In our culture, the Karva Chauth is an important festival for all married women. From sunrise to moonrise, she keeps a fast without drinking water and eating any food. The festival is also observed by unmarried women who pray in the hope of securing a desired life partner.
It falls on the fourth day of the dark fortnight (krishna paksh or the waving of Kartik of the Hindu calendar. The word Karva Chauth is made up of two words, ‘karva’ which means an earthen pot with a spout and ‘Chauth’ which means fourth.
The festival entails keeping a ‘Nirjala’ fast in which women neither eat not take a drop of water throughout the day and prayers are offered to the Goddess Gauri, an incarnation of Parvati, who bestows blessings for a long and happy married life.
Karwa Chauth Vrat 2022: When is Karwa Chauth in October?
Know the date, time and how the tradition of this fast started According to one such legend, there was a beautiful Queen by the name of Veeravati. She had seven brothers and was married to a handsome king. During the first year of her marriage, she observed her first Karva Chauth by observing a strict fast at the night drew closer, she started feeling uneasy due to severe thirst and hunger.
But she refused to eat anything or drink anything. Her brother couldn’t watch her suffer anymore and decided to do something about it. They created a mirror with the pipal tree in their backyard and tricked Veeravati into believing that the moon had risen. She believed them and broke her fast.
Unfortunately news arrived that her beloved her husband was death. Veervati was completely devastated and started running towards her husbands house. She prayed for a whole year and the God’s pleased, with her devotion gave her husband life.
As afternoon approaches, women come together with their respective thalis (a large plate). It contains coconut, fruits, dry fruits, a diya (lamp), a glass of kachi lassi (a drink of milk and water), sweet mathi and gifts which will be given to the mother-in-law.
The thali is covered by a cloth. The women then come together and sit circling the Gaurav Maa (Goddess Parvati) and the story of Karva Chauth is narrated by a wise elderly woman who also ensures the pooja is performed to the correct manner.
Karwa Chauth 2022 Muhurat
Karva Chauth fast will start from 06.25 minutes on 13 October 2022 and will have to observe Nirjala fast till the moon comes out i.e. till 8.19 pm. The auspicious time for the worship of Karva Chauth is from 06.01 in the evening to 07:15 in the night.
The women then start to rotate the thalis around the circle. This is called thali batana. This ritual is performed seven times. While doing this, they sing the following song.
“Veeron Kudiye Karwada, Sarv
Suhagan Karwada,
Ae Katti Na Ateri Naa, kumbh
Chrakhra Feri Naa,
Gwand pair Payeen Naa, Sui Ch
Dhaga Payeen Naa,
Ruthda Manayeen Naa, Suthra Jagayeen Naa,
Bhai Pyari Veeran, chann
Chade Te Pani Peena
Ve Veero Kuriye Karwara, Ve Sarv Suhagan Karwara”.
The song highlights the precautions which need to be taken while women observe the fast. After the pooja, women touch the feet of their mother-in-law and give them gifts with dry fruits as a symbol of respect. Breaking of the fast takes place when the moon shine bright in the dark sky.
They carry a Chandni (sieve) and a pooja thali which comprises of a diya (made of wheat flour), sweets and a glass of water. They go to a place where the moon is clearly visible, usually, the terrace.
They look at the moon through the sieve and offer kachi lassi to the moon and recite the following prayer for their husband.
Now the husband feeds the same kachi lassi and sweets to the wife and she touches the feet of her husband. Both of them take blessings from their elderly and that’s how fast is broken. Dinner among the Panjabis on the day of Karva Chauth comprises of any sabut daal like red beans, green pulses, pooris (fried Indian flatbread), rice and sweets.
Why is Karwa Chauth popular in North India?
It is a cultural festival and celebrated by the people of Punjab, Hindu & Sikh, because foreign invaders invariably attacked undivided Punjab first.
Even though India is no longer faced by similar invasions the tradition has carried on with special karwa chauth pooja thali. Today, this festival is celebrated in a grand style and is even depicted in movies as a larger-than-life phenomenon.
What does the word ‘Karwa Chauth’ mean?
The word Karwa Chauth has a specific meaning. Karwa or Karva means earthen pot while chauth means fourth. So, Karwa Chauth is basically about offering Arghya to the moon using ‘Karwa ’on Chaturthi during the Hindu month of Kartik.
It is observed on the fourth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik. This festival is mostly celebrated in the North and North-western parts of India; primarily in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
Stories Associated with the Festival
The first goes back to the Mahabharata. When Arjuna went to the Nilgiris for penance the rest of the Pandavas faced many problems. At that point their wife Draupadi remembered Sri Krishna and asked him for help who advised her to observe the fast. Draupadi followed the instructions subsequent to which the Pandavas overcame their problems.
Another story is of a devout wife Karwa. One day her husband was caught by a crocodile and sure to face death. Because of love for her husband she bound the crocodile with cotton yarn and asked Yamraj, the Lord of Death, to return the life of her husband.
When Yamraj refused she threatened to curse him. Being afraid of her devotion Yamraj sent the crocodile to hell and blessed her husband with a long life. Such is the power of a wife’s devotion.
There are many similar stories of brave women who brought back their husbands from the death knell. The story of Satyavan and Savitri, Veeravati are also associated with KC.
Who celebrates Karwa Chauth?
Karwa Chauth is mostly celebrated by married Sikh and Hindu woman who fast for the long lives of their husbands. The idea behind celebrating this festival is to pray and wish for the longevity, well-being, and prosperity, of the husband with a karwa chauth thali set. This festival celebrates the beautiful relationship between husband and wife
Husband’s also in return get a karwa chauth gift for wife on this special occasion. In contemporary times many men have started fasting and participating in the rituals as well.
It has become a way of expressing love for their wives or are influenced by the western concept of equality. Anyway it is nice to see men fast for their wives. In many states unmarried women also fast to get the desired life-partner.
Karwa Chauth 2022 When is Karwa Chauth? Know date, auspicious time, material list and worship method
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