Karwa Chauth gifting trends

On the day of Karva Chauth all eyes will be focused on the sighting of the new moon. The moon plays a significant part in Karva Chauth rituals and festivities. The festival is celebrated on the fourth day of the new moon in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik and it comes 9 days prior to Diwali. Karva Chauth is a very important festival for every married woman in the country and on the occasion married women observes a day long fast for the well-being and prosperity of their husbands. The fast is broken only after the moon is sighted and then prayers are offered to it.

The name of Karva Chauth comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Karva’ which means an earthen pot with a spout and “chauth” meaning the “fourth day.” The earthen pot is considered a symbol of peace and prosperity and like the moon itself, it is essential for the rituals of the day. On the occasion of Karwa Chauth, married women in the country restrain themselves from food or drink the whole day. The fast is considered as the most important fast observed in Indian traditions. Preparations for the day start before the sunrise and the mother-in-law hands over the ‘sargi’ to the daughter-in-law which must be consumed before the dawn. The sargi is usually vermicelli kheer or dry fruits and this is the last meal the women will have for the whole day. The fast is indeed quite strict and women do not take even a drop of water after having the Sargi. Karva Chauth fast commences from morning and ends only at sunset after the moon is sighted.

The women usually do no housework on the occasion and they spend the day applying henna or mehendi to themselves and others and the day passes in meeting friends and relatives.  In the evening, the women gather in groups and an elderly woman in the house usually narrates narrate mythological stories centered on Karva Chauth before the fast is terminated. At night when the moon appears, the women view it through a sieve, or through the cloth of a dupatta. They then offer water and flowers to the moon and after this the worship is deemed complete.  The women break the fast and then take the first sip of water and the first morsel of food which are served by their husbands. It is also the custom for the husbands to present gifts on the occasion. But with the onset of time and changing gender views, there is a trend of Karwa Chauth where husbands also observe fast for their wives and the women also present karwa chauth gifts for husband. Couples present each other with the best karwa chauth gifts on the occasion. The act of gifting strengthens the bond between husband and wife and enhances their marital relationship.