The day of Karva Chauth is celebrated mostly amongst the entire North Indian community settled either in India and other parts of the world. The most important aspect of this day is that a dawn to dusk fast is undertaken by the North Indian ladies and seeing the moon they finally break the fast.
Karwa Chauth is a festival that provides an opportunity for all married women to get close to their in-laws.
All married women observes fast that ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. This
Hindu festival has a cultural and social significance and all Indians celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm.
The festival of Karwa Chauth is celebrated mostly by North India. This event is growing bigger with each passing day.Karva Chauth is a complete ladies special day.Henna application is an age old tradition that symbolizes luck and prosperity.
Henna or Mehndi is considered to be auspicious for married women, and is a necessary part of the Karva Chauth ritual.It is believed that married woman who get dark color from mehendi will get a loads of love and caring from her groom.
It is the most important and difficult fast observed by married Hindu women.It begins before sunrise and ends only after offering prayers and worshipping the moon at night.No food or water can be taken after sunrise. The fast is broken once the moon is sighted and rituals of the day have been performed. At night when the moon appears, women break their fast after offering water to the moon.
The festival is celebrated nine days before Diwali, or the festival of lights, on the fourth day of the waning moon in the Hindu month of Kartik, around October-November.A sudden flurry of activities in the evening indicates that the preparations for the big puja are a foot.The women of the neighborhood usually gather in someone’s house and perform the puja together.
"Addey-addey Krishna Pakshe Var
Tith Karva Chauth
Manse hain apne suhag ke liye
Yeh karva, mattri, halwa, sari, nagdi
Apne suhag ka liye rani ka sa raj dena
Gaur ka sa suhag dena Shri Krishna nimant"
On this day women get up before sunrise. They worship Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh, Kartikeya and the moon. Gods blessings are invoked for longevity and prosperity of their husbands and children. Mothers-in-law give their daughters-in-law food called 'Sargi' to eat before sunrise, as the fast starts before sunrise and ends only after worshiping the moon at night.
It is believed that every suhagin should dress up like a bride as it is considered as the most important festival
of her married life. Whether it is cloth seller, mehendi artists or bangle sellers, huge women crowd can be seen at every place.
The women sit around this image with their bayas. Each woman also places a karva or a pitcher full of water and seven pieces of pua in front of her. It is adorned with kharia, aipun and a little roli. A red thread is tied around the karva. At the beginning of the puja, women apply the roli teeka to Goddess Gauri and also to themselves. With the thumb and the third finger of the right hand, water is sprinkled on the image of the goddess. The same procedure is repeated with aipun and roli. Lastly, rice is showered on the image.
