Karva Chauth ਕਰਵਾ ਚੌਥ
Karva Chauth is a day-long fast kept by married women in Punjab and across north India. The fast begins before dawn and ends after the moon has been seen at night.
| Year | Occasion | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Karva Chauth (Katak Vadi 4) | |
| 2027 | Karva Chauth (Katak Vadi 4) |
Calculated for Amritsar. SGPC and government announcements take precedence.
How the date is fixed
Karva Chauth is the fourth lunar day of the dark half of Katak, taken on the evening when that tithi prevails at moonrise. It usually falls in October, about ten days before Diwali.
The day
- Sargi: before dawn, the mother-in-law gives sargi, a meal of fruit, mathri, pheniyan and sweets, eaten before sunrise.
- Nirjala fast: most women take neither food nor water until the moon appears.
- Katha: in the evening, women gather in dressed-up groups with their karvas (earthen or metal pots) and pass their thalis around in a circle while the katha is told.
- Moonrise: the moon is viewed through a sieve, water is offered, and the fast is broken, often by the husband offering the first sip of water.
Moonrise
Moonrise on Karva Chauth is usually between 8 and 9 pm in Punjab, and a little later in the west of the state than in the east. Cloud cover can delay seeing the moon; many families then break the fast at the calculated moonrise time.
Questions
What is sargi?
The pre-dawn meal given by the mother-in-law before the Karva Chauth fast begins.