Hindu festivals · Karaka Chaturthi

Karwa Chauth 2026: date and moonrise time

Karwa Chauth is the Chaturthi of Krishna paksha in Kartik (Ashwin in amanta calendars), four days after Sharad Purnima. Married women traditionally fast from sunrise until they see the Moon, praying for their husband’s long life.

Next date: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026

Karwa Chauth timings

Detail	2026	2027
Date	Thursday, 29 Oct 2026	Monday, 18 Oct 2027
Krishna Chaturthi tithi begins	29 Oct, 1:07 am	18 Oct, 5:52 pm
Krishna Chaturthi tithi ends	29 Oct, 10:10 pm	19 Oct, 4:43 pm
Moonrise in Nagpur	8:24 pm	7:40 pm
Fast (sunrise to moonrise)	6:14 am to 8:24 pm	6:10 am to 7:40 pm

All times are IST. Tithi times hold for all of India; sunrise, sunset, moonrise and the muhurat windows are for Nagpur, in the North and Central Indian (purnimanta) tradition, and shift by a few minutes in other cities.

How it is commonly observed

Many women eat sargi, a meal given by the mother-in-law, before sunrise and then fast through the day.
In the evening women gather for the Karwa Chauth katha and puja with a karwa (clay pot).
The fast is broken after seeing the Moon, often through a sieve, and offering water (arghya).

Where regions differ

It is kept mainly in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and by many families elsewhere. Moonrise is later in the west and earlier in the east of India, so check your own city’s time.

All the regional calendars on this site that list it give the same date in 2026.

How the date is worked out

The rule: the day when the tithi runs at moonrise. When two days qualify, the one where the tithi covers more of that window; when none does, the day the tithi begins. The Sun and Moon positions are computed for each year (sidereal, Lahiri ayanamsa), so the dates are not copied from a printed list.

Questions about Karwa Chauth

When is Karwa Chauth in 2026?

Karwa Chauth 2026 is on Thursday, 29 Oct 2026, and in 2027 on Monday, 18 Oct 2027. The dates are worked out for Nagpur in the North and Central Indian tradition; the table above gives the tithi and muhurat times.

Why is the moonrise time different in my city?

Moonrise depends on where you are. The time on this page is for Nagpur; Delhi and western cities usually see the Moon later, and eastern cities earlier. Clouds can also hide it for a while.

Can the fast be kept without water?

Many women keep a nirjala fast, and many drink water or take fruit. Anyone with a health condition or who is pregnant should check with a doctor before fasting.

Why does another calendar show a different date?

A tithi begins and ends at the same moment all over India, but the festival day depends on the part of the day the tradition looks at (sunrise, midday, evening or midnight) and on the sunrise of the city. A panchang for another city or tradition can therefore differ by a day. Follow the one your family uses.