Karva Chauth in Agra

Karva Chauth in Agra

Karva Chauth falls on Kartik Krishna Chaturthi and is observed mainly by married women in North India, including Agra, with a fast kept for the wellbeing of the husband. The day is associated with Shiva-Parvati. Because the observance begins before sunrise and ends at moonrise, the local sunrise and moonrise of your own city matter more than any national headline date.

Date and timing in this city

Agra follows Asia/Kolkata (IST). For Agra, the date is:

• 2026: Thursday 29 October 2026
• 2027: Monday 18 October 2027

The tithi is Kartik Krishna Chaturthi. The fast traditionally opens with a pre-dawn meal (sargi) before sunrise and closes after the moon is sighted. Since both sunrise and moonrise are computed for Agra's own coordinates, the window for sargi and the expected moonrise time belong to Agra's sky, not to a generic panchang.

Why the date can differ from India

Festival dates are not decided by the clock alone. The tithi is a lunar unit, and its start and end are tied to the moon's movement. When a tithi spans two sunrises or two moonrises, different regions can end up observing on different days. North Indian calendars commonly follow the purnimanta system, where the month runs from full moon to full moon, while amanta calendars in parts of South India count from new moon to new moon. Smarta and Vaishnava conventions can also place the vrat on a slightly different day. This is why the date printed for India as a whole may not match the date worked out for Agra's own sunrise and moonrise.

Where and how the community celebrates

In Agra, as across North India, the day is kept at home and in the neighbourhood. Women gather in the evening, often in small groups, for the katha and for the circle of song and storytelling that accompanies the wait for the moon. Married women observe the fast; the details of the puja, the readings and the food taken at the close of the fast vary from family to family and from one community to another. Some households follow the custom strictly as passed down by elders, while others keep a simpler form.

Practical tips

• Confirm the Agra sunrise and moonrise for your year before fixing the sargi and closing times.
• Keep the pre-dawn meal simple and suited to your own health and routine.
• If you are unwell, pregnant, or on medication, follow your doctor's advice rather than the fast.
• For personal chart questions, consult a qualified jyotishi.