Every year, a day filled with devotion, patience and heartfelt emotion arrives in many Hindu households — Karwa Chauth, a sacred occasion when married women observe a strict fast from sunrise to moonrise, praying for the long life and well-being of their husbands. This festival is marked by rituals of togetherness, gratitude and hope. For 2026, here are the date, the puja muhurat and the deeper significance that make Karwa Chauth special.
Date & Puja Shubh Muhurat
According to the calender listing on Drik Panchang:
- Karwa Chauth falls on Thursday, 29 October 2026 for New Delhi/NCT region.
- The auspicious puja muhurat (the time to perform the evening pooja) is listed as 05:38 PM to 06:56 PM with a duration of approximately 1 hour 17 minutes.
- The tithi begins and ends times vary by region; the date above is the main fixed date for the festival in 2026.
Hence, for 2026, married women and their families may plan to perform the Karwa Chauth puja in the evening around 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM, and the day’s fast continues until the moonrise and the husband’s sighting of the moon (and then his wife) to break the fast.
Significance of Karwa Chauth
Karwa Chauth is more than a ritual fast—it is rich in symbolism and tradition, blending personal devotion, marital bonding and cultural identity.
- Fast & Faith for Husband’s Welfare
On this day, many married Hindu women observe a nirjala (water-free) fast or at least a highly restricted fast, from sunrise until moonrise. Their prayers are primarily for the long life, health and prosperity of their husband. This has been the core motive of Karwa Chauth for generations.
- Rituals that Bind, Stories that Inspire
The ritual of the day includes: waking up early, eating a pre-dawn meal (in some traditions called sargi), applying mehndi, dressing up in finery, performing the evening pooja, offering the „karwa“ (a earthen pot) to the moon, viewing the moon through a sieve, then husband seeing wife through same and finally the wife breaking her fast with husband’s assistance. The story behind the fast often recounts a wife who saved her husband through devotion and fasting—reinforcing faith, loyalty and the power of collective prayer.
- Cultural & Seasonal Context
Karwa Chauth falls in the month of Kartika (or Ashwin/Kartik depending on region) during the Krishna Paksha Chaturthi tithi (4th day of the waning moon). It is an occasion that not only celebrates marital devotion but also reflects community gathering, shared rituals among women, and the transcendence of individual fasting into a communal festival of love and respect.
How to Observe Karwa Chauth on 29 October 2026
- Begin early: Many women take a special pre-dawn meal (sargi) given by mother-in-law (in certain traditions) and then observe the fast without food or water, or with minimal food as per custom.
- Use the day to focus on devotion: make the day selective in activity, dress well, apply mehndi, gather for evening pooja preparations.
- At around the puja muhurat (05:38 PM to 06:56 PM) set up a puja plate (thali) with karwa, lamp/diya, sindoor, sweets, fruits, flowers. Gather women (sometimes together in groups).
- Perform the pooja: light the lamp, offer prayers to Karwa Mata, Lord Shiva, Parvati, and your husband’s welfare. After moonrise (or the correct moment for moon sighting in your region) the wife looks at the moon through a sieve, then her husband, then he offers her first sip of water or morsel of food to break the fast.
- Afterwards: share sweets, exchange blessings, reflect on the bond between husband and wife, and appreciate the day’s ritual significance.
Why This Festival Matters
In a time when many values shift with pace, Karwa Chauth holds steady as a festive anchor of love, commitment and gratitude. It is not only about the ritual of fasting but about recognising the mutual bond in marriage, the support partners provide, and the respect for devotion. For women who observe it, the day becomes a moment of spiritual focus, personal discipline and emotional connection. For families, it becomes a time of togetherness, festivity and honouring tradition.
With the date and muhurat for 2026 clearly noted, this Karwa Chauth offers every married couple and their families a chance to observe with intention, celebrate with awareness and renew their relationship with love and respect. May the fast of 29 October 2026 bring peace, prosperity and harmony to your home. Happy Karwa Chauth!