Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival celebrated among married women. Women observe 'nirjala' fast, which means they don't even consume water from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and long life of their husbands.
Though the festival is celebrated by women across India, it holds a special significance in northern states of the country including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Though the fast is mostly kept by women, these days, many husbands also observe the fast with their wives for their well-being.
Karwa Chauth falls on the fourth day after the full moon or Purnima, as per Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Kartik. On this day, women wear new clothes and apply henna or mehndi on their hands. They, along with other women, narrate folk tales and chant karwa Chauth vrat Katha as well as sing songs.
Karwa Chauth Sargi
Sargi or a pre-dawn meal is what women who observe fast on Karwa Chauth have early in the morning. Sargi is given to married women, observing Karwa Chauth fast, by their mother-in-laws. Saargi includes an earthen pot or Karva which has sweets, dry fruits, feni, snacka. It also includes a saree and jewellery. Women observing fast on Karwa Chauth wake up early in the morning and have items from the sargi. After this, they do not consume food or water during the entire day. They break their fast after seeing the moon and making the offerings to it.
Women gather and listen to karwa chauth katha. Married women take a glimpse of the moon through a Karwa Chauth Channi or sieve and then look at her husband through the sieve. The husbands then feed their wives with some fruits or sweets along with water to break the day-long strict fast of Karwa Chauth. Husbands also offer their wives Karwa Chauth gifts as a token of love.
Karwa Chauth 2019 date: Thursday, October 17, 2017.
Karwa Chauth puja timings: As per Drikpanchang, Karwa Chauth puja will start at 5:46 pm and end at 7:02pm. The Karwa Chauth Puja Muhurat or the auspicious time will last 1 hour 16 minutes.
Karwa Chauth fasting or Upvasa time: 6:27am to 8:16pm.
Moonrise time on the day of Karwa Chauth: 8:16pm
Chaturthi Tithi starts at 6:48 am on October 17, 2019
Chaturthi Tithi ends at 7:29 am on October 18, 2019
Apart from observing fast, as per tradition, women worship Goddess Parvati on the day of Karwa Chauth. The Goddess, who according to mythology is the wife of Lord Shiva, is considered to be Akhand Saubhagyavati or the one whose husband has a long life. Goddess Parvati is worshipped first during the Karwa Chauth puja after which Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh and Lord Kartikeya are worshipped.
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