WHAT IS KARVA CHAUTH, WHEN IS IT CELEBRATED?
Karva Chauth is a festival predominately celebrated in the North and West parts of India. Thanks to films and social platforms, it is now finding acceptance across other parts of India and the globe.
It falls four days after the full moon in the Kartika month of Hindu Calendar. On this day, married women keep fast for the long life of their husbands. Many women do NIRJAL UPWAS- i.e. they do not take water during the fast that starts with the sunrise and ends with the sighting of the moon.
WHY IS KARVA CHAUTH CELEBRATED?
There are not many narratives associated with Karva Chauth. It seems to be of recent origin. One of the theories says that the northern and western parts of India saw more military campaigns. When the husbands went to the battlefields, their wives prayed for their safe return.
On the other side, Karva means POT, a small earthen pot. It is thus also associated with agriculture, coinciding with the wheat sowing and a prayer for a good harvest (Rabi). A few days before Karva Chauth, married women buy new karvas (spherical clay pots) and paint them with beautiful designs on the outside. Bangles, ribbons, homemade candy, sweets, make-up items, and small clothes are placed inside. On the Karva Chauth, the women visit each other’s house and exchange Karvas.
Karva Chauth also celebrates the special sister Bonding. Traditionally, during the marriage ceremony, the groom’s side used to introduce a girl of the bride’s age (from the groom’s village but not associated/related to the groom’s family) to the bride as a Kangan Saheli or Dharam Behan ( sister by dharma- rituals). This would help in the bride’s smooth adaption to the groom’s house and traditions.
WHO CELEBRATES THE FESTIVAL?
It is the festival of married women. However, nowadays, unmarried women in a relationship or who are engaged to get married also keep the Karva Chauth fast.
Traditionally, one kept her first Karva Chauth fast like Nirjal with water, breaking with snacks or other such patterns. The pattern was then fixed for all the Karva Chauth fast she would keep in her lifetime.
Different regions have their own ways to help keep the Nirjal Upwas ( without water fast). In Uttar Pradesh, women eat soot feni with milk and a small amount of sugar on the eve of the fast to help them go without water the next day. Many women get up early and have some dry fruits and tea before sunrise. It helps them keep the fast.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE MOTHER-IN-LAW IN KARVA CHAUTH?
In Punjab, the Mother-in-law (MIL) give sargi to their Daughter-in-law ( DIL). Sargi, is an integral part of the pre-dawn meal and always includes Fenia, a form of vermicelli similar to seviyan and falooda but much thinner. If Daughter-in-law stays with the mother-in-law, then MIL prepares the food served to her before the start of the fast.
HOW IS KARVA CHAUTH CELEBRATED?
Traditionally, fasting women do not do household chores. They engage with other fasting women in applying Hena, beauty treatments and meeting friends and relatives. However, nowadays, Hena application on hand is a collective celebration by women in the family, society or village in the evening before the day of fasting.
In the evening, fasting women get dressed in style with ornaments. They sit in a circle with puja thalis. The Karva Chauth vrat (fast) story is narrated by one of the women. They pass their Puja thalis in a circle while singing the Karva Chauth puja song; this passing of thali is called feri. It allows them to wait together for the moon to rise.
THE MOONRISE TIME.
Across the nation, nights are not expected to be cloudy at all. So, sighting of the moon will be easy. Here is the moonrise timing across major cities ( 24 Hour Clock)- 02nd November 2023. Whatever may be the timing, the sighting of the moon is usually later than the time. This year, anyway moon rise is somewhat delayed- 90 minutes more than last year when Karva Chauth was on 13th October 2022.
MOONRISE
- AGRA. 20:16
- AHMEDABAD 20:50
- BHOPAL. 20:29
- CHANDIGARH 20:10
- DELHI. 20:15
- KOLKATTA. 19:46
- JAIPUR. 20:26
- LUCKNOW 20:05
- MUMBAI 20:59
- PANAJI. 21:04
- PATNA. 19:51
THE SONG FOR KARVA CHAUTH FERI.
The song in the first six feri describes six activities that are taboo during the fast.
Veero kudiye Karvara, Sarv suhagan Karvara,
Aye katti naya teri naa, Kumbh chrakhra feri naa,
Aar pair payeen naa, Ruthda maniyen naa,
Suthra jagayeen naa, Ve veero kuriye Karvara,
Ve sarv suhagan Karvara…
( All married women, do not weave cloth, do not bend to touch feet, do not pacify someone who is upset, do not wake up who is asleep)
In the seventh Feri- these restrictions are lifted. They sing
…Veero kudiye Karvara, Sarv suhagan Karvara,
Aye katti naya teri nee, Kumbh chrakhra feri bhee,
Aar pair payeen bhee, Ruthda maniyen bhee,
Suthra jagayeen bhee, Ve veero kuriye Karvara,
Ve sarv suhagan Karvara…
In some regions, while exchanging Karva for 7 times, the women sing.
…Sadaa suhagan karve lo, Pati ki pyari karve lo,
Saat bhaiyon ke behen karve lo, Vart karni karve lo, Saas ki pyaari karve lo…
WHEN IS THE FAST BROKEN?
Married woman breaks their Karva Chauth vrat after seeing the moon. She sees the rising moon or its reflection in a vessel filled with water, through a sieve, or through the dupatta. She then offers water (arka) to the moon to secure its blessings and seek her husband’s long life. Her husband then offers her water from the thali, and with the first sip of water, the fast is broken. The woman is then free to eat. Usually, the fasting woman would eat her meal in one sitting and whatever she takes on her plate in one serving.
The story of Karva Chauth.
The story of QUEEN VEERVATI
The beautiful queen Veervati was the only sister of seven loving brothers. She spent her first Karva Chauth as a married woman at her parents’ house. Queen Veervati began a strict fast after sunrise, but by evening, she was very thirsty and hungry. She was desperately waiting for the moonrise.
The seven brothers of Veervati could not see their sister in such distress. They created a mirror in a banyan tree – creating the illusion that the moon has risen. Veervati was conned by this illusion, and she broke her fast.
The moment she took the first morsel of food, she sneezed. In her second morsel, she found hair. After the third, she learned that her husband, the king, was dead.
Heartbroken, she wept through the night. Her shakti compelled a Goddess to appear and ask why she crying. When the queen explained her distress, the Goddess revealed how her brothers had tricked her. The Goddess asked her to repeat the Karva Chauth fast with devotion. When Veervati repeated the fast, The king of death, lord Yama, was forced to restore her husband to life.
WHY KEEP A VEIL WHILE SEEING THE MOON?
The moon of Karva Chauth is of Kartik month and is considered a form of Lord Shiva and his son Lord Ganesha. So, worshipping the moon here means worshipping deities. One cannot look straight in the deity’s eyes. Hence, during puja, women keep a veil between the moon and them.
Another entirely different story says that the Kartik Moon emits harmful rays. Due to day-long fasting, women are tired and vulnerable to these rays. To save their eyes from these harmful rays and to seek filtered light and blessings, a sieve becomes an integral part of the ritual.
AVOID THESE MISTAKES DURING KARVA CHAUTH.
Karva Chauth puja and rituals are strict. Following are some of the mistakes that should be avoided.
- Minimise sugar and salt intake during sargi time.
- Always offer halwa during the puja.
- Do not hurt or insult anybody on this day, especially your elders.
- Talk politely and with love to your mother-in-law and mother.
- To avoid negative results, do not give or donate white-coloured items, such as rice, curd, milk, etc., to anyone on Karwa Chauth.
- Wear bright-coloured outfits on this day.
- Do not wear black, brown or blue colours while offering puja.
- Do not throw bangles, sindoor, bindi, etc., in the dustbin.
- If bangles get cracked while wearing, keep them in puja.
- If you are fasting, do not use scissors, needles, or knives on this day.
FOOD AND BEVERAGES THAT CAN HELP REDUCE HUNGER AND THIRST?
Keeping Hunger at bay. Nuts – almonds and walnuts. Dates and figs. Avocados- leave you feeling full for a long time. Bowl of oatmeal- high in fibre keeps you full for a longer time.
Keeping Thirst at Bay. Eat chilled grapes, peach slices, berries, pomegranate, watermelon, cucumber, carrot and radish slices. Cold apple. Yoghurt. A glass of chilled lemon water.
SPECIAL NOTE
- Minimise sugar and salt intake during sargi time.
- Avoid Fried food
- Avoid spicy food in sargi. It will increase thirst.
- Do not drink coffee; Caffeine stimulates the process of excreting water.
- Avoid foods that increase blood sugar levels, which will make you feel hungry soon.
- Spend the day in the air conditioner. Staying calm will help reduce your thirst.
IGNORANT HINDU PROJECT.
#IgnorantHindu is a project of collation of information on Indian festivals and God, episodes and incidents- and to share the same. Some of the festivals and episodes covered are Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Antim Sanskar, Yama- the lord of death, Baishakhi and Bihu, Holi, Makar Sankranti, Assthmangal Prasanam- the way of predicting future, Rahu-Ketu– the shadow planets, the 12 houses of the horoscope, Maa Narmada Parikrama, Mahashivratri, Bhai Dooj, Navratri, Diwali, Dhanteras, Karva Chauth, Dussehra or Vijyadashmi, Ram Navami, Adhik Mass– the Hindu leap year and Shradh And Pitra Shrad.
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BLOG/91/2020/#IgnorantHindu/10 updated 2023.
