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The customs and rituals of Karva Chauth Vrat

The customs and rituals of Karva Chauth

Karva Chauth is an occasion that is widely observed particularly in northern parts of India. The festival occurs right on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik. Married ladies, Suhangans, keep a fast on the day for the well-being and long lives of their husbands. Get to know more below...

The Karva Chauth Fast or Vrat

Apart from married women, many unmarried girls and women also observe a fast on the day in the hope of getting a good husband in future. The vrat (fast), as per rules, starts at Sunrise and finishes right after spotting the Ark of the Moon (Ardhya) during the evening. The occasion is also a Nirjal fast, where the women do not even drink a drop of water or any liquid while they are fasting. 

What are the Rituals of the Karva Chauth?

The occasion starts by buying new jewellery, clothes and make-up cosmetics for the ladies. Apart from that, they also buy puja samagri (things) like Karva (earthen pot), Mehandi (Henna) and other related things. Nowadays, one can find everything in the market in fantastic bags etc. Right before the event, all the ladies get mehendi designs on their hands.

The day itself commences with consuming Sargi (a dish eaten before sunrise) which contains Kheer, Feni, dry fruits, fruits and other things. The sagri is generally offered by the mother-in-law. On the day, girls do not work the chores for the house; instead, they celebrate it with their friends and family. Parents generally give gifts to their married daughters on the day. 

In the evening, the puja begins and only the ladies take part in it. They wear their best traditional dresses (mostly in golden or red colours) along with their jewellery. All the ladies observing fast make a circle with their puja plates and exchange them. During this, the legend of Suhgan Veeravaati is recited by a priest or a girl. 

The legend of Veeravati

There are many stories associated with Karva Chauth however the one with Veeravati is the most famous and popular one. 

Veeravati was the one and only sister of 7 brothers and all of them loved her truly. During Karva Chauth, she came visiting to her parents’ house. She kept a vrath (fast) by only eating the Sagri given to her by her mother-in-law. She obeyed the fast as per the rules and was waiting for the moon to come out. She became thirsty and very hungry, and her brothers did not like this.  

So the brothers decided to light a diya (earthen lamp) and keep a mirror over a Peepal tree and conveyed to the sister that the moon as arrived. Naturally, the sister was happy and she broke her fast; however as soon as she did it, news came to her that her husband was ill, and she made her way to his side along with the brothers. She was informed later on by a priest that this happened because the brothers had ticked her into taking the food by showing her the artificial moon.   

The priest then recommended that the only remedy for this is to wait eagerly for the next Karva Chauth do all the rituals in it and maintain the regulations as per the rules. The priest also told her to take care of the husband. The priest also told her to exchange and change the Karva with Gaur Mata, while making her recite “Le suhagan karva le, De suhagan Karva de." Gaur Mata also respected the rituals and replied with "Sat bhaiyon ki bahan karva le, Jo bhukhi na reh sake Karva le, Jo pyasi na reh sake wo Karva le, Jo Chhalni mein Chand ko dekhe wo karva le." 

Gaur Mata also said that her various other sisters will also emerge and Veeravati has to speak these exact words to them. Of course, there are a few other elements associated with this story that are quite popular in some parts of the nation. 

Thankfully, Veeravati was speared and actually blessed and subsequently, her better half became healthier and they lived happily from there. 

Finishing the Vrat or Fast

At the time when the moon appears in the evening sky, the Suhangans (fasting ladies) display Arghya (ark) to the celestial body. They see the moon through a Sieve or a Chhalni. 

The ladies then touch their partners’ feet and take the blessings from them. The blessing comes in turn with love, safety and respect. 

So this is the way by which ladies and women around India seek long life, good health and longevity for their husbands by keeping and breaking a fast. The occasion is celebrated with great zeal by all participating women.