Sankashti Chaturthi 2031 dates
The fourth day of each dark half, sacred to Ganesha; on a Tuesday it is Angaraki Sankashti.
Dates and times for New Delhi, India
Every Sankashti Chaturthi of 2031
| Date | Name | Tithi | Moonrise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 12 January 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 5:25 AM, 12 Jan – 6:28 AM, 13 Jan | 9:05 PM |
| Monday, 10 February 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 8:01 PM, 10 Feb – 7:50 PM, 11 Feb | 8:52 PM |
| Wednesday, 12 March 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 7:40 AM, 12 Mar – 6:18 AM, 13 Mar | 9:44 PM |
| Thursday, 10 April 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 4:49 PM, 10 Apr – 2:28 PM, 11 Apr | 9:40 PM |
| Saturday, 10 May 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 12:12 AM, 10 May – 9:11 PM, 10 May | 10:30 PM |
| Sunday, 8 June 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 6:42 AM, 8 Jun – 3:25 AM, 9 Jun | 10:02 PM |
| Monday, 7 July 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 1:21 PM, 7 Jul – 10:20 AM, 8 Jul | 9:23 PM |
| Wednesday, 6 August 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 9:20 PM, 5 Aug – 7:08 PM, 6 Aug | 9:16 PM |
| Thursday, 4 September 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi · Adhik maas | 7:49 AM, 4 Sept – 6:50 AM, 5 Sept | 8:29 PM |
| Saturday, 4 October 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 9:34 PM, 3 Oct – 9:59 PM, 4 Oct | 8:31 PM |
| Sunday, 2 November 2031 | Sankashti Chaturthi | 2:37 PM, 2 Nov – 4:16 PM, 3 Nov | 7:59 PM |
| Tuesday, 2 December 2031 | Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi | 10:04 AM, 2 Dec – 12:29 PM, 3 Dec | 8:24 PM |
How it is kept
A fast through the day, Ganesha worship in the evening, and the fast broken after sighting the Moon at moonrise.
Why it is kept
Sankashti Chaturthi, the fourth day of each dark half, is sacred to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles; sankashti means deliverance from difficulty. Tradition keeps it as a fast until moonrise, and an Angaraki Sankashti, which falls on a Tuesday, is held the most auspicious of them.
How it is kept, step by step
- A morning bath and a resolve (sankalpa) to keep the fast.
- The fast through the day, as one is able.
- In the evening, worship of Ganesha with durva grass, red flowers, modak or laddoo and a lamp; the Sankashti katha is read and the Ganapati Atharvashirsha or the Sankatnashan Ganesh Stotra recited.
- At moonrise, after sighting the Moon, arghya with water, sandalwood and flowers.
- The fast is broken after the arghya. The table above gives moonrise for your city.
The fast
The Sankashti fast is kept from sunrise to moonrise. Many take fruit, milk and fasting foods such as sabudana khichdi during the day; some eat nothing until moonrise. It is broken after sighting the Moon, often with modak or a simple meal. Fast as your health allows: children, elders, pregnant women and anyone unwell traditionally keep a lighter fast, and anyone with a medical condition should ask their doctor first.
Sankashtis with names of their own
- Angaraki Sankashti
- A Sankashti on a Tuesday, held the most auspicious; Ganesha temples such as Siddhivinayak in Mumbai see long queues.
- Sakat Chauth
- The Sankashti of Magha in North India, also called Tilkut Chauth, when mothers fast for their children.
- Karva Chauth
- The Sankashti of Kartika in North India, when married women fast until moonrise for their husbands.
Across India
In Maharashtra, Sankashti is one of the most widely kept vrats: Ganesha temples, the Ashtavinayak shrines and Siddhivinayak in Mumbai are crowded each month, and most of all on Angaraki. In the North the same day is Sankat Chauth; in the South it is Sankatahara Chaturthi.
Questions
What is Sankashti Chaturthi?
The fourth day of each dark half, sacred to Ganesha; on a Tuesday it is Angaraki Sankashti.
How is Sankashti Chaturthi kept?
A fast through the day, Ganesha worship in the evening, and the fast broken after sighting the Moon at moonrise.
Why does the Sankashti Chaturthi date differ between calendars?
Each calendar computes for a place: a tithi that begins or ends near sunrise (or moonrise, or the evening) can fall on different civil days in different cities. These dates are for the city shown; choose yours above.
When is the Sankashti fast broken?
After moonrise, once the Moon has been seen and arghya offered. Moonrise on Sankashti is late, often between 8 and 10 pm; the dates table gives it for your city. If clouds hide the Moon, tradition allows the fast to be broken at the moonrise time.
What is Angaraki Sankashti?
A Sankashti Chaturthi that falls on a Tuesday (Angaraka is Mars, Tuesday's lord). It comes a few times a year and is held the most auspicious; the dates table marks it.
How is Sankashti different from Vinayaka Chaturthi?
Both are Ganesha's monthly Chaturthis. Sankashti is in the dark half and its fast ends at moonrise; Vinayaka Chaturthi is in the bright half, with worship at midday. Ganesh Chaturthi, the great festival, is the Vinayaka Chaturthi of Bhadrapada.