and is looked up in the panchang. As a lunar festival, its Gregorian date shifts within October and early November.
Month: Kartik · Paksha: Krishna · Krishna Chaturthi (fourth day of the waning moon) of Kartik in the purnimanta calendar — the fast is broken only after moonrise.
How Karva Chauth is observed
- Married women keeping a fast from sunrise until moonrise
- Eating the pre-dawn sargi meal before beginning the fast
- Gathering to hear the Karva Chauth vrat katha
- Viewing the moon through a sieve, then the husband, to break the fast
- Dressing in festive attire and applying mehndi
Frequently asked questions
When is Karva Chauth in 2026?+
In 2026 it falls on 29 October 2026. The moonrise time varies by city, so check the local panchang for the exact hour to break the fast.
What does Karva Chauth observe?+
Married women keep a day-long fast praying for the long life and well-being of their husbands, completing it after sighting the moon.
Why does the fast end at moonrise?+
The vrat is tied to the fourth night of the waning moon, so it is traditionally broken only after the moon is sighted, which is why moonrise timing matters.
What is sargi?+
Sargi is the pre-dawn meal, often given by the mother-in-law, that a woman eats before beginning the day-long fast.