Moon

Clouds delayed Karva Chauth moon sightings in the Chandigarh Tricity.

Clouds delayed Karva Chauth moon sightings across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, The Tribune reported. Women observing the fast waited for the moon on rooftops and in public spaces, including parks and Sukhna Lake.

Moon sighting is part of the festival's evening observance, India.com reports. Married Hindu women fast for a day and pray for their husbands' health, long life and well-being. Women generally wait for the moon to appear before carrying out the evening rituals.

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Moonrise times varied by city#

In Chennai, the moon was expected at 8:44 p.m., according to Drik Panchang's listing cited by India.com. The listing put the fast between 6:02 a.m. and 8:44 p.m. India.com noted that both the moonrise and the time for puja, a worship ritual, differ by location.

Curly Tales cited Hindustan Times in reporting that moonrise in Delhi was expected between 8:11 p.m. and 8:17 p.m. It also reported that clouds could hinder sightings and that red and orange weather alerts covered parts of the city. The red alert applied to North Delhi, North West Delhi and South West Delhi, while the orange alert covered Central Delhi, North East Delhi and South East Delhi.

The evening rituals include offering water, known as arghya, to the moon, India.com reports. Drik Panchang listed the puja period as 5:43 p.m. to 6:57 p.m.

The festival follows the lunar calendar#

India.com reports that Karva Chauth is widely observed in North India and takes place on the fourth day of the moon's waning phase. Wikipedia describes it as a Hindu festival also celebrated by women in Western India and Nepal, based on a lunisolar Hindu calendar.

The festival's name combines karwa, an earthen pot used in the rituals, with chauth, meaning the fourth day, Brut reports. Its precise origins are uncertain, but traditions variously associate it with prayers for husbands travelling away from home or with the agricultural calendar.

Preity Zinta celebrated the occasion in the US, where cloud cover made the moon hard to see, Brut reported. Priyanka Chopra Jonas shared moments from her celebration with Nick Jonas and their daughter, Malti Marie. In the Chandigarh region, The Tribune reported that the India Meteorological Department forecast rain and thunderstorms through Saturday, followed by dry weather from Sunday.

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