Karva Chauth is a Hindu festival where married women fast from dawn to moonrise, seeking longevity and well-being for their husbands, strengthening marital bonds, and demonstrating devotion. Originating from Queen Veervati’s legend, who fasted for her husband’s rebirth. Women observe this ritual to ensure their husbands’ long life. The festival involves worshiping Lord Shiva, Parvati, and Ganesha, exchanging gifts, and breaking the fast after moonrise. It symbolizes unconditional love, sacrifices, and celebration of marriage, reinforcing relationships, loyalty, and mutual support, with variations in rituals and customs across regions.
Karwa Chauth is also known as Charak Chaturthi. It is mostly celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and in some parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as well on the fourth day after Purnima in the month of Kartik. Married women keep Nirjala Vrat (fasting without drinking water) on this day.
This year in 2024, Karwa Chauth is to be celebrated on October 20 on Sunday. On this day women worship Karva Mata. Karwa Chauth will begin on October 20 at 6:46 AM and end on October 21 at 4:16 AM. The puja muhurta will start from 5:45 PM and end on 7:01 PM on October 20. Women who are celebrating, will fast from 6:24 AM to 7:53 PM on October 20, and will break their fast after moonrise. The moonrise time is at 7:53 PM. However, please note that moonrise times may vary depending on your location.
Married women eat Sargi before the sunrise as it is the part of the ritual, Sargi is the first and only meal that they eat before starting the fast. It consists of dry fruits, halwa, kheer, fruits and other food items that are usually prepared by their mother-in-law. After Sargi, married women gather all together to enjoy Maa karwa’s katha and later when the moon is out in the night sky they see the reflection of the moon and then their husbands though Chhani, drink water and break the fast. They get ready in bright colours, apply henna in their hands and get decked up with beautiful jewellery.
On Karwa Chauth, women begin by waking up early, bathing, and cleaning home and temple. They perform puja to all deities and take a vow to observe the fast. In the evening, they read the Karwa Chauth story during the auspicious time, then worship the moon and offer arghya after sighting it. After that they look at their husband through a sieve, perform his arti, and finally, break the fast by drinking water from his hands.
With every passing year, Karwa Chauth reinforces the sacred bond between husbands and wives, inspiring generations to cherish the beauty of marriage, built on foundations of trust, loyalty, and unconditional love.
