Karwa Chauth falls on Thursday, October 29 this year — not October 28. Moonrise in Delhi is expected around 8:17 PM. Here are city-wise moonrise times, the Delhi puja muhurat, and everything about the day’s fast.
Updated: October 23, 2026, 10:30 IST
Quick Read
- Karwa Chauth is on Thursday, October 29 in India (not October 28).
- Chaturthi tithi runs 1:06 AM to 10:09 PM on October 29.
- Delhi puja muhurat: 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM; Delhi moonrise: ~8:17 PM.
Women across North India will keep the Karwa Chauth fast on Thursday, October 29, 2026. This is the day married women fast from sunrise to moonrise — without food and without water — praying for their husbands’ long life. The evening’s biggest moment is the moonrise, when the fast breaks. In Delhi, the moon is expected around 8:17 PM.
October 28 or 29? The confusion, settled
Search results this week show both dates, and that is confusing people. The Times of India settled it: in India, Karwa Chauth is October 29. The October 28 date you see on some international sites is because of time zones — when it is evening in India, it is still the previous day in America. For everyone fasting in India, the date is Thursday, October 29. The chaturthi tithi (the moon’s phase for this fast) runs from 1:06 AM to 10:09 PM on October 29.
Delhi timings that matter
Mark two time windows. The puja muhurat — the auspicious time for the evening prayer — is 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM in Delhi. Women gather with their karwa (the clay pot) and thali, sing the vrat katha, and pray. Then comes the wait for the moon. Moonrise in Delhi is expected around 8:17 PM. Only after seeing the moon through a sieve — and being offered the first sip of water by the husband — does the fast break.
City-wise moonrise times
Moonrise time changes from city to city. Here are the expected times for major cities:
| City | Expected moonrise |
|---|---|
| Kolkata | 7:47 PM |
| Lucknow | 8:06 PM |
| Delhi | 8:17 PM |
| Jaipur | 8:28 PM |
| Hyderabad | 8:41 PM |
| Chennai | 8:44 PM |
| Bengaluru | 8:55 PM |
| Mumbai | 9:00 PM |
These are estimates, India TV reported. Clouds or local weather can shift the sighting by a few minutes. Keep an eye on the eastern sky from about 15 minutes before your city’s time.
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What happens through the day
The day starts before sunrise, around 6:30 AM, with sargi — the pre-dawn meal, usually prepared by the mother-in-law. Then the fast begins. Karwa Chauth is a nirjala fast, which means no food and no water all day. Women dress in solah shringaar (the sixteen traditional adornments) — often in red or maroon — apply mehendi, and gather in the evening for the vrat katha, the story of the fast. After moonrise, the fast ends with water and a first bite offered by the husband.
Sargi: what to eat before sunrise
Sargi is the only meal before a 14-hour no-water fast, so it matters. Nutritionists quoted in festive guides suggest the same simple rules every year: eat slow-digesting food (parathas, dalia, or poha), add protein (paneer, curd, or nuts), and drink plenty of water before sunrise — at least 3 to 4 glasses. Avoid very salty or very spicy food; salt makes you thirstier through the day. A banana or coconut water helps with energy. Keep tea and coffee to one small cup, since caffeine can dehydrate.
Who keeps this fast
Traditionally, married women keep Karwa Chauth for their husbands’ health and long life. Unmarried women also keep it in some families, praying for a good life partner. In recent years, many husbands have started fasting alongside their wives — a change the festival has quietly absorbed. Offices in Delhi and Chandigarh even report higher leave applications on this day than on many public holidays. The core of the day stays the same: a hard fast, an evening of prayer and stories, and a moonlit ending.
The story behind the fast
Every Karwa Chauth evening, women listen to the vrat katha — the story that gives the fast its meaning. The most-told version is about Queen Veeravati. She was the only sister of seven brothers and kept the fast at her parents’ home. By evening she was faint with hunger. Her brothers could not bear to see it, so they tricked her: they held a mirror in a tree to fake an early moonrise. Veeravati broke her fast — and, the story goes, her husband fell gravely ill the same moment. She prayed to the goddess, kept the fast again with full devotion, and her husband was saved. Whether one takes it as history or legend, the message women carry from it is simple: the fast is about faith, not the clock.
Mehendi and solah shringaar
The day before or two days before, women apply mehendi (henna) on their hands — the darker the colour, the deeper the love, as the saying goes. On the fast day itself comes solah shringaar, the sixteen adornments: bindi, sindoor, bangles, anklets, nose ring, and more. Red and maroon are the traditional colours of the day. Markets in Delhi, Lucknow and Jaipur do brisk business in the week before — bangle sellers and mehendi artists are booked out days in advance.
What if clouds hide the moon?
It happens most years in at least one city. If the moon is behind clouds at your city’s time, wait — the moon often appears within 30 to 45 minutes. Many families follow the practice of breaking the fast at the expected moonrise time if the sky stays fully covered, after offering arghya (water) toward the moon’s direction. Local temples and community groups also announce sightings on WhatsApp groups. Do not stare at bright lights trying to find the moon; give the clouds time to move.
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The karwa itself
The festival gets its name from the karwa — the small clay pot that sits at the centre of the evening thali. Women fill it with water and decorate it before the puja. During the katha, the karwa is passed around the circle of women as the story is sung. After moonrise, the first sip of water comes from this same pot. Potters in North Indian markets start stocking decorated karwas weeks in advance, and buying a new one each year is part of the ritual for many families.
FAQ
Is Karwa Chauth on October 28 or 29?
October 29 in India. The October 28 date on some foreign sites is a time-zone artefact — when it is the evening of the 29th in India, it is still the 28th in the US.
What time is moonrise in Delhi?
Around 8:17 PM. Mumbai sees it latest among major cities, near 9:00 PM; Kolkata sees it earliest, near 7:47 PM.
Can you drink water during Karwa Chauth?
Traditionally, no. It is a nirjala fast — no food and no water from before sunrise until moonrise. Doctors advise pregnant women, diabetics, and anyone unwell to consult a doctor first rather than keep a no-water fast.