This year, Karwa Chauth will be celebrated on October 20. On this day, married Hindu women observe a strict fast without food or water, praying for the long life and good health of their husbands.
Karwa Chauth occurs during Krishna Paksha Chaturthi in the Hindu month of Kartik. According to the Amanta calendar used in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Southern India, it falls in the month of Ashwin. Despite the different names for the month, Karwa Chauth is celebrated on the same day across all states.
This festival coincides with Sankashti Chaturthi, a fasting day dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Married women perform rituals for the longevity of their husbands, worshipping Lord Shiva and his family, including Lord Ganesha, and only breaking their fast after sighting the moon and offering prayers.
Karwa Chauth is also referred to as Karak Chaturthi. “Karwa” or “Karak” signifies the earthen pot used to offer water, known as Argha, to the moon. The pot holds great significance during the Puja and is often donated to a Brahmin or eligible woman.
When is Karwa Chauth 2024
According to the Panchang, this year the Krishna Paksha Chaturthi of Kartik month begins on October 20 at 6:46 AM and ends on October 21 at 4:16 AM. Based on the auspicious date, the Karwa Chauth fast will be observed on October 20, 2024. The favorable time for the puja is from 5:46 PM to 7:09 PM. Additionally, the moon is expected to rise around 7:54 PM on this day.
Karwa Chauth Shubh Muhurat
Karwa Chauth Puja timing: From 5:48 PM to 7:03 PM.
Karwa Chauth fasting period: From 6:35 AM to 7:21 PM.
On Karwa Chauth day, the moonrise will occur at 7:54 PM.
The auspicious timing for Ganapati worship is from 5:46 PM to 7:09 PM, allowing devotees a full hour and a quarter for the rituals. Following this, the moon will be offered Arghya at 7:54 PM on Karwa Chauth.
Karwa Chauth Vrat Rituals
On Karwa Chauth, wake up early and begin the day by meditating on the deities. After taking a bath, wear clean clothes and focus on Karwa Mata while taking a vow for the fast. Observe the fast throughout the day. In the evening, create an image of Karwa Mata on the wall of your home temple using geru (a type of clay). Offer items like a lamp, sindoor, akshat, kumkum, and roli to her. Present 16 items for her adornment and recite the vrat katha. Perform the aarti and pray for a prosperous married life. After offering arghya to the moon, drink water to break your fast.
Karwa Chauth Puja Significance
On Karwa Chauth, women observe a strict waterless fast. They purchase new earthen pots (karwa) and decorate them beautifully. On the day of the festival, married women wake up before sunrise to eat the ‘sargi’ and begin their fast. They refrain from food and water throughout the day, getting ready like brides in the evening to perform the rituals.
Later, they break their fast by viewing the moon through a sieve and performing the aarti for their husbands. According to the scriptures, the moon symbolizes love and marital duty, which is why married women worship it for their husband’s long life and a loving marital relationship
How to Break Your Fast
- After the ceremony, wait for the moon to rise to conclude the fast.
- View the moon through a dupatta, the reflection in a bowl of water, or a sieve.
- The diya is tossed backward as an offering.
- Offer water and mathri to the moon while seeking blessings.
- Using the same sieve, the woman sees her husband and prays for his well-being.
- The husband then takes water and sweets or mathri from the thali and feeds it to his wife, completing the fast.
This ritual is believed to provide significant spiritual strength and blessings, empowering a woman to overcome adversity. The blessings received after a day of fasting are thought to ensure a long and prosperous life for her husband. Additionally, it helps mend any rifts between the couple or within the family, strengthening their bonds. Karwa Chauth is viewed as a celebration to enhance connections among people, whether between couples or within the community of women.