In our culture, the Karwa Chauth is an important festival for all
married women. From sunrise till moonrise, she keeps a fast for the
safety of her husband. Keeping a fast without drinking water and eating
any food all through the day seems to be a difficult one but the doting
wives performs all these with much love and respect in their head and
heart for their husbands.
The meaning of Karwa Chauth is offering Argya to the moon using an earthen pot known as Karwa on the Chaturthi of the Karthika month. It falls on the fourth day of the dark fortnight in the Kartika month every year. The origin of this festival is still very hazy but there are definitely some anecdotes associated with this festival.
History of Karwa Chauth:
There are
several stories related to Karwa Chuath and how the festival came into
being. While some are from mythology, some are also related to
circumstances due to which it started.
Once upon a time
there was a beautiful queen named Veervati who was the only sister among
seven loving and caring brothers. In one of the Karwa Chauth she was at
her parents place and began a strict fast after sunrise. In the evening
she was waiting eagerly for the moonrise as she was suffering from
hunger and thirst. The brothers were pained by seeing their sister in
suffering. So, they created a mirror in a Pipal tree that made it look
as if the Moon is up in the sky. Now, the moment Veervati broke her
fast, the news that her husband is dead arrived. She kept on weeping and
that's when a Goddess arrived in front and revealed that she was
tricked by her brothers. Now, she kept the Karwa Cahuth fast with full
devotion and seeing the dedication, Yama, the lord of death restored
life to her husband.
There was a woman named Karwa who was
deeply in love with her husband and this intense love gave her lots of
spiritual powers. Once her husband was bathing in a river and that was
when he was attacked by a crocodile. Now the courageous Karwa bound the
crocodile with a cotton yarn and remembered Yama the Lord of death. Yama
was seriously afraid of being cursed by such a devoted and doting wife
and thus he sent the crocodile to hell and gave life back to her
husband. The Story of Satyavan and Savitri: It is said that when Yama,
the God of death came to acquire Satyavan's life, Savitri begged in
front of Yama to grant him life. But Yama was adamant and seeing that
Savitri stopped eating and drinking and followed Yama as he took her
husband away. Yama now said Savitri that she can ask of any other boon
except the life of her husband. Savitri being a very clever woman asked
Yama that she wants to be blessed with children. She is a devoted and
loyal wife and won't let any kind of adultery. Thus, Yama had to restore
the life into Satyavan so that Savitri can have children.
Significance of Karwa Chauth-
It is believed that once a married woman begins observing the Karwa
Chauth fast, she should continue to do so for as long as her husband is
alive. Some women who have health issues or are elderly, observe it like
a regular fast where they drink water or juice and consume fruits
during the day. However, newly-wedded women are expected to observe the
fast by giving up food and water the entire day.
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