The fast of Karwa Chauth holds special importance for Hindu women, observed in the Ashwin month on the Chaturthi of Shukla Paksha, and is very special for married couples.
On this day, married women eat Sargi before sunrise stay without food and water for the whole day, and pray for the long life of their husbands.
Karwa Chauth 2023 Date
The married women worship Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati during the night and pray for the husband’s healthy, happy, and long life. After this, women break their fast by taking water from the hands of their husbands only after seeing the moon in the evening.
Krishna Paksha Chaturthi starts on October 31, 9:30 pm to November 01, 9:19 pm. So 2023’s Karka Chaturthi or Karva Chauth falls on Wednesday 1 November, you should observe the Nirjala Vrat for Karwa Chauth on November 1. Now, as per the Drik Panchang, Karwa Chauth puja Muhurat will start at 05:36 pm and end at 06:54 pm.
The Karwa Chauth Upavasa time begins from 7:32 am to 8:10 pm on November 1.
The fast is observed during Krishna Paksha Chaturthi of Kartik month and the Drik Panchang says that according to the Amanta calendar which is followed in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Southern India, Karwa Chauth falls in Ashwin month. However, it is observed on the same day in all states, and only the name of the month differs.
Legends Related to Karwa Chauth
The most common legend behind this festival is of the beautiful queen, Veeravati. The queen was one sister among her seven brothers. They loved her a lot. On her first Karva Chauth, after her marriage, she was at her parents’ house. She kept her fast and was feeling very hungry and was waiting for the moon to rise soon.
On seeing their sister so troubled, the brothers asked her to break the fast but she didn’t agree. Seeing her go through such pain, they tricked her and placed a mirror in a Pipal tree, and this looked like a moonrise. They created a fake moon to make her believe that it has risen. She believed them, and the moment she ate, she came to know that her husband has died.
Another legend is linked with a story in Mahabharata. Draupadi had kept this fast to pray for the safety and long life of her husband. During Arjun’s penance in the Nilgiris, the other Pandava brothers faced lots of struggles in his absence. Draupadi then approached Lord Krishna and asked for his help. Lord Krishna then told her that Goddess Parvati had also kept a fast for her husband like this once. This inspired her and she kept this fast of Karwa Chauth and soon the Pandavas were able to succeed.
The next belief is of a woman whose name was Karva. She was a very devoted wife. She was once having a bath in a river, and her husband was caught by a crocodile. She immediately put a cotton yarn across the crocodile and prayed to the God of death-Yama to descend him to hell.
When he refused to help her, she cursed God and warned him that she will destroy him. Afraid of her curse, Yama sent the crocodile to hell and granted long life to Karva’s husband. And they both lived happily.
Importance of Karwa Chauth
From a practical point of view, the fasting of Karva Chauth strengthens the relationship between husband and wife. On the other hand, staying hungry and thirsty for the whole day, and praying for the long life of the husband, indicates the dedication of the wife to the husband. At the same time, the husband also shows his love by giving gifts to his wife. In the holy scriptures, the Karva Chauth fast is known as a fast of prosperity for women.
How is Karwa Chauth Celebrated?
On Karwa Chauth, married women adorn new clothes, mostly in red, and apply henna on their hands signifying the love of their husbands. The women keeping a fast on this day come together and celebrate it while narrating legends related to it, the Vrat Katha, and singing songs, all of this turns the day into a lively festival.
Later at night, after the moon rises, women break their fast by offering water to the moon.
Karwa Chauth Puja Vidhi
On the day of Karva Chauth, install idols or pictures of Lord Shiva, Maa Gauri, and Ganesha, a lotus filled with water or a Kalash at the northeast. Put rice in the Kalash. Now tie roli, rice tika on the urn, and molly on the neck of the lotus. Next, Goddess Gauri is worshipped and adorned with vermilion.
After this, with four puris and four laddus at three different places one on the Kalash and the other on the Karva, the third one is tied on the side of the. Next, the women read the story by lighting a lamp of ghee in front of Mother Goddess and performing the aarti at the end. The women then offer the water-filled urn to the moon. Finally, the husband breaks the fast by offering you water and something to drink.
