Sankashti Chaturthi: Moonrise Timing, Vrat Vidhi and Angaraki Chaturthi

Sankashti means deliverance from difficulty. On the Chaturthi of every Krishna Paksha, devotees fast for Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, and break the fast only after seeing the Moon. Find the next Sankashti Chaturthi.

Why moonrise decides the date

The fast ends with chandra darshan (sighting the Moon) and an offering of water to it. So Sankashti falls on the day Krishna Chaturthi prevails at moonrise, not necessarily at sunrise. In the waning fortnight the Moon rises late in the evening, and the tithi may change before or after it, which is why Sankashti sometimes falls a day before the date you might expect. Moonrise also varies by city, so always check your city's panchang.

Special Sankashtis

• Angaraki Chaturthi: when Sankashti falls on a Tuesday (Mangalvar, the day of Angaraka/Mars). It is held to equal the merit of all Sankashtis of the year.
• Sakat Chauth / Til Chauth (Magha): mothers fast for their children's well-being, offering sesame sweets.
• Karva Chauth (Kartika Krishna Chaturthi): married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husbands. See SpiritualMarg's Karva Chauth guide.

Vrat vidhi

1. Morning: bathe, take a sankalpa and keep a fast (fruits and milk, or nirjala if you are able).
2. Evening puja: place an idol or picture of Ganesha, offer durva grass (21 blades), red flowers, modak or laddoo, and a lamp.
3. Recite the Sankashti katha for the month and the Ganesha Atharvashirsha or Om Gan Ganapataye Namah.
4. Aarti: sing the Ganesh Aarti.
5. Moonrise: offer arghya to the Moon with water, milk and rice, then break the fast.

Sankashti and Vinayaka Chaturthi

The Chaturthi of Shukla Paksha is Vinayaka Chaturthi, observed at midday rather than moonrise. The greatest of them, in Bhadrapada, is Ganesh Chaturthi. See our Vinayaka Chaturthi dates and the Chaturthi tithi guide.