Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival celebrated by married women. It falls every year on the fourth day after the full moon Purnima in the Hindu month of Kartika. The women observe fast without any consumption of food or water for an entire day for the long life of their husband. ‘Karwa’ stands for an earthen pot, and ‘Chauth’ means fourth in Hindi. This year, Karwa Chauth will be celebrated on October 17. Moonrise timings around the world on Karvachauth are significant as the fast ends with chand puja. Karwa Chauth 2019 Dos and Don'ts: Here's How to Correctly Observe Karva Chauth Vrat For Women Celebrating The Festival For The First Time.

In present times, even unmarried girls also observe Karwa Chauth. The festival is generally observed in Northern India. Women from the states of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, some parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab primarily follow Karwa Chauth but nowadays, the festival is observed all over the country. In the evening, married women sit together in groups and listen to the story of Rani Veeravati. Karwa Chauth 2019 Date and Puja Timings: Karva Chauth Significance, Puja Vidhi And Celebrations Related to Hindu Festival For Married Women.

At night, women break their fast only after seeing the moon and making offerings to it. Women also perform puja when the moon rises. They look at the moon through a sieve. Then husbands offer food and water to their wives so that they can break their fasts. The festival is not only celebrated in India, but Indian women living abroad also observe Karwa Chauth fast.

List of Moonrise/Chandrama Timing in Major Cities of the USA on October 17, 2019:

New York Moon Rise Timing on Karwa Chauth 2019: 20:05 pm

Washington DC Moon Rise Timing on Karwa Chauth 2019: 20:21 pm

Chicago Moon Rise Timing on Karwa Chauth 2019: 19:58 pm

The fast lasts for more than 12 hours. It is also said that when women worship the moon, they also seek his blessings. The sieve helps in filtering out only the good blessings. The dates may differ every year according to the Gregorian calendar. Karwa Chauth coincides with Sankashti Chaturthi a fasting day observed for Lord Ganesha.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 17, 2019 08:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).