{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami 2026 Dates, Puja Timings, Moonrise and Star Sighting Schedules",
  "summary": "Discover the exact dates, auspicious puja timings, moonrise schedules, and star-sighting hours for Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami festivals in the year 2026.",
  "content": "Within the Hindu calendar, the sacred month of Kartik features two deeply revered observances known as Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami. Married women observe the rigorous Karwa Chauth fast seeking the longevity of their spouses and a harmonious marital bond. Simultaneously, mothers undertake the Ahoi Ashtami fast to pray for the long life, robust health, and overall prosperity of their children. Both of these cherished festivals place great emphasis on traditional worship accompanied by sighting either the moon or the stars. Let us examine the exact dates scheduled for Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami in the year 2026, along with the precise timings for moonrise, star sightings, and auspicious worship windows.\n\nKarwa Chauth Date and Auspicious Timings in 2026\nAccording to astronomical calculations and the Hindu almanac, the Karwa Chauth fast in 2026 will be observed on Thursday, October 29. On this auspicious day, married women maintain a strict nirjala fast, going completely without water from sunrise until the sighting of the moon at night. They gather to worship Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, and Mata Karwa with traditional rituals. Once the moon rises, women offer water to the moon, gaze at it through a sieve, and then look at their husbands' faces. Following this sacred custom, they break their fast after sipping water offered directly by their husbands.\n\nRegarding the tithi timings, the Chaturthi tithi begins on October 29 at 01:06 AM. The tithi concludes on the night of October 29, 2026, at 10:09 PM. Based on the prevailing uदयातिथि and the appearance of the Chaturthi moon, the Karwa Chauth fast is firmly scheduled for Thursday, October 29.\n\nPuja Muhurat and Moonrise Schedule for Karwa Chauth\nThe auspicious window designated for performing the Karwa Chauth puja spans from 5:38 PM to 6:54 PM on that evening. As for the moonrise, the moon is expected to appear in the night sky approximately between 8:12 PM and 8:17 PM. However, exact timings can vary slightly depending on geographical locations and specific cities, such as around 7:42 PM in Kolkata and approximately 8:56 PM in Mumbai.\n\nAhoi Ashtami 2026 Date and Fasting Significance\nThe Ahoi Ashtami fast, observed during the dark fortnight of the Kartik month, will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2026. On this day, mothers worship Ahoi Mata to seek divine blessings for the welfare and protection of their offspring. A distinctive feature of this ritual is the tradition of breaking the evening fast only after catching a glimpse of the stars in the night sky.\n\nAshtami Tithi and Star Sighting Timings\nThe Ashtami tithi commences on November 1 at 02:51 PM and concludes on November 2 at 01:00 PM. Although the udayatithi places the Ashtami date on November 2, the Ahoi Ashtami fast must be observed on Sunday, November 1. This is because the ritual requires evening worship conducted while observing stars, whereas by the time stars become visible on November 2, the Ashtami tithi would have already ended and the Navami tithi would have begun. Therefore, fasting on November 1 remains the correct practice.\n\nThe designated puja time for Ahoi Ashtami runs from 5:36 PM to 6:54 PM in the evening. Furthermore, the expected time for sighting the stars is around 6:00 PM, while the moonrise on this night is anticipated around 11:40 PM.\n\nWhat this means for you\nKnowing the precise dates and auspicious timings for major observances like Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami helps fasting individuals properly plan their daily chores and ritual preparations.\n\n• Household Preparation: Better Planning: Clear awareness of dates and puja windows allows women to arrange necessary ritual items and complete household tasks well in advance.\n• Geographical Variations: Timing Adjustments: Since moonrise schedules vary across different cities, practitioners should verify local timings before concluding their fasts.\n\nWhy this happened\nThe scheduling of dates and muhurats for Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami is determined through traditional Hindu almanac calculations and lunar-solar positioning. These observances are deeply rooted in ancient astrological rules.\n\n• Almanac Calculations: Tithi Variations: Exact dates are finalized by evaluating lunar movements, tithi durations, and the governing rules of udayatithi.\n• Religious Traditions: Celestial Observations: Since these fasts require sighting the moon or stars, the chosen dates strictly align with these necessary astronomical milestones.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. When is Karwa Chauth observed in the year 2026?\nKarwa Chauth will be observed on Thursday, October 29, 2026.\n\n2. What is the auspicious puja muhurat for Karwa Chauth 2026?\nThe auspicious puja window for Karwa Chauth is from 5:38 PM to 6:56 PM.\n\n3. When is the Ahoi Ashtami fast scheduled for 2026?\nAhoi Ashtami will be observed on Sunday, November 1, 2026.\n\n4. What is the star-sighting time on Ahoi Ashtami 2026?\nStars are expected to be visible at approximately 6:00 PM on Ahoi Ashtami.\n\n5. When does the Chaturthi tithi conclude?\nThe Chaturthi tithi concludes on October 29, 2026, at 10:09 PM.\n\n6. When does the Ashtami tithi end?\nThe Ashtami tithi ends on November 2 at 01:00 PM.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/religion/karwa-chauth-and-ahoi-ashtami-2026-dates-puja-timings-moonrise-and-star-sighting-schedules-51362",
  "category": "Religion",
  "publishedAt": "2026-10-24",
  "tags": [
    "Karwa Chauth 2026",
    "Ahoi Ashtami 2026",
    "Festivals",
    "Puja Muhurat",
    "Moonrise Time",
    "Hindu Calendar"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}