Karva Chauth is a very trendy festival that is celebrated among the married Hindu women belonging to northern and western parts of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. This year Karva Chauth falls on Friday, 30th October that happens nine days earlier of the Diwali festival. On this day women pray for the long life of their hubbies, and also for their happy married life. Karva Chauth includes fasting, festivity, fun, and feasting at last. This occasion is also considered as one of the biggest festivals rejoiced by Hindu women.

Happy Karva Chauth (www.bharatmoms.com)

Karva Chauth Festivity

Karva Chauth pre-celebrations begin with women applying mehendi on their hands. The daughter-in-laws of the house do shopping of outfits and various gift items for their mother-in-laws. Even their mother-in-laws in return present their bahus with new bangles, sindoor, along with new make-up kits.

Pre-celebrations of Karva Chauth (www.elitehandicrafts.com)

On the Karwa Chauth day, the married girls awaken early before sun rises. Covering their head with red duppatta, they pray for their husbands’ long lives. Then they take the blessings of their mothers-in-law by touching their feet as they wish them long married life together with their hubbies. Women feast on traditional delicious meal, “sargi” that includes sweets, vermicelli with garnished dry fruits, mathri, coconut pieces and fruits. The married women dress themselves as newly bride in red and maroon color traditional sarees or salwar-suits along with matching jewellery, bangles, and also adorn traditional shringar.  They look absolutely gorgeous and elegant in their style.

Early morning preparations by married women (www.shaadiekhas.com)

Ritual Practices of Karva Chauth

Married women fast the whole day without even having water for their husbands’ longevity, and thus stay away from executing any household works. From the start of the afternoon, they decorate their thali for the evening puja, and get ready in traditional outfits such as sarees, salwar kameez, or lehengas.

Evening prayers (www.sagennext.com)

Between 4 and 5 pm before the sun sets, the married ladies meet together in their house compound, and sit in a big circle surrounding a 2-inch idol of Goddess Gauri as per the ritual. They listen to the story of Karva Chauth, sing songs of Karva Chauth, and also pass their thalis. When this puja gets completed, the young married women seek blessings by touching their elders for a flourishing married life.

Anjali (Kajol) and Rahul (Shah Rukh) celebrating Karva Chauth from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham movie (www.india.com)

Ritual Performance When Moon Is Visible

Here the married women wait eagerly for the moon to be visible in the sky. Actually on this Karva Chauth day moon takes too long to be visible in the sky clearly. When moon comes out, women hold their puja thali in the balcony, and see the moon through their sieve. They then offer rice as well as water to moon, thus closing their eyes and praying for the husbands’ long life. Now they drink water from the hands of their husbands, and drink water, and also touch their feet. Women share sweets with their hubbies in order to rejoice the end of the whole day fast, followed by feast with their whole family.

Karva Chauth Puja seeing the moon (www.giftsofindia24*7.com)

Thus, Karva Chauth comes once a year and it is happily celebrated by all the North Indian women. Indian women residing in abroad celebrate this lovely occasion over there.

Women pray for the longevity of their husbands (www.hdlatestimages.com)

Hope all the married girls and women have a great time with their friends and family from the evening till late night on Karva Chauth, Friday, 30th October at their place!

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Sanghamitra Roychoudhary

Sanghamitra Roychoudhary

Author at w3buzz.in
A proficient Web Content Developer (Technical and Non-Technical Writer), Blogger, and Freelance Content Writer. A happy author of www.w3buzz.in! She is a creative person, always eager to learn new aspects, and seeking new ways for improving skills in her field. She loves traveling & photography; also, a sports enthusiast!
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Sanghamitra Roychoudhary

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