Sankashti Chaturthi

‘Sankashti’ means deliverance from difficulties. Each month, on Krishna paksha Chaturthi, devotees fast through the day and pray to Ganesha, then break the fast after seeing the Moon and offering it water (arghya). When it falls on a Tuesday it is called Angaraki Sankashti and is considered especially auspicious.

Because the fast ends at moonrise, it is kept on the day when Chaturthi prevails at moonrise. Moonrise varies by city, so the date can differ between places, and it may not match the panchang’s sunrise tithi. Our Panchang shows the day’s moonrise and marks Sankashti Chaturthi by this rule. The Magha Sankashti is celebrated as Sakat Chauth in North India, and Karva Chauth falls on the Sankashti of Kartika (purnimanta).

Don’t confuse it with Vinayaka Chaturthi, the monthly Ganesha day in the bright half, or with Ganesh Chaturthi, the great annual festival on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.