Ahoi Ashtami 2016
Mothers fast for their children, breaking it at star-rise.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)06:00
- Sunset17:24
- Fasting window (tithi)2016-10-22 · 13:08 → 12:26
- Parana (tithi ends)12:26
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 2016
- Makar Sankranti — 15 January 2016
- Vasant Panchami — 13 February 2016
- Maha Shivaratri — 7 March 2016
- Holika Dahan — 22 March 2016
- Holi — 24 March 2016
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 8 April 2016
- Ram Navami — 15 April 2016
- Akshaya Tritiya — 9 May 2016
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 6 July 2016
- Guru Purnima — 19 July 2016
- Nag Panchami — 7 August 2016
- Raksha Bandhan — 18 August 2016
- Krishna Janmashtami — 24 August 2016
- Hartalika Teej — 4 September 2016
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 5 September 2016
- Anant Chaturdashi — 15 September 2016
- Pitru Paksha begins — 17 September 2016
- Sharad Navratri begins — 1 October 2016
- Durga Ashtami — 9 October 2016
- Maha Navami — 10 October 2016
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 11 October 2016
- Karwa Chauth — 19 October 2016
- Dhanteras — 28 October 2016
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 29 October 2016
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 30 October 2016
- Govardhan Puja — 31 October 2016
- Bhai Dooj — 1 November 2016
- Chhath Puja — 6 November 2016
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 14 November 2016
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 14 November 2016
- Hindu Festivals 2016 →