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.
The rest of the story
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, so 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.