Karwa Chauth 2026: Women Observing Fast Should Avoid These Activities, Says Astrologer

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Women observing the Karwa Chauth fast should avoid activities such as cutting, sewing and using sharp objects, astrologer Pandit Shipra Sachdev said, outlining the religious customs and precautions associated with the festival.

Speaking to IANS, Pandit Sachdev said Karwa Chauth holds special significance for married Hindu women, who observe the fast for their husbands' longevity and a happy married life. The fast is traditionally observed without food or water and is broken after sighting the Moon and offering 'arghya (a sacred ritual offering of water to the Moon)'.

Explaining the rituals, Sachdev said the fast begins with 'sargi', a pre-dawn meal consumed before sunrise while stars are still visible in the sky. Women eat the meal and take a vow to observe the fast before abstaining from food and water throughout the day.

The fast concludes at night after the Moon is sighted and worshipped. Women offer 'arghya' to the Moon and then break their fast by drinking water offered by their husbands, she said.

Sachdev advised women observing the fast to pay attention to certain traditional restrictions. They should avoid cutting and sewing and refrain from using knives, scissors, needles and thread on the day. She also said women should avoid crossing rivers until the fast has been completed.

According to the astrologer, the Karwa Chauth puja is traditionally performed during Pradosh Kaal, the period around sunset. Worshipping Goddess Gauri is an important part of the ritual, and an image or representation of the deity is installed for the puja.

She said that in some places, groups of ten married women gather to listen to the Karwa Mata katha and perform the rituals together. Such collective worship is considered auspicious in these traditions. The fast is concluded only after the Moon has been worshipped.

Sachdev also explained the significance of the 'bayana' ritual, in which a ceremonial plate containing items such as a small earthen pot, fruits, dry fruits and other offerings is rotated as part of the customary observance. The 'bayana' is then presented to the mother-in-law or another elderly married woman in the family.

She said the offering is traditionally given to the recipient rather than consumed by the woman performing the ritual herself.

Karwa Chauth is observed by married women across several parts of India, with rituals and customs varying by region and family tradition.

On the occasion, women in Delhi were seen thronging to Lajpat Nagar Market early in the morning to get henna applied. A woman who was getting 'mehendi' applied said,“We first visit the temple in the morning, and after that, we've come to get 'mehendi' applied. Yesterday, we couldn't get our turn because of the huge crowd.”

MENAFN29102026000231011071ID1111882722