Can unmarried women observe it?

Yes — some unmarried women observe it for a future husband; the vrat then ends with prayer rather than moon-and-husband sighting.

What if moon is not visible?

Use the chandra-darshan time published in panchang for your location and offer arghya in that direction; fast can be broken.

Knowledge Hub

Karva Chauth

Married women fast for the long life of their husbands.

கார்த்திகம்

தேய்பிறை Paksha

Kartika Krishna Chaturthi

Many origin stories — Queen Veervati who broke her fast early on a false moon and lost her husband, only to be revived; Savitri who won back Satyavan's life from Yama; Draupadi who observed Karva Chauth for her husbands' welfare. Each story is the same vow: a woman's tapasya for her husband's life.

Observed on Kartika Krishna Chaturthi by married women across North India for the long life of their husbands. A complete nirjala fast — no food, no water — broken only after sighting the moon and seeing the husband through a sieve.

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