Karwa Chauth today: puja muhurat 5:38-6:56 pm, Delhi moonrise 8:17 pm, city-wise timings; rain may hide moon

Timings

The fasting window in New Delhi runs from 6:31 am to about 8:17 pm. Panchangs can differ by a minute or two, and moonrise shifts from one city to another, so the time for your city is the one to follow. Haze, clouds or tall buildings can delay the actual sighting.

The day begins before dawn with sargi, a light meal eaten before sunrise, traditionally given by the mother-in-law. It often includes pheni, or fenia, with milk, mathri, parathas, fruit and sweets. After that the fast is strict, with no food or water until the moon is seen.

In the evening, women gather for the puja. They worship Chauth Mata, who is Goddess Gauri along with Shiva and Ganesha, using a karwa, which is a clay pot, and a diya, and they exchange karwas and listen to the katha. When the moon rises they offer water to it as arghya, look at it through a sieve, called a chhalani, and then look at their husband through the sieve. The husband gives the first sip of water and the first bite of food to end the fast. Some husbands also fast.

The katha that is told is the story of Veeravati, whose brothers tricked her into breaking her fast with a false moonrise. Her husband died as a result, and he was brought back to life after she kept the vow faithfully. Customs differ by region. In Punjab there are community sessions of the katha and songs, in Rajasthan karwas of mud are filled with wheat and rice, and in Uttar Pradesh walls are decorated with drawings of Karwa Mata. Unmarried women are said in some traditions to keep the fast for a good husband, and to break it by looking at the stars.

The weather office has issued an alert for rain and thunderstorms in 31 districts of Madhya Pradesh for the next four days because of the system linked to Cyclone Arnab. The reports differ on how severe it will be. One says that six districts may have heavy rain, while another says that 11 districts may have very heavy rain and nine heavy rain, with the Rewa, Jabalpur, Shahdol and Sagar divisions affected more. One report says the rain could obstruct moon sighting in the state on Karwa Chauth, and that is a single-source claim.

In Delhi, the weather office had forecast another spell of light rain around 29 and 30 October, and it has warned of heavy rain for Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh from 28 October to 1 November. Cloud can delay the moon. Women should follow the moonrise time for their own city and the guidance of their priest or family on what to do if the moon is hidden.

A fast without water for the whole day can be difficult for people with diabetes, pregnant women and older people. Anyone with a medical condition should ask a doctor before fasting, and should break the fast if they feel unwell.