Overview
Karva Chauth is a
one day festival celebrated by the Hindu women in North India. During the
festival married women fast from sunrise to moon rise for the welfare,
prosperity, well being and longevity of their husbands. The festival falls on
the Kartik ki Chauth which means the fourth day of the waning moon or the dark
fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik. According to the English calendar, the
festival falls in October or November. The term Chauth means the forth day
and karva is a pot with a spout – a symbol of
peace and prosperity which has been seen in most of the Hindu rituals.
The ritual
The Hindu wives fast from sunrise to moon rise without taking any
food or water. They get up early in the morning to perform the poojas and wear
new and festive raiment. Mother 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. The Lord Shiva, his wife
Parvati and their sons Karthik, Ganesh and the moon are worshiped on this day
along with the ten ‘karwas’ (pots) filled with sweets.
In the evening women dress up with special clothes usually a red
or pink sari with golden woven patterns. The new brides often wear their bridal
costume. All of them dressed up beautifully with ornaments , henna on their
hands and decorative Bindis on their forehead. The fasting women from the
neighborhood gather together for the rituals and narrate the mythological
stories of Karva Chauth.
The women sit around the image with the baya ( a basket full of
sweets, fruits and a saree which is meant for the mother in law ). Each woman
also places a karva ( pot ) or a pitcher full of water and seven pieces of pua
( a special sweet prepared for the festival)
in front of her . It is adorned with kharia, aipun and a little roli. A
red thread is tied around the karva (pot). At the beginning of the pooja women
apply the roli teeka to the Goddess and also for themselves. With the thumb and
the third finger of the right hand, water is sprinkled on the image of the
Goddess. The same procedure is followed with aipun and roli. Lastly rice is
showered on the image.
In the modern
days
The festival has become a fashion symbol of the modern era. The
Bollywood has a significant role in adding style and glamour to the festival.
Even unmarried women are also fasting these days for their fiancés or desired
husbands even though it's against the tradition. Social clubs are organizing
special events during the evening which includes various cultural programs and
events of fun and entertainment.
Tourism
Karva Chauth is a must see festival as it is one of the most
unique festival in which the wives fast for the well being of their beloved
husbands. Most restaurants have special menus for this day. The events during
the evening is so colorful with music, dance, bangles bindies and so on.
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Have you experienced the festival of Karva Chauth ? If so, share
your views and experience with the fellow readers.
