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Karva Chauth is observed
in India by Hindu, Sikh and Kashmiri Muslim married women (suhagini) for ensuring wedded bliss and wishing long life for their husbands and children.
It is celebrated on the fourth night after the full Moon in the month of kartik
in the Hindu calendar. This year Karva Chauth is on Friday,
the 17th October, 2008. Karva Chauth varta signifies extreme love and devotion to the husband
and observed for his well being. The fast of Karva Chauth is of particular importance to Hindu
married women as they believe it ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. |
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On Karva Chauth
vrata a kalash is filled with either milk or water. In that kalash,
Pancha Ratna (five pieces of different metals gold, silver, copper, brass and
iron) is placed. The kalash is exchanged with other married
women then presented to a Brahmin. While
presenting the kalash, a prayer is offered to Lord Ganesh: "Let the offerings of this Karva bring long life to my husband and may my saubhagya be
everlasting".
Then Katha is narrated in a group that involve telling and listening to stories
regarding origin of Karwa Chauth.
Women observing Karva Chauth start their fast the
whole day. In the evening they dress in their best clothing, and adorn
themselves with jewellery and henna. They breaks the fast at night just after the
appearance of the moon, within sight of their husbands. On sighting the moon, they look and offer
prayers and worship to it, and then receive their first bite of food
and water from their husbands. In some traditions they wait until the
next night's moonrise to begin the fast breaking ceremonies, without
consuming any food or drink. There are
some variations within regions, groups, and communities in India about
rituals of starting and breaking the fast, and worshipping the moon. |
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Henna or Mehendi , considered to be auspicious for married women, is a necessary part of the ‘Karva Chauth’ ritual. Women get intricate henna designs applied on their hands before they get down to the actual rituals.
Most traditional henna patterns are based on very simple shapes - circles, triangles and lines are the most basic. These shapes can be combined to create a very intricate pattern and a very beautiful henna design.
It is believed that married woman who get dark colour from mehendi will get a loads of love and caring from her groom. It also denotes prosperity and good luck.
The art of decorating hands and feet with henna has been in vogue for the past 5,000 years.
The delicate and intricate Rajasthani mehendi designs have been a traditional favourite and most popular. Glitter mehendi is another variation quite popular with the newly wedded
women. |
Women prefer glitter and coloured mehendi for festivals like ‘Karva
Chauth’. |
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There are several stories related to Karva Chauth:
Story 1:
Once, there lived a beautiful princess by the name of Veeravati. Veerawati married to king, is said to have had seven brothers. Once
during the days of ‘kartik’, she returned to her paternal home. One day she
decided to observe a fast for the well being of her husband. Praying to Lord Shiva, she vowed to not have anything, till she saw moon in the
evening. But being born a princess, she could not withstand the travails of a
fast for long. She was on the verge of fainting and her brothers could not
withstand her plight. They played a ruse and showed her a pan flickering through
the ‘pipal’ tree, which the young woman took to be the moon.
She broke her fast and had a meal. Immediately, she received the bad news that
her husband had taken ill. She hurried back to her palace, where she came to
know of the king’s demise. As she started wailing inconsolably,
Lord Shiva (शिव) and
Parvati could not bear her anguish and rushed to her respite.
Parvati told the bereaved woman that her husband would rise to life, if she
observed a proper fast. As soon as she observed a fast according to the biddings
of the Goddess, her husband came back to life.
Story 2:
According to another legend, a woman named Karva was deeply devoted to her husband. One day while
bathing, he was caught by a crocodile. Karva came running and bound the crocodile with a cotton yarn. She then went to Yama, the Lord of the death, and requested him to send the offending crocodile to hell. When Yama refused, she threatened to curse him. Afraid of the power of a devoted wife, Yama readily accepted and sent the crocodile to or hell, and blessed Karva's husband with long life.
Story 3: It is believed that Drapudi had sought the well being of Pandavas from
Lord
Kisnna. Lord Krishna had advised her to observe fast and pray to Lord Shiva on the day of Karva
Chauth. Draupadi did likewise and Pandavas emerged victorious in all their campaigns.
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