Karwa Chauth

Significance

On the fourth day of Kartika's dark fortnight, married women fast without food or water from sunrise until the moon rises, for the longevity of their husbands. The karwa, an earthen pot, gives the vrat its name.

Observance

• Sargi before dawn (in Punjabi tradition, from the mother-in-law)
• Nirjala fast through the day; evening katha with the karwa
• At moonrise the moon is viewed through a sieve, arghya is offered, and the husband gives the first sip of water

The city-wise moonrise time is the heart of the vrat. It varies by more than half an hour across India. This site's panchang shows the exact moonrise for your city; the same night is Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi.