Karva Chauth Puja Vidhi · करवा चौथ पूजा विधि

When

Karva Chauth falls on Kartik Krishna Chaturthi. The fast lasts from before sunrise until moonrise, and the moonrise time differs by city; see the Karva Chauth page for the date.

Sargi

• Before sunrise the mother-in-law sends her daughter-in-law sargi: sweets, fruits and other food, often with things of suhaag.
• Eat the sargi before dawn after bathing, then keep the fast without food or water until the moon is seen.

Samagri

• A clay karva (spouted pot) with a lid, and a lota of water
• A chhalni (sieve) and a lamp
• A picture of Karva Mata, or of Shiva and Parvati with Ganesha
• Roli, akshat, flowers, sweets, and things of suhaag such as sindoor, bindi and bangles

The evening puja

• Set up the place of worship with the picture of Karva Mata, or Shiva and Parvati with Ganesha and Kartikeya.
• Fill the karva with water and place it with the puja thali; light the lamp.
• Worship with roli, akshat and flowers, and offer the things of suhaag to Parvati.
• Listen to the Karva Chauth Vrat Katha, often together with other women of the family.

At moonrise

• When the moon rises, look at it through the chhalni and offer it arghya with water.
• Then look at your husband through the chhalni, take his blessing, and break the fast with water from his hand.

After the puja

• A karva filled with rice, urad dal, things of suhaag and money is given away, and many also give fruit, dry fruit and things of suhaag to the mother-in-law, touching her feet.

Karva Chauth is a fast kept by married women, mainly in north India, for the long life of their husbands; many unmarried women keep it too. It takes its name from the karva, the clay pot used in the puja, and chauth, the fourth day of the fortnight. The fast is kept without food or water from before sunrise until the moon is seen. This page gives the observance as the published guides listed below describe it. Customs differ by region and community: follow your family's way where it differs.