A CLAY POT AND CHAUTH

Moon was never more beautiful… :)

Karva Chauth, karva (karuaa) means a clay pot, and chauth (from char meaning four) corresponds to the fourth. Specifically, in this case Chauth (signifying the day of Karva Chauth festival) is the fourth night (day) after the Full Moon in Kartik month (of Hindu calendar) following the Autumnal Equinox.

The idea behind Karva Chauth is very sweet and noble,celebrated by all married Hindu women. They observe a fast for the long life of her husband and in the evening, they adorn bridal makeup.

Marriages in India are a sacred union of not just two individuals but also two families. Many such successful unions are testament to the fact that marriages are considered with utmost seriousness in India and are lifelong alliances.

Fasts are kept by married hindu women and they pray for the long life of their husbands. Lot of tradition is associated with the festival of Karwa Chauth. Breaking the day long fasting after moon-sighting is one such long tradition which has been passed over from one generation to the other. The fasting ritual during Karwa Chauth signifies the unending love, respect and devotion of a wife towards her husband.

On the festive day married women wears special clothes usually red or pink saree/ suit, adorn themselves with best jewelry, colorful bangles, bindi and vermilion on the forehead and apply design patterns of heena (Mehendi) on both hands.

Karwa Chauth Rituals

There are some differences in Karva Chauth rituals about starting and breaking the fast, and worshipping the moon within regions, groups, and communities in India. On the day of Karvachauth, married women get up early in the morning and perform their ablutions. Karva Chauth is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and their son Kartikeya (Lord Muruga). They are worshiped on this day along with the 10 ‘karwas’ (earthen pots) filled with sweets.

Married women start observing fast before sunrise and ends only after offering prayers and worshipping the moon. They won’t even take food or a drop of water till the moon is sighted. In the late afternoon women gather at a common place like temple, an elderly lady or the pujarin narrates the legend and history of Karwa Chouth.

Once the moon rises, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. They pray for their husband’s well-being and long life, and break their fast after offering water to the moon. Then they receive their first bite of food and water from their husbands. This marks the end of the day long Karwa Chauth fast.

There are differences in how the fast begins and ends depending on where you are from in India. For example, in Punjab, the women start their fast after eating sergi, food sent or given by their mother-in-laws, before dawn. After sunrise and before moonrise, women do not eat or drink anything. They don't even drink water.

The wives would paint their hands and feet with henna.

The women decorate their pooja (prayer) thalis (plates) for when they do prayers in the evenings. The thali holds a karwa, clay pot and a metal urn filled with water

All the women who are observing this karwa chauth gather in a circle. They all exchange their thalis seven times around the circle. They chant a prayer while exchanging the thalis.

The women see the reflection of the moon on the water in the metal urn once the moon rises. They offer water and seek blessings. They then turn to their husbands and touch their feet to get their blessings. This ends the day of their fast.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

God Is My Business Partner

Shri Krishna – The Teacher of Teachers

POVERTY IN INDIA