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Karva Chauth.
Celebrating The Bond Between Husband And Wife
Karva Chauth is one of the significant Hindu festivals mainly celebrated by Hindu women in northern and western India. It is celebrated on the fourth day of the full moon in October–November.
On the day of Karva Chauth, married women keep a fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband's well-being and long life. This festival marks the celebration of the bond between husband and wife, which is celebrated with great enthusiasm and happiness.
Karwa means 'pot', which refers to a small earthen pot of water, and Chauth means 'fourth', the fact that the festival falls on the dark fortnight of the month of Kartik or the fourth day of Krishna Paksha.
The festival also marks the beginning of the Rabi crop cycle, during which wheat is stored in a big earthen pot called ‘Karvas’; hence in some Northwestern regions, fasting is also observed for a good harvest. Karva Chauth also signifies the celebration of a special bond of friendship.
A few days before Karva Chauth, married women buy new 7-9" in diameter and 2–3 litres in capacity circular pots called 'karvas'.
The pots are painted with beautiful designs on the outside and bangles, ribbons, homemade sweets, make-up items and small clothes inside the pots (e.g., handkerchiefs). Then women carry those pots, visit each other’s homes, and exchange these pots ‘Karvas’.
According to the Hindu lunar calendar, Karwa Chauth falls in the month of Kartik (October-November). According to the Amanta calendar, which Gujarat, Maharashtra and southern India follow, Karva Chauth is observed in Ashwin (September–October).
Despite the months, it is celebrated on the same day throughout India. Karwa Chauth is celebrated during Krishna Paksha Chaturthi on the fourth day of Kartik. This year, the Vrat of Karva Chauth will be celebrated on 20th October, Sunday
Days before the festival, women start preparing for Karva Chauth by buying jewellery and puja items like Karva lamps, matthi, mehndi and decorated puja thali (plate).
On Karva Chauth, fasting women can wear clothes of their choice, such as their state's traditional saree or lehenga but with bright colours like red, gold or pink. Women observe a vrat (fast) that begins at dawn and are not allowed to eat until the moonrise.
Women typically do not do any household work; instead, they adorn themselves and each other with Mehendi and other cosmetics. During the day, women visit their friends and relatives.
It is also believed that Karwa Chauth is a good time for community festivities and the exchange of gifts, as the festival also marks the harvesting of the Kharif crop in rural areas. Parents also send gifts to their married daughters and their children.
In the evening, a women-only ceremony is held, where women dress up in fine clothes and jewelry or in full finery of their wedding dress.
All the women sit in a circle with their puja thalis, after which certain rituals take place, which include narration of the story of Karva Chauth by an old woman or priest and singing of Karva Chauth puja songs.
During the ceremony, some activities are forbidden, including weaving cloth (kumbh chrakhra feri naa), pleading with or attempting to please anyone (ruthda maniyen naa), and awakening anyone who is asleep (suthra jagayeen naa).
Later, delicacies like halwa, puri, namkeen, mathri, meethi mathri, etc., are offered to the deity and then handed over to their mother-in-law or sister-in-law.
After the ‘fera’ ceremony, fasting women break their fast by looking at the moon or its reflection in a water-filled vessel through a sieve. After seeing the moon, women look at the face of their husbands through a sieve, and then the husband gives water to his wife.
Although, Karva Chauth is one of the important festivals for Hindu women and is celebrated in many regions of India, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
In Punjab, women wake up before sunrise to have a pre-fast meal known as 'sargi', which includes 'Fenia', a form of vermicelli, an important dish. This pre-dawn meal is specially prepared and served by the mother-in-law.
In Uttar Pradesh, celebrants eat soot feni milk in sugar on the eve of the festival. It is said that this helps them survive without water till the next day. On this auspicious occasion, women wear saris or lehengas and perform ferris (passing their plates) while sitting in a circle.
Women also worship "Gaur Mata", the earth, while singing traditional songs. The fasting women take some soil, sprinkle water and apply kumkum on it, considering it to be the idol of Mother Earth.
Apart from this, idols of Gauri, Ganesha and Shankar are also made and decorated with colourful and bright clothes and jewellery. Meanwhile, a priest or an older woman in the family narrates the story of Beejabeti or Veeravati.
In Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Karva Thali is exchanged seven times between the women who are fasting. Karva Chauth in Rajasthan is celebrated by the narration of Karva Chauth, Shiv, Parvati, and Ganesh Katha by the older women in the family. Earlier, the idol of Gaur Mata was made of clay and cow dung, and now it has been replaced with an idol of Goddess Parvati.
In some places in India, women light an earthen lamp on their thali while listening to Karva Katha. Incense sticks, sindoor and rice are also kept in the thali.
Karva Chauth is the most awaited festival for married Hindu women. Women observe a day-long fast on this day, refraining from drinking water until the moon is sighted. They wake up early in the morning and eat 'sargi', specially prepared by their mother-in-law.
Sargi is an important dish made of vermicelli, milk and dry fruits. The joyous festival is celebrated on the fourth day of Kartik month and signifies the relationship between husband and wife.
This is all about Karva Chauth. We wish you a very Happy Karva Chauth. May this Karva Chauth bring lots of love between you and your partner. If you have any queries or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We appreciate our reader's valuable comments.
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