Karwa Chauth
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Karwa chauth
Karwa Chauth
Karwa Chauth is a festival that provides an opportunity for all married women to get close to their in-laws. All married women observes fast that ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. This Hindu festival has a cultural and social significance and all Indians celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm.
The fast of Karwa Chauth is kept 9 days before Diwali. It falls on the fourth day of the Kartik month by the Hindu calendar (fourth day of the waning moon or the dark fortnight). Karwa Chauth is considered one of the most important fasts observed by the married Hindu women. On this day the women pray for the welfare and long life of their husbands. It is the most important and difficult fast observed by married Hindu women. It begins before sunrise and ends only after offering prayers and worshipping the moon at night.
The Legends of karwa chauth
Satyavan and Savitri - Another story id of the Satyavan and Savitri. Once Yamraj – the God of Death came to take Satyavan’s life. Savitri – the devoted wife of Satyavan pleaded for her husbands life which Yamraj refused. Savitri went on a fast and refused to eat or drink. Looking at her devotion, Yamraj was forced to grant life to Satyavan. Since then women started keeping fast for their husband’s long life.
Mahabarata - Draupadi, too, is said to have observed this fast. Once Arjun went to the Niligiris for penance and the rest of the Pandavas faced many problems in his absence. Draupadi, out of desperation, remembered Lord Krishna and asked for help. Lord Krishna reminded her that on an earlier occasion, when Goddess Parvati had sought Lord Shivas guidance under similar circumstances, she had been advised to observe the fast of Karva Chauth. Draupadi followed the instructions and observed the fast with all its rituals. Consequently, the Pandavas were able to overcome their problems. On this day, fasting women listen to Karva Chauth legends with rapt attention.
The Karwa Chauth Rituals and Festivities :
On the day of Karva Chauth married women wake up before dawn. They take bath and invoke blessings of Goddess Parvati for their husband’s long life. Women are then given a sumptuous meal called ‘Sargi’ by mother-in-law to eat before sunrise, as the fast starts before sunrise and ends only after worshiping the moon at night. It is a tough fast, as after the Sargi women are not supposed to take any form of food or liquid. In the day, the married woman receives the baya or a basket full of goodies from her mother, which is meant for the mother-in-law. The most joyous part of Karwa Chauth is the Puja held in the evening. A large number of elegantly dressed women gather in a temple or in somebody’s house for Puja. Women pray to Goddess Parvati or Gauri Ma for the well being and long life of their husbands. The fast is broken once the moon is sighted and special rituals and prayers marking the day have been offered. At night when the moon appears, women break their fast after offering water to the moon.
The Karwa Chauth Puja and Celebrations :
A Day Before: The pooja preparations start a day in advance. There is huge excitement a day before the festival as women make elaborate preparations to dress up elaborately for the occasion. The Married women buy bangles, bindis, apply mehndi (Hena tattos) on their hand and feets.
Begining of the Day:-Early in the morning they prepare food and have it before sunrise. The morning passes by in other festive activities like decorating hand and feet with heena, decorating the pooja thali and meeting friends and relatives.
The Puja:-
In the evening, women dress up in special clothes, usually a red or pink sari or ‘lehenga-choli’ with gold woven ‘zari’ patterns. New brides often wear their bridal costume. All deck up in jewelry. Decorative ‘bindis’ on the forehead are a must for all women taking part in this celebration. Fasting women from all over the neighborhood gather in a group and narrate the story of Karwa Chauth that underscore the significance of Karwa Chauth and sing the Karwachauth song while rotating the thalis containing Baya .
