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Karwa Chauth – With love to my husband

A faith tradition, Karwa Chauth is a complete festival in modern times. Celebrating Karwachauth, married Hindu women observe a one-day fast for the long life of their husband. The women undertake this rigorous fast with full devotion and enthusiasm. By observing Karva Chauth vrat, women express love for their husband and rejuvenate their married life. In modern India, Karwa Chauth is more like Valentine’s Day for married couples: a day to express love and reaffirm marriage vows.

It is interesting to note that the popularity of the ancient Karwa Chauth festival increases with each passing year. Even in today’s age of jet speed, modern Indian women have kept their faith in ancient Indian scriptures and traditions. Today’s women observe the fast by performing all the prescribed rituals with full devotion.

When is Karwa Chauth celebrated?

Karwa Chauth festival is celebrated in Kartik ki chauth. This signifies the fourth day (chauth) of the waning moon or the dark fortnight of the auspicious Hindu month of Kartik. According to the Gregorian calendar, Kartik corresponds to October-November. Karwachauth day comes about nine days before the Diwali festival.

Legends behind Karwa Chauth

A popular legend behind Karwa Chauth narrates the story of Savitri and Satyavan. It is said that when Lord Yamaraj came to take Satyavan’s life, Savitri desperately begged Yamraj to spare her husband, but Yamraj refused. Savitri then undertook a rigorous fast and vowed not to eat or drink until Yamraj granted her wish. Yamaraj was touched by Savitri’s devotion and felt compelled to bestow life on Satyavan. Since then, the women have been observing the Karwa Chauth fast for the long life of her husband.

According to another widely recognized legend, Queen Veeravati was once made to break her fast by looking at the fake moon displayed by her seven beloved brothers who could not see their dearest sister go hungry for so long. But as soon as Veeravati had dinner, her husband died. Veeravati rushed to her husband’s palace on receiving the news. On her way, Goddess Parvati explained to Veeravati that her husband died because she did not observe the fast properly. Veeravati begged for forgiveness and following Parvati Ma’s advice, she completed the rigorous Karwa Chauth fast under strict conditions. Pleased with the queen’s devotion, the goddess Parvati revived the life of her husband.

Preparing for Karwa Chauth

Karwa Chauth is celebrated as a great festival in modern times. Elaborate preparations are made for the occasion days of the festival. While some wear their wedding attire, others buy new sarees for the big day. Glass bangles, bindis, jewelry, footwear, etc. are purchased. matching to complete the set. However, the most colorful scene of the festival can be observed on the eve of Karwa Chauth, when women line up in a straight line before the mehendiwalas to get the most intricate henna pattern on their palms. The long mehendi trains can be seen until the middle of the night. Husbands and children come along with the women, making the market more aggressive.

Karwa Chauth Fast

Preparations for the Karwa Chauth fast are done before dawn. The Suhagins (married Hindu women) wake up around 4 am and take their bath. After performing the daily prayers, the women of the family gather together and consume food collectively called ‘sargi’. Apart from food, sargi also includes fruits and sweets. Traditionally, the sargi is given to the woman by her mother-in-law. After the sargi, the women who observe the Karwa Chauth fast do not consume even a morsel of food or a drop of water. Some modern women who find fasting too intense consume water or milk throughout the day. Pregnant or sick women are also given leeway during the fast and are allowed to consume fruits or any other food deemed necessary in their condition. Interestingly, many loving husbands also observe a fast for the sake of their wife. Although there is no such tradition, they do it out of love for their wife. Karwa Chauth’s rigorous fast is broken only after moonrise, which usually occurs after 8 p.m.

Karwa Chauth Puja Process

Karwa Chauth puja is carried out during the afternoon. A group of brilliantly dressed women gather in a house or temple premises to carry out the process. The women sit in the shape of a circle in the center of which is placed the cow dung image of Gaura Ma and a Karva (pitcher) on a raised platform. Women place teeka on the idol of Gaura Ma and seek blessings for a long and blissful married life. An old woman narrates the story of the Karwa Chauth vrat and, intermittently, the women rotate their thalis with berry while reciting the Karwachauth song, “Chand chade te pani peena…” After the puja, the women converse and return to their respective homes. These days women also play indoor games just to have fun and pass the time until the moon rises.

Breaking the fast with Moon-rise

After the bidding ends, a desperate wait for the moonrise begins. Thirsty and familiar, the women, her husband and her children continue to visit the terrace to see if the moon has risen. News channels also advertise the moonrise for the benefit of anxious women.

When the moon rises, the women go to the terrace or open space with a thali containing a small water jug, a piece of mithai and a diya. Women look at the moon through a sieve or chalani and then look at their husband in the same way. After offering worship to the Moon God, the women drink water from her husband’s hand and break the fast with a sweet. Traditional Hindu women also touch their husbands’ feet at this point.

Karwa Chauth – Gifting Tradition

After breaking the fast, women present berry to their saas or mother-in-law. Usually, the berry includes mathris, almonds, and a gift for the mother-in-law. Sometimes cash is also given instead of a gift. This berry is the same one that was spun on the thali during the puja.

Impressed with their wife’s devotion, the husbands also please their wife with a gift. Popular Karwa Chauth gifts for wife include jewelry, sari and fashion accessories.

sumptuous dinner

After starving for so long, the women look forward to a sumptuous dinner. Nowadays, couples prefer to go out for a lavish dinner in restaurants, as the wives feel too lethargic to cook a dinner themselves. No wonder, a huge rush can be seen in the restaurants in the night of Karwa Chauth.

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