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.
