Karwa Chauth-a festival for wedded bliss

India is a country full of fairs and festivals. Here, in India every season or month is attached with one or more festivals. People of every community celebrates these festivals with utmost joy and enthusiasm.

Just few days back we have celebrated the ten days long Dusshera and Durga Puja festivals and now, its time for Karwa Chauth. It is going to observe on 7th October, 2009.

Karwa chauth is a festival that is mostly solemnized by the married Hindu and Sikh ladies of north-western India. This glorified festival falls in Autumn season and observe on the fourth day after the full moon in Kartik month of Hindu calender ie October or November.

Mostly married women celebrates this festival for bestowing wedded bliss. It is a celebration that invigorate the eternal love and devotion between both husband and wife. Few days before, Karva Chauth ladies purchase some new Karvas, the spherical clay pots and decorate them with beautiful designs. They keep bangles, ribbons, home-made sweets, make-up items, and small clothes like handkerchief etc inside the pot.

There are variations within regions, groups, and communities in India about rituals of starting and breaking the fast, and worshiping the moon. In Punjab, mother-in-law gives or sent sergi to her daughter-in-law during wee hours, which includes sweets, dry fruits like cashew nuts, pea nuts, pista, almonds, clothes, red bangles, bindis, red vermilion and some gold jeweleries.

After savoring food items that are included in sergi before dawn, ladies take bathe, wear new sari and adorned their palms with henna and other accessories and worship to God. They keep a whole day long fast without consuming any food or water for the longevity and welfare of their husbands.

In late afternoon, ladies gather at a common place and listen to the Karwa Chauth Katha (the legend) which is narrated to them by an elderly lady. After the moon rise, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. Thereafter, they offer water to the moon and seek blessings from God for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands. After this, women breaks their fast by drinking some water from husband's hand. This mark the end of a day long fast.

Posted by Jolly Mazumdar