Ganesha
Sankashti Chaturthi
The monthly moonrise vrat — troubles handed to Ganapati, fast broken to the moon.
All dates (+8)
Tithi: Krishna Chaturthi of every lunar month
In the simplest words
Every month's moonlit date with Ganesha — fast through the day, then break it only after spotting the moon and offering him modak.
The story & purpose
Sankashti — 'deliverance from difficulty' — is Ganesha's monthly appointment with his devotees: a fast through the day, puja at dusk, and the fast broken only when the moon rises and receives its arghya. The vrat's shape carries its meaning: difficulties, like the fast, have a fixed end, and it arrives as surely as moonrise.
When the tithi falls on Tuesday it becomes Angarki Sankashti, prized above all — Maharashtra's temple queues at Siddhivinayak stretch for kilometres that day. The Magha edition, Sakat Chauth, is kept by mothers for their children with til-gud offerings.
What is done
Day vrat
Fast per capacity — phalahar or nirahara — with morning sankalpa to Ganapati.
Sandhya puja
Durva, modak, and red flowers at dusk; the Sankashti katha of the month read.
Chandra arghya
Water and akshata to the risen moon — then parana.
Ganesh jaap
Om Gam Ganapataye Namah — 108 times while awaiting moonrise.
Best timings
Puja at dusk; parana strictly after local moonrise — which shifts by city and month.
Exact muhurat varies by city and tradition — for the precise hour, consult a local panchang for your location.
Worth knowing
Moonrise on Sankashti comes late — typically 8:30–10 pm — the vrat teaches its own patience.
The Shukla-paksha counterpart, Vinayaka Chaturthi, is kept to midday instead.
In a year with an adhika (extra) month there are thirteen Sankashtis — the leap month's is called Vibhuvana Sankashti.