Karwa Chauth
Karvachauth is
celebrated midst harvesting of summer crops. Apart from the fast, kept by
married woman for the long life of their husbands. People like meet their
relatives and friends, and exchange gifts with them. Thus, Karva Chauth is very
much a social and seasonal festival as it is a religious affair. This signifies the day of love, longevity,
well being, respect, and trust towards beloved Husband. Karwa Chauth fasting is done during
Krishna Paksha Chaturthi in the Hindu month of Kartik and according to Amanta
calendar followed in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Southern India and it is Ashwin month,
which is current during Karwa Chauth. However, it is just the name of the month
that differs and in all states; Karwa Chauth is observed on the same day. Karwa
Chauth fast is more popular and traditionally celebrated in the states
of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
parts of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh, Haryana,
and Punjab, Compare to South Indian states.
Meaning Of Karwa Chauth
Karwa Chauth day is also
known as Karak Chaturthi (करक चतुर्थी). The word Karwa or
Karak mean “POT” (a small earthen pot of
water) through which water offering, known as Argha (अर्घ), and Chauth means 'fourth day'
to the moon. (Sankashti
Chaturthi) Karwa is very significant during Puja and it
is also given as “Dan” to the Brahmin or any eligible woman.
The earthen pot, (or jug) which
is used during the rituals that is considered a symbol of lord Ganesha, pot filled
with water and flowers, is a symbol of
prosperity and well-being. Hence, the name Karwa Chauth is given to this day.
This Karwa has a huge significance when the fast is observed. The rituals,
which would be followed in Karwa Chauth, are stated below.
Observances: It is one of the most popular Hindu festivals with fast and
ritual. On this day,
the women get up before sunrise. They worship Lord Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh,
Kartikeya and the moon. Fasting from sunrise to moonrise
by married women. Karwa
Chauth coincides with Sankashti
Chaturthi a fasting day observed for Lord Ganesha. Karwa Chouth Vrat is
observed by married women for a happy and prosperous married life and for the
well-being and longevity of their husband. He unmarried
women join the fast for their fiancés or
desired husbands. The fasting of Karwa Chauth is strict and observed without
taking any food or even a drop of water after sunrise
until the
sighting of the moon in the night.
The blessings of the Gods are invoked for
longevity and prosperity of their husbands and children. Mothers-in-law give
their daughters-in-law sumptuous food called 'Sargi' to eat before sunrise, as
the fast starts before sunrise and ends only after worshiping the moon at
night.
Dressing Up In the
evening, the women to cherish the joy of adorning bridal finery. Many times,
the newlywed wear their wedding dress or the ghagra-choli or Banarsi saris,
embellished with the old-new shimmer of gold, diamonds, jewelries. After dressing up, she receives gifts from
the mother-in-law and husband. Find the temple near you for the evening puja
or install the picture or an idol of Goddess
Parvati at the Puja place and perform
puja with friends on Karva Chauth.
Perform
puja with friends and do Henna. Mehandi is considered a symbol of good
fortune for married women, in the Indian culture. Here is a belief in India
that the women whose mehendi has left a dark color will get plenty of love and
care from her husband. It is said that Henna Mehendi also gives a lesson to a
new bride that she should do her best to delight her husband and in-laws, like
Henna Mehendi itself do for her by providing its lovely color to her hands and
feet. Break the fast only after
sighting and making the offerings to the Moon after it rise.
What
Is Karwa Chauth?
Karwa
Chauth is an age-old ritual followed by Indian women staying in India or
outside. The festival originated and came to be celebrated only in the
northwestern part of the India. The
hypothesis is that military campaigns were often conducted by Hindus who were
defending India against Mughal invaders; they would often leave their wives and
children to go off to war. Their wives would often pray and celebrate a day of socializing,
with other women, by preparing special meals, and dressing up in their finest
regalia, and having what would today be deemed as a romantic evening with their
husband before he went off to war.
Women whose husbands had already gone off to
war, join the fast to pray for the safety of their husbands at this time as
they ventured away from home to defend India. The festival coincides with the
wheat-sowing time (i.e., the beginning of the Rabi
crop cycle).
Big earthen pots in which
wheat is stored are sometimes called Karvas,
so the fast may have begun as a prayer for a good harvest in this predominantly
wheat-eating region. This festival is more popular in North India and also
with the Sikh community. On the day of Karwa Chauth, women observe a day long
fast and pray for the good health and prosperity of their beloved, husband, or
the would-be-husbands. Karva
Chauth, worship done with friends and thus it started as a festival to
celebrate this special bond of friendship between the brides and their friends.
How
To Celebrate Karwa Chauth or Rituals
Followed During Karwa Chauth ?
On the day of
Karwa Chauth, Women who observe Karwa Chauth fast wake up before sunrise and after an early morning bath married women eat
food made from select grains and fruits. All this takes place before sunrise.
After sunrise, the women observe a strict fast. According, to
the Hindu customs, it is one of their most sacred fasts. The fast starts from
sunrise and ends in the evening at moonrise, and only after seeing the Moon. Throughout
the day, women do not consume any food, not even water and pray for the good
health and prosperity of their beloved, husbands, or the would-be-husbands. Women dress neatly and colorfully for the puja
and apply sindhoor on the maang.
Remember, all rituals are meant for the
satisfaction of the ego. when we celebrate festivals, it help us to make our
life more fascinating. We attire new
fashion garments, jewelry, eat good food, and stay happier. Santana Dharma
teaches to get over all rituals and understand the Brahman – the Supreme Force
present in you and in everything.
The
Process Of Puja: The main deities worshiped on this day are Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, and their sons, Lord Kartikeya & Ganesha. Women
worship the holy God Shiva and Goddess Parvati with ten earthen pots (Karwas)
filled with sweets. The women sit around this image with their bayas. Each woman also
places a karva which is filled with
water or a pot full of water and seven broken pieces of pua in front of her. The karva is
decorated with kharia, aipun and roli. A red thread is tied around the karva. At the
beginning of the puja, women apply the roli teeka to Goddess Gauri and also to
themselves. With the thumb and the third finger of the right hand, water is
sprinkled on the image of the goddess three times. The same procedure is
repeated with aipun and roli . Lastly, rice is showered on the image. Once the rituals are done, these Karwas are distributed to daughters and
sisters. The thali consists of puas, puris, dry fruits, water, halwa and
cash. The thali is kept over the karva. The items on the thali vary
from region to region and also depend on what the person performing puja likes
to have on it. Now each woman does the puja. This ritual is known as mansana.
All the participating women can do
this puja. One woman narrates the story of Karwa Chauth and others listen with
the rice in the hand. At the end of the story, each woman exchanges her karva
with her friend. The woman giving the karva says’ O Suhagan take my karva.’ The one receiving
says O Suhagan give your Karva.’ The
roles are then reversed.
After this each woman present perform the baya manasana. The woman takes
rice in the left hand and adds little water to it. The edge of the ‘pallu’ is
taken in the right hand the index finger is dipped in the left hand. Both the
hands are taken around the karva and the water is poured on the side of the
karva. An elderly woman chants the mantra. The whole ritual is repeated a
second time without the mantra.
Then when the moon is sighted, the reflection of the moon is seen in the
water in the puja thali or through a sieve. The woman holds a lamp in the left
and offers water to the moon – pouring water on the ground seven times and also
throwing seven broken pieces of freshly broken puas. The fast is broken by
eating a pua broken into ten pieces and by drinking water in between.
Why will ladies eagerly wait for the moon to
shine on Karwa Chauth ?
Significance
Of The Moon On Karva Chauth
The Moon plays a major role during Karwa Chauth
celebrations. It is the sighting of the Moon that allows the women
to break their fast. The procedure observed
is, women first see the Moon through the filter (sieve) and then see their beloved
or husbands. Once that is done, the
ladies are fed with sweet or milk, thus breaking the fast. Also, as per
beliefs, the couple enjoys a prosperous married life that lasts for as many pores as
there are in the sieve. It is believed
that the ritual of looking at the husband through the
sieve removes all the evil effects from him. Since the festival of Karwa Chauth
is a women festival, women who are married look forward to this festival, as it
redefines the love and bond between a couple. Newly married females look
forward to their first Karva Chauth, as on this day they feel extremely special.
The first Karwa Chauth is a very important
occasion for every married woman. New brides wear their bridal dresses, elegant
jewelry and make up. The mother-in-law of the women observing her first Karva Chauth
prepares an elaborate meal. Sargi an integral part of Karva Chauth Vrat, it
includes Pheni (a sweet made by using milk and semolina), Parantha and various
types of fruits and sweets. The mother-in-law then gives her daughter-in-law
gifts, which can be jewelry, Food items, beauty essential or makeup items,
clothing items, and puja items. saree or anything that she wants. Like the
first Sargi, there is another ritual called first Baya. Baya is the gift given
to the mother-in law by the daughter's parents. The most important thing among
all this is the gift from the husband. After an entire day's fasting, Karva
Chauth Katha is performed along with rituals. The wife waits for that special gift
from her husband, which he willingly gives.
What
To Do On Karwa Chauth?
A
number of rituals like Karva Chauth Sargi, Karwa Chauth Katha are
followed. Chauth by the females
throughout the country or globe.
This Karwa Chaut, when you celebrate your Karva Chauth
don't forget any of these rituals. One
of the foremost thing is to get Mehndi done on both the hands. It is a sign of
a happy women. The darker the color of the Mehndi the deeper is the love
between the couple, as per beliefs.
1. On
Karwa Chauth, it is a compulsory custom for all women to sport big Bindis. The
colors preferred for this day are red or pink.
2. Women
dress up in heavy work sarees, Ghagra Cholis or Lehengas.
3. In
the evening, all the women in the neighborhood gather for the evening rituals,
which include Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha.
4. During
the Puja of Karwa Chauth, Thalis are exchanged and special Karva Chauth songs
are sing. The eldest women in the
group narrate the story of Karwa Chauth.
Delicacies
For Karwa Chauth :
Post the fasting on Karwa Chauth, we are sure you would
look for some special delicacies for eating. After the end of Karwa Chauth
Vrat, females can eat anything of their choice usually items like Matar Paneer,
Dal Makhani, Rice, Chapati, Mix Vegetable and sweets (Halwa, Phirni or Malpua)
are prepared at home.
Karwa Chauth can be best described by these lines:
This Karva
Chauth, when you fast,
Pray to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati with full devotion and dedication in
your heart.
Females who will observe the fast,
Don't forget to follow the rituals (Sargi and Karwa) led down in the past.
Karwa
Chauth, a festival when all eyes will wait for the Moon to shine,
Females will look forward to the surprise gift from the man in their life.
Karwa Chauth, will be the time to express your love,
A time to remember the legends and cherish the bond throughout your lifetime.
Karwa Chauth is a day which every Hindu women should
experience. Karva Chauth is the day which brings many relations closer for the
well being and prosperity of the family.
There are many stories
& legends associated with Karva Chauth. Here are few:
As we now know
Karwa Chauth has many stories associated with it, the story from the epic Mahabharata
or the story of Karva, the festival has been celebrated since ages.
Karva Chauth is dedicated
to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is believed that Goddess Parvathi had
observed severe penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Women emulate the
fasting practice observed by Goddess Parvati for her husband Lord Shiva.
The legend of Draupadi
The
fast of Karva Chauth can be dated back to the times of Mahabharata. It is said
that even Draupadi kept the fast of Karva Chauth. The story is - once Arjuna
went to Nilgiri Mountain for Tapa. Draupadi started finding herself in
problematic situations. Arjuna was not beside to protect her. For this, she prayed to lord Krishna and asked
for a remedy from lord Krishna. Krishna said, "Once Parvati ji, asked the
same question to lord Shiva. For which he answered that the fast of Karva
Chauth can effectively remove all the problems that come in marital
relationship. It also brings a love and peace. Then Krishna told a story to
Draupadi- once there was a religious Brahmin who had 7 sons and a
daughter-Veeravati. When she got married, she fasted on Karva Chauth. However,
she started feeling extreme hunger before the moonrise. Her brothers could not
tolerate the distress of their loving sister and hence, one of them climbed up
a tree and placed a lighted 'Deep' in such a manner that it looked like a moon.
Veeravati happily offered the water to
moon and ate food. As she finished eating, her husband died. She started crying
and yelling bitterly. Indrani was on her way with dancers. On hearing the sound
of cry, she went to her and asked the reason of her sorrow. Veeravati told her
the entire story. Indrani then discovered the reason of her husband's death and
how she was tricked by her brothers. Indrani then instructed her to repeat the
fast of Karva Chauth with complete devotion for 12 months. She asked her to
fast on each 'Chauth' of a month and on the day of Karva Chauth worship lord
Kartik, Ganesha, Shiva and Gauri along with moon. She was instructed to offer
water to moon and only then to open her fast. When Veeravati repeated the fast
with devotion and fasted on Karva Chauth
following every ritual, Yama was compelled to restore the life of her husband.
Then Krishna told Draupadi to fast
on Karva Chauth with complete devotion following all the rituals. This will
certainly remove all her worries and endow her with happiness, prosperity, and
wealth. Then Draupadi also fasted on Karva Chauth that resulted into the
victory of Pandavas over Kauravas in Mahabharata.
The legend of Karva
Once
there was a woman named Karva. She was very loyal and devoted to her husband.
One day her husband went to take bath in the river, where he was caught by the
crocodile. She went to help her husband and tied the crocodile with a cotton
yarn and then went to Yamraj. Yamraj asked the cause of her distress. She told
him that her husband has been caught by a crocodile. She begged to take the
crocodile to the 'Narak' and asked for a long life for her husband. Yama
refused to do so. Karva then threatened to curse Yama. Yama got afraid and went
with Karva to her place where crocodile held her husband. The crocodile was
then killed by Yama and he granted the wish of Karva. Her husband was blessed
with long life and while retreating he said- "I will protect the life of
the husband of every women who will fast on this day." The day on which
this incident took place was the fourth day after the full moon in kartik
month. Therefore, women observe fast on Karwa Chauth and pray for long life of
their husband. HAPPY KARVA CHOTH.
Karva
Chauth Songs
Karva
Chauth song sung by women while exchanging thalis. Singing karwa chauth songs
together by punjabi women, while they exchange thalis seven times. They place
'Bayen' in the thali....
"Veero
Kudiye Karwada,
Sarv Suhagan Karwada,
A Katti Na Ateri Naa,
Kumbh Chrakhra Feri Naa,
Gwand Pair payeen Naa,
Sui Che Dhaga Payeen Naa
Ruthda maniyen Naa,
Suthra Jagayeen Naa,
Bhain Pyari Veeran,
Chan Chade Te Pani Peena
Ve Veero Kuriye Karwara,
Ve Sarv Suhagan Karwara....... (6)"
This
Stanza is sung 6 times i.e. It keeps on repating till the time Thalis have been
exchanged and all women have their own thalis... it goes on six times, 6 feras
/ circles.
