Karwa Chauth falls on Thursday, 29 October 2026. For New Delhi, the evening puja window is 5:38–6:56 PM IST and the calculated moonrise is 8:17 PM IST. Moonrise and the evening puja are separate events; clouds and the horizon can delay the moon becoming visible.
Karwa Chauth 2026 date and timings
- Festival: Thursday, 29 October.
- Chaturthi tithi: 1:06 AM to 10:09 PM on 29 October.
- Evening puja: 5:38–6:56 PM.
- Moonrise in New Delhi: 8:17 PM.
What to keep in the puja thali
A clean thali, a karwa or small water vessel, a diya, roli or kumkum, rice, flowers, water and a simple sweet are common household items. Some families also use a sieve, decorated cloth and gifts for an elder. Follow your family tradition; an elaborate shopping list is not the purpose of the observance.
A simple evening puja sequence
- Prepare a clean place and arrange the thali before the puja window.
- Offer prayer to Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya according to your household custom.
- Read or listen to the katha. Where customary, women sit together and exchange or rotate their thalis.
- After the moon is visible, offer water and prayers. Families that use a sieve may include it in this step.
- Conclude the fast and share a meal according to your tradition and personal circumstances.
Veeravati: a traditional Karwa Chauth katha
In a familiar telling, Veeravati keeps her first fast at her parents’ home. Her brothers, worried about her hunger, make a lamp appear like the moon through a sieve. She eats, then hears that her husband has died. She later learns of the mistaken moon sighting and returns to worship with patience and devotion; the story ends with her husband restored to life.
This is a devotional story, not evidence that a missed ritual causes harm. Its themes of care and perseverance can be shared without placing responsibility for another person’s life on someone who fasts.
Common questions
Is puja performed at moonrise?
The evening worship and the later moon offering are distinct. The New Delhi puja window ends before the listed moonrise.
Must everyone keep a waterless fast?
Waterless fasting is one traditional practice. Personal health needs take priority; prayer and family participation can be adapted.
Are these times valid outside Delhi?
No. Check your own city’s moonrise and puja window, especially when observing outside India.
Related festival guides
Editorial sources
Dates and timings checked on 19 October 2026 for New Delhi, India, IST. For another city, select that location in the timing source; a time-zone conversion alone is insufficient. Kathas are concise traditional retellings, with regional variations.