About Karwa Chauth Vrat
Karwa Chauth Vrat is observed by married ladies on the fourth day of the dark half of Kartik(October-Nov) in order to ensure prosperity, sound health and longevity of their husband.Widows and unmarried girls do not practice it.The married woman keep strict fast and do not take even a drop of water.They get up early in the morning and perform their ablutions and wear new and festive garments.
Lord Shiva, Parvati and son Kartikeya are worshipped on this day alongwith ten karwas(the small earthen pots with spouts) filled with sweets.The Karwas are given to the daughters and sisters along with gifts.At night when the moon appears, the women break their fast after offering water to the moon.The women tell among themselves the story of Karwa Chauth on this day.Sometimes a Brahmin priest tells this story and gets gift return.The married women receive costly gifts from their husbands, brothers and parents on this occasion.They touch the feet of their mother-in-law and other elderly ladies of the family and seek their blessings.The festival is celebrated under the name of Karwa Chauth and the
rituals given below are observed in states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi,
U.P., and Gujarat.
Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha
Once on this day a young married women observed this fast at her Parent's house.She was very beautiful and tender.The austerity of the strict fast made her almost lifeless.So her brothers caused a fire on the nearby hill and told her that the moon has risen.The fire gave out the glow of the moon and no sooner did she brake her fast on seeing the false moon, than she received the evil news of her husnand's death at a distant place.She immediately set out for her husbans's house.On the way Shiva Parvati met her and explained to her that the cause of her tragedy was the immature termination of the fast.parvati gave her some blood from her little finger and asked the lady to sprinkle it on her dead husband.Parvati also advised her to observe complate and strict karwa Chauth fast in future.On reaching home, the lady sprinkled the holy blood over her husband's dead body and he was at once revived.Ever since then, she observed Karwa Chauth fast in strict conformity and led a happy prosperous and healthy life with her husband and children.
Karwa Chauth Vrat Pooja Process
The pooja preparations start a day in advance. Married women buy the shringar or the traditional adornments and the other pooja items like the karwa, matthi, heena etc.
Early in the morning they prepare food and have it before sunrise. The morning passes by in other festive activities like decorating hand and feet with heena, decorating thepooja thali and meeting friends and relatives.
In the late afternoon women gather at a common place like temple or a garden or someones' place who has arranged the pooja. An elderly lady or the pujarin narrates the legend of Karwa Chouth.
The essentials of this gathering and listening of the Karwa chauth story , a special mud pot, that is considered a symbol of lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some fruits, mathi and food grains. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller.
Earlier an idol of Gaur Mata was made using earth and cowdung. Now just an idol of Goddess Parwati is kept. Every one lights an earthen lamp in their thalis while listening to the Karwa story. Sindoor, incense sticks and rice are also kept in the thali.
At this time the women wear heavy saris or chunries in red , pink or other bridal colors, and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married women like, nose pin, tika, bindi, chonp, bangles, earrings etc.
Once the moon rises, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. They offer water to the moon and seek blessings. They pray for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands. This marks the end of the day long fast.
Karwa Chauth Vrat Rituls
The day of Karwa Chauth begins very early morning when the women of the
family have a sargi i.e. the pre-dawn meal. The sargi consists of
several scrumptious dishes. Once the married woman has eaten her share
of sargi, her phase of fast begins. Now on wards she is not supposed to
eat or even drink water for the entire day. The entire day is celebrated
like a festive occasion with community gathering, songs, henna rituals
and other such things.
Karwa Chauth Vrat Pictures
