North India · October–November
Also known as Karwa Chauth · Karaka Chaturthi
When it’s celebrated
The exact date shifts each year — it’s fixed from the panchang. Cast your free kundli or check the calendar for this year’s muhurat.
Significance
Karva Chauth is a fast observed by married women for the long life, health and wellbeing of their husbands. From sunrise until moonrise, women keep a rigorous waterless fast, breaking it only after sighting the moon and viewing their husband — a day celebrating marital love, devotion and the bond between spouses.
The story
Among the festival's legends is that of Queen Veeravati, whose seven brothers, unable to bear her hunger during her first Karva Chauth, tricked her into breaking the fast early by creating a false moonrise with a fire behind a tree; her husband consequently fell gravely ill. Realising the deception, she resumed the fast with full devotion and, by the grace of the goddess and her steadfastness, her husband's life was restored — affirming the power of sincere observance.
Rituals
Across India
Karva Chauth is predominantly a North and West Indian observance, most prominent in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and among Hindu communities in Delhi. Customs like the pre-dawn sargi from the mother-in-law and the fasting circle of women passing karvas are especially associated with Punjab and Haryana.
Questions
Karva Chauth is observed by married women who keep a day-long fast praying for the long life, health and prosperity of their husbands. It celebrates marital devotion and the bond between spouses.
Women worship Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva and Ganesha, and offer arghya to the moon (Chandra) before breaking their fast.
Karva Chauth falls on the fourth tithi (Chaturthi) of the dark fortnight of Kartik, usually in October or November. The date changes each year with the Hindu lunar calendar, and the fast is broken after moonrise.
Women eat a pre-dawn meal (sargi), keep a strict waterless fast all day, dress in bridal finery, gather for the katha and puja, and finally view the moon through a sieve, offer arghya, and break the fast after seeing their husband.
After a day-long fast, women view the moon through a sieve and offer arghya, then look at their husband through the same sieve before breaking the fast — a ritual symbolising prayers for his long life and wellbeing.
Book a pooja in your name, find the muhurat, or read the day’s panchang — bring the festival into your own practice.
