Sankashti Chaturthi: Ganesha's monthly vrat

What Sankashti Chaturthi is

Every lunar month has two Chaturthis. Many call the Shukla-paksha one Vinayaki Chaturthi, and the Krishna-paksha one (four days after Purnima) is Sankashti or Sankat Chaturthi. In North India it is also called ‘Sakat Chauth’.

The commentary on Muhurta Chintamani, listing the lords of the tithis, names Ganesha as lord of Chaturthi; so both Chaturthis are held to be Ganesha's. Sankashti is marked by a fast or fruit meal through the day, Ganesha puja in the evening, and breaking the fast at night after offering water to the rising Moon.

How the date is decided

Shastra (Dharmasindhu): Sankashti Chaturthi is taken as moonrise-vyapini, i.e. the day whose night has the Chaturthi running when the Moon rises.

• Chaturthi at moonrise on the first day only → the first day.
• On the second day only → the second day.
• On both days → the first day, as Dharmasindhu takes the Chaturthi joined to Tritiya.
• On neither → the second day.

Nirnaya Sindhu also takes the moonrise Chaturthi, and for the case of Chaturthi at both moonrises it gives two views: some take the first day for the Tritiya link, others the second. Our calendar follows the Dharmasindhu rule (the first day); your local panchang may occasionally show a different day.

The Moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, so Sankashti's moonrise usually comes between 8 and 10 at night; the exact time varies by city.

What else Dharmasindhu says

• Angaraki: Dharmasindhu says a Chaturthi on a Tuesday is also sacred. Tradition calls a Tuesday Sankashti Angaraki Sankashti, and it is especially popular in Maharashtra.
• How long: Dharmasindhu says this vrat is begun on the Krishna Chaturthi of Shravana and kept on the Krishna Chaturthis of all months; some keep it for life, some for twenty-one years or one year, and one who cannot may keep just the Shravana Chaturthi each year. In other words, it is a vrat kept as one is able.
• Night meal: Dharmasindhu says that in the Sankashti vrat the meal is taken at night, i.e. after moonrise and the puja.
• Karwa Chauth: the Krishna Chaturthi of Ashvina (purnimanta Kartika) is Karaka Chaturthi, i.e. Karwa Chauth; Dharmasindhu gives it the same moonrise rule.

Story and family customs: tradition

Tradition has several Sankashti stories. In a folk story, Ganesha once rebuked the Moon for laughing at him, and later forgave him; so Ganesha's vrat is broken by offering water to the Moon. ‘Sankashta’ means difficulty; people remember Ganesha as ‘Vighnaharta’, the remover of obstacles. We keep these stories as tradition and claim no Purana chapter.

• Maharashtra: temples are crowded every Sankashti; on Angaraki, long queues at Ganapati temples in Pune and Mumbai. Modak and steamed ukadiche modak.
• North India: on the ‘Sakat Chauth’ of (purnimanta) Magha, mothers fast for their children; ‘tilkut’ of sesame and jaggery is made.
• South India: Ganapati homa and abhisheka in temples in the evening.

A simple puja

1. Morning bath and intention: ‘Today I will remember Ganesha and keep the vrat.’
2. Fruit through the day, or a light meal as your health allows.
3. In the evening, before an image or picture of Ganesha: a lamp, durva grass, red flowers, and modak or laddoo as an offering.
4. Chant ‘Om Gam Ganapataye Namah’, or the Ganapati Atharvashirsha or any Ganesha hymn.
5. At moonrise, offer water from a pot to the Moon, with a little milk, rice and flowers.
6. Then take the prasad and eat.

If it is cloudy and the Moon can't be seen, tradition accepts offering towards it at the panchang's moonrise time.

Health

Fasting and health: keep the fast as your health allows. Anyone who is unwell, pregnant or breastfeeding, diabetic, older, or on regular medicine should choose a lighter form (fruit, milk, or one simple meal) or ask a doctor. Don't change medicine timings. There is no need for a waterless (nirjala) fast; keep drinking water through the day. If moonrise is late, taking fruit or milk in the evening is also part of tradition.

For health, the doctor comes first; no vrat replaces that. If you go up to the roof to make the offering, mind the stairs and parapet in the dark.

In ePandit

In ePandit: our calendar shows the festival day with your city's sunrise and sunset. The day is decided once, for Ujjain; your city's times are shown separately. We don't compute muhurta yet, and we never call a festival good or bad for anyone.

Frequently asked questions