Karwachauth Special

It is a festival celebrated annually by married Hindu women symbolizing love & matrimony. This is celebrated by the women from Northern India, and Western India. The fasting is observed from sunrise to moonrise for the longevity, safety and prosperity of their husbands. The word “Karva” means earthen pot and “Chauth” means fourth referencing that the festival falls on fourth day of the lunar Hindu month.

Inspired by Bollywood, today younger generation and women from other parts of India are embracing the ritual as well. There are different stories behind the origin of Karwachauth. Let me share the story I grew up with which is the story of Veeravati.

Story of VeeraVati:

“A beautiful queen called Veervati was the only sister of seven loving brothers. She spent her first Karva Chauth as a married woman at her parents’ house. She began a strict fast after sunrise but, by evening, was desperately waiting for the moonrise as she suffered severe thirst and hunger. Her seven brothers couldn’t bear to see their sister in such distress and created a mirror in a pipal tree that made it look as though the moon had risen. The sister mistook it for the moon and broke her fast. The moment she ate, word arrived that her husband, the king, was dead. Heartbroken, she wept through the night until her shakti compelled a Goddess to appear and ask why she cried. When the queen explained her distress, the Goddess revealed how she had been tricked by her brothers and instructed her to repeat the Karva Chauth fast with complete devotion. When Veervati repeated the fast, Yama was forced to restore her husband to life.”

Karwachauth Rituals:

Shopping: Women start the festival shopping a few days before which includes items for adornment such as bangles, a new sari, jewelry, food items, makeup etc.
Mehndi: They adorn their hands & feet with henna a night before
Sargi: This is a combination of a few things. Sargi is something that you mother in-law gives it you to begin the fast. Sargi includes items such as bindi, mehndi, sweets, fruits, etc. Women eat their sargi before the sunrise.
Evening Puja: This is where all the women get together at a temple or someone’s house to perform the pooja which is suppose to be done before it gets dark.
Moonrise Puja: The time when a women breaks her fast by offering prayers, drinking water and a sweet offeredby her husband.

I still remember my childhood days when I used to go with my mom to do the rituals and loved it. I used to help my mom pick her outfit and the jewelry to go with it. The colors chosen for Karwachauth usually are red, pink, burgundy or orange tones which are auspicious (shagun) colors in Indian culture.

Few Recipes that we make on Karwachauth:

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