Sankashti Chaturthi — vrat katha & puja vidhi
Sankashti (Sankatahara) Chaturthi is a monthly Ganesha vrat on the fourth day of the dark fortnight, after the full moon. Devotees fast through the day and break the fast at night after sighting the Moon and praying to Ganesha. When it falls on a Tuesday it is called Angaraki Chaturthi and held to be the most auspicious.
Updated Thursday, 29 October 2026
Next date
Today, Thursday, 29 October 2026, is Sankashti Chaturthi (Vakratunda Ganapati). Moonrise is around 20:17. All times are for New Delhi; your city can differ by a few minutes.
How we work it out
- How the date is found — Our Panchang engine finds the tithi from the real Sun and Moon and applies the vrat’s classical rule (the tithi at sunrise, at pradosh, at moonrise or at midnight) against New Delhi’s sunrise and sunset. These dates are checked against Drik Panchang’s New Delhi calendar.
Sankashti Chaturthi (Vakratunda Ganapati) — timings (New Delhi)
- Date: Thursday, 29 October 2026
- Sunrise (fast begins): 06:31
- Moonrise: 20:17
The fast is broken after seeing the Moon. Clouds or a different city can shift this by some minutes — go by your own sighting. - Chaturthi tithi: 01:07 – 22:11
Upcoming dates
- Thursday, 29 October 2026: Sankashti Chaturthi (Vakratunda Ganapati)
today - Friday, 27 November 2026: Sankashti Chaturthi (Ganadhipa Ganapati)
in 29 days - Saturday, 26 December 2026: Sankashti Chaturthi (Akhuratha Ganapati)
in 58 days
A gentle note
A vrat is about devotion, not perfection. If you miss a step, cannot find an item or need to eat, that is fine — do what you can with a sincere heart. Anyone unwell, pregnant, elderly or on regular medicines should keep a lighter fast or skip it, and check with a doctor. BornClock does not sell pujas or any items.
What Sankashti Chaturthi is
Each month Ganesha is worshipped under a different name and seat (peetha) — for example Bhalachandra (“with the Moon on his forehead”) in Phalguna. Each month’s fast has its own vrat katha: thirteen in all, one for each month and one for the leap month. (Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Shukla-paksha Chaturthi after the new moon.)
Source: Wikipedia — Sankashti Chaturthi · Drik Panchang — Bhalachandra Sankashti (vidhi)
The katha of Angaraki Chaturthi
Angaraka, a rishi and devotee of Ganesha, was the son of Prithvi, the Earth. Pleased with his devotion, Ganesha offered him a boon; Angaraka asked that his name be joined with Ganesha’s forever. Ganesha granted it and declared that prayers made on Angaraki Chaturthi would be fulfilled. “Angaraka” means the colour of glowing embers — and is the name of Mars, after whom Tuesday is named.
The monthly kathas themselves differ by month; this page does not retell them, as we could not open a source for all thirteen.
Source: Wikipedia — Sankashti Chaturthi
What you need
- An image of Ganesha on a clean altar
- Modak, durva grass and betel nut
- Scent and flowers for the Moon, and water for arghya
Source: Drik Panchang — Bhalachandra Sankashti (vidhi) · Wikipedia — Sankashti Chaturthi
Puja vidhi — simple steps
- Bathe in the morning and take the vow to fast, keeping your mind on Ganesha.
- Fast through the day; oily food is avoided.
- In the evening bathe again, set up the altar and do the Ganesha puja with modak, durva and betel nut. The Ganapati Atharvasheersha is recited before moonrise.
- At moonrise, worship the Moon with scent and flowers and offer arghya (water) and naivedya.
- Then break the fast and eat.
Source: Drik Panchang — Bhalachandra Sankashti (vidhi) · Wikipedia — Sankashti Chaturthi
When it falls and what time to keep
The vrat is kept on the day when Chaturthi prevails at moonrise; if two days qualify, the first. This page shows the moonrise for New Delhi — clouds or another city can change the sighting by some minutes.
Source: BornClock festival calendar (dates checked against Drik Panchang, New Delhi) · Drik Panchang — Bhalachandra Sankashti (vidhi)
Traditions differ
In North and Central India the Magha Krishna Chaturthi fast is called Sakat Chauth, and women offer arghya to the Moon at night; bhugga (sesame and jaggery) and radish are given and eaten to end the fast. Drik Panchang adds that some keep the vrat for 4 or 13 years and then complete it with an udyapan.
Source: Wikipedia — Sankashti Chaturthi · Drik Panchang — Bhalachandra Sankashti (vidhi)
What these terms mean
Tap a term for a plain-language explanation.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Sankashti Chaturthi
- Drik Panchang — Bhalachandra Sankashti (vidhi)
- BornClock festival calendar (dates checked against Drik Panchang, New Delhi)
The katha and vidhi above are paraphrased in plain language from the sources listed; customs vary by family and region — your family tradition comes first.