All posts relating to Karwa Chauth

Hi,

I know Kawa Chauth is already over, but I'm sure this info will be useful for new brides who will be undertaking this fast for the first time, nxt yr.


~*~Karwa Chauth Puja Process~*~

The fast of Karwa Chauth is kept 9 days before Diwali. It falls on the fourth day of the Kartik month by the Hindu calendar (fourth day of the waning moon or the dark fortnight).

The Ritual

Karwa Chauth is considered one of the most important fasts observed by the married Hindu women. On this day the women pray for the welfare and long life of their husbands. The festival is followed mainly in the northern parts of the country.

Married women eat food early in the morning, before sunrise. They are not supposed to eat or even drink water during the day. In the evening the ladies listen to the Karwa Chauth Katha (the legend). The fast is over after the moonrise.

The Puja Process

The pooja preparations start a day in advance. Married women buy the shringar or the traditional adornments and the other pooja items like the karwa, matthi, heena etc.

Early in the morning they prepare food and have it before sunrise. The morning passes by in other festive activities like decorating hand and feet with heena, decorating the pooja thali and meeting friends and relatives.

In the late afternoon women gather at a common place like temple or a garden or someones' place who has arranged the pooja. An elderly lady or the pujarin narrates the legend of Karwa Chouth.

The essentials of this gathering and listening of the Karwa chauth story , a special mud pot, that is considered a symbol of lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some fruits, mathi and food grains. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller.

Earlier an idol of Gaur Mata was made using earth and cowdung. Now just an idol of Goddess Parwati is kept. Every one lights an earthen lamp in their thalis while listening to the Karwa story. Sindoor, incense sticks and rice are also kept in the thali.

At this time the women wear heavy saris or chunries in red , pink or other bridal colors, and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married women like, nose pin, tika, bindi, chonp, bangles, earrings etc.

Once the moon rises, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. They offer water to the moon and seek blessings. They pray for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands. This marks the end of the day long fast.

~*~Karwa Chauth Items~*~

Karwa Chauth is a fast undertaken by married Hindu women who offer prayers seeking the welfare, prosperity, well-being, and longevity of their husbands. This festival requires a through planning before the actual date and the following list of items can prove to be handful, especially for women who are doing their first Karva Chauth vrat.

Food Items

• Sargi: which includes pheni (a sweet made of milk and semolina), a dish made of some cereal like parantha , sweets and fruits
• Ten matthis with ten puas (a sweet made of jaggery)
• Halwa

Sringar or Beauty Essential Items

• Mehndi (Henna) on palms and feet.
• Colourful glass bangles.
• Makeup items like Bindi, sindoor, lipstick, rouge, kajal, eye-liner, mascara etc.
• Jewelry - Mangalsutra, maangtika, rings, bangles, necklace, earrings, payal, toe-rings, nosepin etc.

Cloth Items

• Baya (gifts for the mother-in-law - ideally, a sari)
• A set of new clothes

Puja Items

• Platform for the puja
• Cowdung to make the image of the goddess
• Tika
• Nath
• Sindur
• A strand of red thread
• Karva (vessel containing water)
• A plate
• Cash
• Other Puja items

• Cheers,
• Daffodil

mumbai walion ,ek saheli ki madhat karoghe ?? pls pls..

ok,,iss saal I am thinking of keeping karva chauth for my husband. I have no idea whatsoever about this..just that you have to fast the whole day till you see the moon. I need help..as to how the whole process goes :

I understand that by sunset we have to eat .and after that no eating or drinking .. are we allowed to sip some water ?

Also, are there poojas to do ? how to do pooja and what do we need to prepare for the pooja ?
What time should the pooja be done ?

When we see the moon, what do we need to do and how do we break the fast ..

Please help !!

Hi peekyboo,

Check these threads on the same topic.
Hope it helps.

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/ar...a-process.html
Karwa Chauth
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/fu...wa-chauth.html

Hey thanks ..those links really helped..2 confusions... arent we supposed to look at the moon and then look at our husband face thru the sieve ??

Also,some say you can still drink some water thru the day ?? is it true ?

Where can I download the story from ?

can anyone pls reply ...

Hey peekyboo,

We have a similar festival by the name Teej where we fast all day for our husbands.

Ideally you have to first see the moon through the seive & then your spouse.
where fasting is concerned there are ladies who do nirjal fasting.. which means not taking water as well, while there are others who take water & tea.
It all depends if how your body takes it..
In Teej after you finish your evening puja/prayers, you cannot have a drop of water unless you see the moon..
This is ideally for max period of 3-4 hrs..
Don't know whether I hv been of much help..hopefully other Punjabi ladies can chip in their views.

Hey ladies..

Karva chauth falls on saturday, oct. 18 this year - I have a wedding to attend and I saw the moon does not pop up till 9 PM and this will be my first karva chauth.. i most likely will be starving myself.. DH tells me to eat right after sunset (he thinks I'm nuts to even fast especially at a wedding).. I have never really participated in karva chauth fasting.. I think my friends and family will laugh at me b/c they see me as a tomboy.. but whatever.. please advise.. any tips, pointers..

thank you in advance..

Mrs.V
Though I am from the south, I have lived near Delhi and so have followed this special event some years.
I have seen locally many do not observe this.
Like all other religious aspects and occasions it is up to the observer to decide whether to follow or not.
My local friends who observe do not eat before seeing the moon which could easily be upwards of 9pm.
They fast and spend their evenings in prayers and then breakfast quite late in the evening/ night.
Its really up to you I think to observe the fast or not.

Hi tr,
well there is a big confusion as in India its being celebrated on 17th oct but on the internet it says 18th.
Does anyone know about it?
I am very confused

dear V
WE IN INDIA WILL FAST ON THE17TH
so u c, ur problem is solved.. u can observe the same on the 17th
happy first karvachauth to u.
and please u should observe the same with reverence, as otherwise it is not worth it. doing it just because others wish it should not force u. these things r faith and one should observe with faith.