Karwa Chauth: a fast until moonrise
Karwa Chauth is a day-long fast kept for a spouse’s long life and well-being. It falls on Chaturthi, the fourth lunar day after the full Moon of Ashwin (Kartika Krishna Chaturthi in the North Indian calendar).
How the day unfolds
- Sargi before dawn In Punjabi families the mother-in-law gives a pre-dawn meal of fruit, sweets and dry fruits.
- The fast Traditionally no food or water is taken from sunrise until the Moon is seen.
- Evening puja Women gather in the evening with the karwa, an earthen pot, and hear the story of Queen Veeravati.
- Sighting the Moon The Moon is seen through a sieve and offered water (arghya); the fast is then broken, often from the spouse’s hand.
Why moonrise matters
The fast is tied to the Moon, so the day is the one on which Chaturthi is current at moonrise. Moonrise can differ by more than half an hour between cities, so the time to break the fast is your own city’s moonrise.
Many couples now keep the fast together, and the day is as much about family gathering as about ritual.