Karva Chauth 2026 in Anaheim: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate

TL;DR

• 🌙 Karva Chauth 2026 falls on Thursday, October 29 — married women fast from sunrise until moonrise around 8:07 PM
• Sri Siva Kameswari Temple (Vedic Spiritual Center) in nearby Costa Mesa hosts a free Karva Chauth puja, open to all
• Radha Raman Vedic Temple in Placentia serves the broader Orange County community including Anaheim with year-round Hindu festival programs
• Patel Store on West Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim has been a local institution since 1982 for Indian groceries and puja items
• Anaheim's Indian-American community, embedded in Orange County's broader South Asian diaspora, marks Karva Chauth with a mix of community events and intimate home observances

What Is Karva Chauth and When Is It in 2026?

Karva Chauth is observed by married Hindu women — and increasingly by women of other South Asian backgrounds — as an annual fast for the longevity and wellbeing of their husbands. The fast begins at sunrise and is broken only after sighting the moon and completing the evening puja. In 2026, Karva Chauth falls on Thursday, October 29. Moonrise is expected around 8:07 PM, which determines when women can eat and drink for the first time that day.

The ritual follows a specific sequence: pre-dawn sargi (a meal prepared by the mother-in-law), a daylong fast, an evening gathering for puja, viewing the moon through a sieve, and finally breaking the fast with water offered by the husband. The festival has North Indian origins — particularly strong in Punjabi, Rajasthani, and Uttar Pradesh communities — and has spread throughout the South Asian diaspora with considerable visibility in popular culture.

For Anaheim's Indian-American women, the day is as much social as it is spiritual. Community Karva Chauth events have become beloved for combining puja, mehendi (henna), and the companionship of fasting together.

Temple Puja: Sri Siva Kameswari and Radha Raman

The most directly relevant temple for Karva Chauth in the Anaheim-area diaspora is Sri Siva Kameswari Temple (also known as Vedic Spiritual Center), located in Costa Mesa — a short drive from Anaheim. The temple has hosted free Karva Chauth puja celebrations, welcoming women to participate in the ritual and receive blessings for their Saubhagya (auspiciousness in marriage). There is no entry or registration fee for the event. The temple's presiding deities are Lord Siva and the Divine Mother Lalitha, and its puja programs are grounded in classical Vedic tradition. Devotees are invited to sign up in advance through the temple's website.

The second major resource for the Anaheim community is Radha Raman Vedic Temple in Placentia, a nonprofit religious and cultural center serving Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County. The temple conducts ceremonies for all major Hindu festivals including Diwali, Durga Puja, Krishna Janmashtami, and Ganapati — and is accessible from multiple freeways within a short drive from most parts of Anaheim. Radha Raman is active on its Facebook page (@OCRadhaRamanTemple) with live event streams and announcements.

Insider Tip: Sri Siva Kameswari Temple has asked participants to sign up ahead of the Karva Chauth puja. Check their website (sivakameswari.org) in late September or early October 2026 to register early and confirm the date and time for that year's program.

Puja Shopping and Festival Prep in Anaheim

The most established Indian grocery in Anaheim itself is Patel Store, an institution in the community since its opening in 1982. The store carries a premium selection of fresh produce, authentic spices, pantry essentials, and traditional Indian snacks. For Karva Chauth specifically, the store stocks the ceremonial karva (earthen pot), puja thali essentials, mehendi cones, bangles, and the range of sweets needed to break the fast. Fresh Indian vegetables typically arrive on Thursdays, Fridays, and weekends.

The wider Orange County region also offers access to larger Indian grocery chains and specialty stores, with concentrations in Artesia, Cerritos, and Irvine. But for Anaheim residents, Patel Store has remained the neighborhood option for over four decades.

Community Culture Around Karva Chauth

Karva Chauth in the diaspora has evolved considerably from its original form. The community aspects of the festival — gathering in groups, wearing coordinated salwar suits or lehengas, applying mehendi together — have intensified as women create their own traditions. In Orange County's South Asian community, Karva Chauth socials organized through cultural associations, women's groups, and temple auxiliaries have grown popular.

Many Anaheim-area women coordinate informal Karva Chauth gatherings through local WhatsApp communities. These can involve group mehendi artists, shared puja supplies, and communal moonrise viewing from homes with good sightlines to the east. The evening puja at one of the nearby temples provides a community anchor before families disperse for the moonrise moment.

FAQ

Q: When is Karva Chauth in 2026? A: Karva Chauth 2026 is on Thursday, October 29. Moonrise is expected around 8:07 PM, which is when the fast can be broken after the puja.

Q: Where can Anaheim-area women attend a Karva Chauth puja? A: Sri Siva Kameswari Temple in Costa Mesa hosts a free Karva Chauth puja celebration. Radha Raman Vedic Temple in Placentia also celebrates major Hindu festivals and is accessible from Anaheim.

Q: Where can I buy Karva Chauth puja items in Anaheim? A: Patel Store in Anaheim carries puja supplies, mehendi, bangles, and Indian groceries. Additional stores are available in Artesia, Cerritos, and Irvine.

Q: Who observes Karva Chauth? A: Traditionally observed by married Hindu women, primarily of North Indian backgrounds including Punjabi, Rajasthani, and UP communities. The festival has spread more broadly and is now observed by women from various South Asian backgrounds.

Q: Do you need to register for the Sri Siva Kameswari Temple puja? A: Based on past events, the temple has requested participants to sign up in advance. Check sivakameswari.org in October 2026 to confirm registration requirements for that year.

Bottom Line

Karva Chauth in Anaheim draws on the full depth of Orange County's Indian-American community. Whether you attend the free puja at Sri Siva Kameswari Temple in Costa Mesa, make the short drive to Radha Raman Vedic Temple in Placentia, or center the day on a home ceremony stocked from Patel Store, the structure of the festival — a day of meaningful restraint followed by a moonlit celebration — translates beautifully to the diaspora context. October 29, 2026 falls on a Thursday, giving working families the weekend just ahead to extend the celebration with mehendi, gatherings, and the post-fast sweets everyone has been anticipating since sunrise.