KARVA CHAUTH: PRAYING FOR BETTER HALF'S LONG LIFE
Did you know that married Indian women make sure to perform rituals and customs to ensure the prosperity and longevity of their husbands? And that too, in an extraordinary and unique manner!! Well, that the festival called 'Karva Chauth, which is a much-awaited festival among married women.
Karwa Chauth History
Karva Chauth is commemorated exactly nine days before Diwali. It is observed on the fourth day after the Full Moon in Kartik month, which falls generally in October. Generally, a few days before Karva Chauth, married women go on a shopping spree looking out for perfect 'karvas' –spherical clay pots. They paint them with beautiful designs and put bangles, ribbons, homemade candies and sweets inside the pot. Some of them put feminine items like makeup kits and perfumes. These then exchange during the get-together.So also, they decorate the 'puja thali' with fine mirror and beadworks with glittering cloth. It is called as 'Baya' which contains the roli, vermilion, sacred water, dry fruits, earthen clay pots, diyas, and Indian sweets.
Information on Karwa Chauth Fasting
The main onus behind Karwa Chauth is the dawn to dusk fast. The fast begins sunrise and ends the fast after seeing the moon. Considered to be the toughest of all Hindu religious fast, the women must not eat or drink water. On this day, prior to sunrise, the women seek the blessings of the Ganesha and Parvati Gods for the longevity of their husbands and children. Mothers-in-law feed their daughters-in-law sumptuous food called 'Sargi'.Dressing up Like a Princes
With Indian women fond of being decked and bejeweled, they dress up in elegant and exquisite finery either in shades of red and pink. Some of them prefer the lehenga cholis or Banaras saris embellished with colored stones, Kawasaki diamonds, and metals. They are bejeweled in their heavy gold and silver jewelry. They adore their hands with different Mehendi designs.Gearing up to Break the Fast
Before evening, the married woman receives basket full of goodies containing sweets, jewelry, fruits and sari gifted from her mother in law. Before the sun sets, most of the women in a locality gather in one house and prepare a corner for the puja. Here, they place the image of Gauri Mata or Goddess Parvati.The Puja Process
The women sit around this image with their bayas. Each woman also places a karva with seven pieces of pua (a type of jaggery) in front of her. A red thread is tied around the karva. In the beginning, women apply the roli teeka to Goddess Gauri and sprinkle water on her.Listening To Vrata Katha—The Legend Behind Karva Chauth
An elderly woman of the family narrates the legend of Karva Chauth. While chanting the prayers for husband's longevity, they pass their bayas from one to another. Thereafter, the wait for the moonrise begins after sunset. As soon as the moon is sighted, the fasting women break the fast by observing the moon through a sieve. Thereafter, the first sip of water and morsel of food is offered by the husband.Gifts From Husband
Husbands feel proud to see her better half observing such a rigorous fast for him. He gets overwhelmed with love and respect for her wife and pampers her with loads of Karva Chauth gifts.Karwa Chauth Puja vidhi: Method of Worship
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 the pooja thali, and meeting friends and relatives.2. Place the Kalash with water and Karva on the Pata. Draw a Sathiya and put 13 Tikkis with Roli on the Kalash and Karva.
By sprinkling Roli and Chawal perform the Puja. Taking 13 wheat grains in the hand, listen to the Katha of Karva Chauth.
3. After the Katha, keep aside the wheat grains in a packet or tie them to your saree pallu for offering to the moon at night. 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.
4. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller. Earlier an idol of Gaur Mata was made using earth and cow dung. 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.
5. At this time the women wear heavy saris or counties in red, pink or other bridal colors, and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married woman like nose pin, tika, bindi, chonp, bangles, earrings, etc.
6. Baayna is taken out. Sprinkle Roli and Chawal on the Karva. Then apply Tikka to yourself. Covering your folded hands with Saree-Pallu/odni rotate them over the Baayna four times. Then get up and give the Baayna to your mother-in-law seeking her
blessings. Baayna could also be given to your elder sister-in-law, nanad (husband's sister), or any woman elder to you.
7. If you are alone in the house, you can keep the Baayna in the Puja room and later either give it to a Brahmin or it can be sent to the temple. Giving Arag to the Moon in the Night. After sighting the moon, from the Kalash containing the Puja water slowly pour the water towards the moon.
8. While pouring the water, keep the wheat grains in the left hand (which were kept aside while listening to the Katha). Churma or Halwa is offered to the moon. After this, standing at the same place go around four times. Touch the water offered to the moon from the floor and touch it to your eyes as blessings for good luck
Karwa Chauth Katha: Story of Karwa chauth
There were seven brothers and had one sister. All brothers Loved his sister very much and always Used to eat with him only. When sister got married, sister fasted Karwan Chauth. In the evening When all the brothers sit down to eat his Sister was called to eat.Then the sister said that "Today my Chauth Mata's Fasting " Then brothers thought that when the moon rose because my sister was hungry, Everyone thought of a solution and went to the mountain and lit the fire and put chalni of round shape in front of the moon.
And said that "She spoke to her sisters-in-law that the moon rose" "So sisters say" This moon for you She has grown naive by offering fake moon Sat down to eat food with brothers. She broke the first grass as soon as he had hair Arrived, broke the second The call came from her laws house that to send girl immediately back.
When mother opened the box for her daughter clothes then the Mother got very scared when she took out the black cloth first she gave her daughter a silver coin saying that "whoever you discover on the way to touch their feet and obtain be happy blessings". Gave her the coin and she tie the knot on the pallu. She kept doing it but didn't bless someone and nobody made her happy.
When she reached her in-laws, jethani was playing outside she touched her feet and she blessed Suhagan, so she gave the coin to the jethani and tie the knot in the pallu. When she went inside the house, she saw that the husband was dead.
When her husband was taken to burn So she did not let it go. Then everyone said that
"The dead body is not allowed in the village" then outside the village Made a hut she started living in it and she started serving her husband. Children from home every day used to give him food.
After some time Gagh's Chauth came fasted on the night. When she came, she grabbed the feet of the mother laughed by saying "sister of seven brothers, hungry women Leave my feet '. When she didn't leave Chauth Mata said 'I can't do anything catch a bigger feet than me.
After some time, Baishakh's Chauth came Said "I can't do anything better than me. Bhadeve's Chauth will come to hold his feet. When Bhadve's Chauth came, he also said that I can't do anything bigger than me Karthik Chauth. She can give life to your husband but If she asks you for shuhag Keep ready but I have told you all this that I have told you.
When Karthik Chauth came, she kept fast her husband. When Chauth Mata came at night, chauth Mata told 'sister of Seven brothers' densely hungry, deep-rooted, Papini leave my leg".
she told mata I made a mistake please forgive me and give life to my husband and when she didn't leave her feet mata get agreed by saying the thing which I told you to provide me kindly provide me. she did the same whatever she was told to provide. then chouth mata said who told you these things. she told that I live in the jungle alone then who will come and told these things.
Chauth Mata took vermilion out of demand, she removed Kajal from eyes and Chitli and also remove mehndi from finger and throw it on her husband. Mother raised her husband alive And always blessed Suhagan. When children bring food in the morning, their uncle found it alive ran and went home told that 'Uncle is alive'. Everybody there went to see that the children are telling the truth.
