Karwa Chauth

Karwa Chauth is a fast undertaken by married Hindu women who offer prayers seeking the welfare, prosperity, well-being, and longevity of their husbands. It is said to have an extraordinary observance rate among married Hindu women. Following a bath early in the morning, well before dawn, the woman adorns new clothes and takes a meal of very select grains and fruit. For the remainder of the day, the woman is bound to abstain from food and even water, though the more strict rules of observance are not always kept. In the text-book version of this fast, various items including a karwa, an earthen pot with a spout, are collected and worship is offered to Shiva and Parvati.

In principle, the fast is not to be broken until the moon is sighted at night, and an elderly woman in the house is supposed to narrate the story of Karwa Chauth before the fast is terminated. The fast ends only after offering prayers and worshiping the moon at night. The fast is broken once the moon is sighted and rituals of the day have been performed. At night when the moon appears, women break their fast by offering water to the moon.

Karwa Chauth is celebrated in one spirit all over India though in different parts of India varied hues of this pious occasion are seen through different customs. The festival of Karva Chauth has an extraordinary observance rate among married Hindu women in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. The various ways of celebrating Karva Chauth vary from each other on regional basis.

Uttar Pradesh: In the plains of Uttar Pradesh, women decorate the walls of their home with drawings of Gauri Ma, the moon and the sun. The evening puja is performed with earthen lamps and the Karva is made of mud. Before looking at the moon, the women pray to the figurines at their doorstep.

Punjab: Karva Chauth is one of the most popular festival among the women of Punjab. When the days are near for Karva Chauth celebrations, the market here is decorated with bangles, beautiful sarees, embroidered suits, stalls of sweets and eatables, a number of artistes have come to the city from Jaipur, Agra and Delhi with their special mehndis to decorate hands of women. In some parts of Punjab, young damsels too keep the fast in the hope of winning a loving husband.

Rajasthan : In Rajasthan, the women make the karvas with mud and fill them with rice and wheat. Most women wear their wedding-day chunris on this occasion. This is called Vata Purnima. Interestingly, the woman who observes this fast is not only blessed with welfare of her husband but also wins the same husband for the next seven births.

Other States: In Gujarat also many women observe this fast. In Madhya Pradesh most of them follow the traditions of the women from Uttar Pradesh. In Maharashtra, the fast for husband is observed on the full moon day of the month of Jyeshtha which usually falls in May or early June. In all these states the first 'Karva Chauth' of any new bride is a very important festival. New clothes, new jewelry and gifts from both mother and mother-in-law are received. The wedding day outfits are worn once again, mehndi is applied and the family gathers to celebrate it with them.