Planning Karva Chauth 2026? The fast falls on Thursday, October 29, 2026, and the easiest place to build your sargi thali and vrat spread near me in Los Angeles is Anoras Cash N Carry, 567 S Fairfax Ave in the Fairfax District. We stock the dry fruits, makhana, mathri, mithai and ghee a proper Karva Chauth needs — from the pre-dawn sargi right through to the celebratory meal after you've sighted the moon — minutes from The Grove and an easy run from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire and Koreatown.

No food, no water, from before sunrise until the moon is up — so what you eat before dawn and what's waiting at night makes all the difference. Here's how to shop for it.

What is Karva Chauth, and when is it in 2026?

Karva Chauth 2026 is on Thursday, October 29. It's a one-day fast kept mostly by married women — and, more and more, by partners together — for the long life and wellbeing of their spouse. The traditional fast is nirjala: no food and no water from before sunrise until the moon is sighted and the evening rituals are done. It lands on the fourth day of the waning moon in the month of Kartik, which this year puts it nine days ahead of Diwali.

Because the fast breaks only once you actually see the moon, moonrise time matters — and it's different in Los Angeles than on any Indian calendar. The panchang times online are calculated for Indian cities, so check a local LA moon calendar for the evening of October 29 rather than going by an Indian time.

Takeaway: mark Thursday, October 29, 2026, and look up the moonrise for your part of LA — that's when the fast ends, not a time printed for India.

What do you eat for Karva Chauth sargi?

Sargi is the pre-dawn meal you eat before sunrise — traditionally sent with love by the mother-in-law — and it's the one that has to carry you through a whole day with no food or water. That means you want slow-release energy and foods that keep you hydrated, not a heavy fried breakfast that leaves you thirsty by noon.

The classic sargi plate leans on dry fruits and nuts, makhana, fresh fruit, a paratha, and often a bowl of sewai or feni. A handful of soaked almonds (badam) gives you steady energy for hours, and a bigger family pack is worth keeping if everyone's fasting. Phool makhana (fox nuts) are light, roast up in minutes in a little ghee, and sit easy on an empty stomach. And a few pieces of Haldiram's mathri with your pre-dawn chai are the traditional savoury note on a sargi plate.

One practical tip: go easy on anything very salty before the fast. Salt makes you thirsty, and a nirjala day is long. Lean on nuts, makhana and water-rich fruit instead, and you'll feel far steadier by evening.

Takeaway: build sargi around almonds, makhana, fruit and a paratha for slow-release energy — and keep the salt light so you're not parched by afternoon.

What should go on your Karva Chauth thali and shopping list?

Beyond sargi, most households are shopping for two things: the dry-fruit spread that sits out all day and gets handed around after the puja, and the ingredients for the big evening meal. A generous platter of mixed nuts is the heart of it — almonds, cashews, pistachios and raisins, with makhana for crunch.

The simplest move is to buy from the whole dry fruits and nuts aisle and build your own platter — far cheaper than a pre-made box, and you choose exactly what goes in. Set some aside for sargi, keep a bowl out for the day, and save a handful to garnish the halwa or kheer at night.

Takeaway: one good bag each of almonds and cashews plus a pack of makhana covers the sargi plate, the day's snacking and the evening garnish in one trip.

What should you cook for the meal after the fast?

Once the moon is sighted and the rituals are done, the fast breaks gently — a sip of water, a bite of something sweet — before the proper celebratory dinner. After a day without food, that meal is almost always rich and ghee-forward: soft puris, a paneer dish, and something sweet to finish.

Ghee is the ingredient you shouldn't skimp on here. A tin of Amul pure ghee carries the puris, the halwa and the tadka all in one evening. For a quick, foolproof sweet, roasted sooji turns into golden sooji halwa in about fifteen minutes — the traditional way many women break the fast. And if you'd rather not cook a dessert after a long day, a box of Bikano desi-ghee soan papdi or a tray of frozen Deep Kesar Mohanthal gives you proper mithai with zero effort.

Takeaway: keep ghee, sooji and a box of ready mithai on hand so the post-fast dinner comes together without a second round of shopping.

Where can I buy Karva Chauth items near me in Los Angeles?

At our store. Everything on your Karva Chauth list — sargi dry fruits, makhana, mathri, ghee, sooji and boxed mithai — is at Anoras Cash N Carry, 567 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, open every day from 10 AM to 9 PM. We're in the Fairfax District, minutes from The Grove and close to Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Culver City, Mid-Wilshire and Koreatown. New to the store? Our guide to shopping with us in Los Angeles covers the basics, and if you also celebrate the week ahead, our Diwali sweets guide is a useful follow-on.

Our advice: shop a couple of days before the 29th. Festival week is our busiest stretch, and picking up your nuts and ghee early means a calmer trip. If you need a large quantity for a family gathering, call ahead on (323) 272-3617 and we'll set it aside.

If you'd rather not drive, order online and we'll deliver within 10 miles of the store — usually in 45 to 60 minutes — any day between 10 AM and 8 PM. Delivery is a flat $7.98 with a $35.97 minimum, and free once you spend over $99. Live outside the 10-mile radius? Order online and collect it free at the register — no minimum, ready in about an hour. If you keep a vrat during Navratri too, our Navratri fasting-food guide shops much the same way.

Takeaway: shop a few days early, deliver within 10 miles or pick up free from farther out, and call ahead for anything large.

Frequently asked questions

When is Karva Chauth in 2026?

Karva Chauth 2026 is on Thursday, October 29. The traditional fast is nirjala — no food or water — kept from before sunrise until the moon is sighted that evening. Moonrise times differ by city, so check a local Los Angeles moon calendar for October 29 rather than an Indian time.

What do you eat for Karva Chauth sargi?

Sargi is the pre-dawn meal eaten before sunrise. Build it around slow-release foods — almonds and other dry fruits, makhana, fresh fruit, a paratha, and often sewai or feni — so you have steady energy through a day without food or water. Go light on salty items, which only make you thirsty.

What should I buy for a Karva Chauth thali?

A mixed dry-fruit platter is the centrepiece: almonds, cashews, pistachios, raisins and makhana. Add mathri for the sargi plate, and keep ghee, roasted sooji and a box of soan papdi or mohanthal on hand for the celebratory meal after the fast breaks.

Where can I buy Karva Chauth items near me in Los Angeles?

Anoras Cash N Carry at 567 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036 stocks sargi dry fruits, makhana, mathri, ghee, sooji and boxed mithai, open daily 10 AM to 9 PM, with local delivery within 10 miles and free in-store pickup for the Fairfax District, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Culver City, Mid-Wilshire and Koreatown.

Do you deliver Karva Chauth orders in Los Angeles?

Yes. We deliver within 10 miles of the store, usually in 45 to 60 minutes, daily from 10 AM to 8 PM. Delivery is $7.98 with a $35.97 minimum and free over $99. Outside the radius, order online for free in-store pickup, ready in about an hour.