Ahoi Ashtami 2015
Mothers fast for their children, breaking it at star-rise.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)06:06
- Sunset17:16
- Fasting window (tithi)05:19 → 2015-11-04 · 06:35
- Parana (tithi ends)06:352015-11-04
Festival days follow the classical attribution rules — udaya (sunrise), pradosha (evening), nishita (midnight), madhyahna or aparahna vyapini as each festival prescribes — computed for Kashi/Varanasi (IST). Regional observance can differ by a day in some years.
Read the Ahoi Ashtami puja vidhi, vrat rules and kathaAhoi Ashtami — Frequently Asked Questions
When is Ahoi Ashtami kept?
On the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha in Kartika, eight days before Diwali and about four days after Karwa Chauth. This year's date is shown above.
Is the fast broken at the stars or the moon?
Traditionally at the sighting of the stars (the Saptarishi cluster), with arghya offered from the karwa. In parts of Punjab and Haryana it is broken at moonrise instead, which comes much later at night.
Who keeps the Ahoi Ashtami vrat?
Mothers keep it for the long life and wellbeing of their children. Women who wish for a child also keep it, praying to Ahoi Mata, a form of Parvati as the guardian of children.
What is the silver Syau?
A small string of silver beads representing the goddess, worshipped with the Ahoi image. A bead is often added each year and the string is passed down within the family; it is kept whole.
Other major festivals in 2015
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 2015
- Vasant Panchami — 24 January 2015
- Maha Shivaratri — 17 February 2015
- Holika Dahan — 5 March 2015
- Holi — 6 March 2015
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 21 March 2015
- Ram Navami — 28 March 2015
- Akshaya Tritiya — 21 April 2015
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 18 July 2015
- Guru Purnima — 31 July 2015
- Nag Panchami — 20 August 2015
- Raksha Bandhan — 29 August 2015
- Krishna Janmashtami — 5 September 2015
- Hartalika Teej — 16 September 2015
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 17 September 2015
- Anant Chaturdashi — 27 September 2015
- Pitru Paksha begins — 28 September 2015
- Sharad Navratri begins — 13 October 2015
- Durga Ashtami — 21 October 2015
- Maha Navami — 22 October 2015
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 22 October 2015
- Karwa Chauth — 30 October 2015
- Dhanteras — 9 November 2015
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 10 November 2015
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 11 November 2015
- Govardhan Puja — 12 November 2015
- Bhai Dooj — 13 November 2015
- Chhath Puja — 17 November 2015
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 25 November 2015
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 25 November 2015
- Hindu Festivals 2015 →