Karwa Chauth: Know date, significance and rituals of this auspicious day

According to the Hindu calendar, married ladies celebrate Karwa Chauth on the fourth day of the full moon in the month of Kartik. The festival takes place on November 1st this year. Married Hindu women fast on this day, without eating or drinking anything after sunrise for the entire day. This practice is known as “nirjala vrat.” They observe this custom in hopes of their husbands’ long lives, prosperity, and safety. When women break their fast, they use a sieve to look through their husbands’ faces and the moon.

Relevance of the Karwa Chauth

Another name for Karwa Chauth is Karak Chaturthi. The word Chauth signifies the fourth day, whereas Karwa refers to earthen pots. The idea behind celebrating this day is to imitate Goddess Parvati, who fasted in order to win Lord Shiva’s hand in marriage. Married ladies observe this fast in order to secure the health of their spouses and a long-lasting union. The family is also said to benefit from good fortune and wealth during the fast.

The northern regions of India, which include Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan, are major celebrators of the one-day event. Hindu married ladies offer prayers to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, and Karwa Mata in hopes that their husbands may live long lives.

The Karwa Chauth Customs

Women fast for the entire day on this day, take a bath, have Sargi before sunrise, and get up early. They only break their fast after gazing at the moon, presenting an earthen pot filled with ‘arghya’ to it, and tasting food and drink from their husbands’ hands.

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Because it is considered auspicious, women dress traditionally, wearing traditional married lady symbols (such as sindoor, bindis, and bangles), and apply henna to their hands during the Karwa Chauth Puja. A lot of people also read aloud in groups the tale of Karwa Chauth and perform songs. Most ladies, particularly those from Punjab, also get sargi from their mother-in-law.