Every year, a few days before Karva Chauth, the same questions fill family WhatsApp groups: Is it the 28th or the 29th? When will the chand come out? Till what time can I eat sargi? This guide answers them in one place, with Mumbai in focus because our moon rises later than in the north.

Last year we celebrated in Mumbai, Bhandup- with our family members. it was a great experiences as we all were waiting for moon. !

Is Karva Chauth on 28th or 29th October 2026?

In India it is Thursday, 29 October 2026. Karva Chauth follows the Chaturthi tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik, not a fixed calendar date. This year the Chaturthi begins at about 1:06 AM and ends at about 10:09 PM on 29 October, so moonrise falls inside it in every Indian city.

Karva Chauth 2026 moonrise time by city

Moonrise moves from east to west, which is why Kolkata sees the moon almost an hour and a half before Mumbai. Times can differ by a few minutes between localities, and by building height and horizon, so treat them as a guide and let the moon sighting itself be your final signal.

Puja muhurat and tithi timings

The evening puja is usually done in a group. Women gather with their thalis, listen to the vrat katha and exchange karvas.

• Chaturthi tithi: about 1:06 AM to 10:09 PM on 29 October
• Puja muhurat (New Delhi): 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM
• Other cities: the window shifts with local sunset, so check your own city on Drik Panchang

Sargi: what it is and when to eat it

Sargi is the pre-dawn meal a married woman traditionally receives from her mother-in-law. It is eaten before sunrise, about 6:37 AM in Mumbai, so most families eat it in the early hours. It usually includes fruit, dry fruits, mathri, pheni and sweets. Slow-release foods such as nuts, fruit, curd or a light parantha help more than very sugary or oily items on a long day.

Fasting rules: what is and isn’t done

Customs differ between families and regions, so read this as the common pattern rather than a rulebook.

• The traditional fast is nirjala: no food or water from sunrise until the moon is seen.
• Many families avoid sleeping through the day, and avoid arguments and harsh words.
• Many women avoid knives, scissors and needles during the fast.
• Red, maroon and other auspicious colours are preferred. Black is traditionally avoided.
• The fast is broken only after the puja, the arghya to the moon and the sighting through the sieve.

Karva Chauth puja vidhi, step by step

1. Prepare. Finish shringar and set the thali with a diya, karwa, sieve, roli, rice and sweets.
2. Worship. During the muhurat, pray to Chauth Mata, Lord Ganesha and Shiva-Parvati and listen to the vrat katha.
3. Offer arghya. When the moon appears, offer water to it.
4. Look through the sieve. See the moon through the sieve, then your husband.
5. Break the fast. Your husband offers you water and the first bite.

The story behind it: Queen Veeravati

The best-known katha is that of Veeravati, the only sister of seven brothers. She kept her first Karva Chauth fast at her parents’ home. By evening she was faint with weakness, and her brothers, unable to bear it, showed her a false “moon” through a trick of light. She broke her fast, and soon after, news came that her husband had died. By observing the vrat again with full sincerity, she brought him back.

That is why the fast is broken only when the real moon is seen.

What if the moon is hidden by clouds?

This is a real worry on Mumbai evenings. Many families wait until the panchang’s moonrise time has passed and the moon is visible. If it stays hidden, the common practice is to offer arghya at the official moonrise time and then break the fast. Customs vary, so check with the elders in your family or your family priest. The Chaturthi tithi ends around 10:09 PM, so you have time.

Can unmarried women observe Karva Chauth?

Many do, praying for a future partner or a fiancé’s wellbeing, and in some families husbands fast too. The tradition keeps evolving, and what matters most to families is the intention behind it.

Your day in Mumbai, 29 October

Frequently asked questions

Looking for last year’s guide? Read our Karva Chauth 2025 article. For timings, you can also cross-check with Drik Panchang.