Karva Chauth
A day-long fast by married women for the longevity of their husbands.
Karva Chauth falls on the fourth day of the waning moon in the Hindu month of Kartika (purnimanta reckoning), about ten or eleven days before Diwali, usually in October or early November.
When Is Karva Chauth?
Karva Chauth falls on the fourth day of the waning moon in the Hindu month of Kartika (purnimanta reckoning), about ten or eleven days before Diwali, usually in October or early November.
Because the Gregorian date changes from year to year, check a calendar published by the tradition or your local community for this year's date.
Why It Matters
Karva Chauth is observed by Hindu married women as a day-long fast for the long life and prosperity of their husbands. Especially popular in North India and among the diaspora.
How It Is Observed
Pre-sunrise meal, complete fast without food or water, women gather in festive dress, moon-gazing ceremony, the fast is broken after sighting the moon through a sieve by the light of a diya.