Karwa  Chauth (08-Oct-2017)

We all know about the Karadaiyan Nombu that is famous in the southern part of India. This Karwa  Chauth is a similar festival celebrated by the Northern Part of India for the longevity of their husbands.

Let’s learn how women fast for this festival, when is the festival celebrated and what do women do on this day?!

When is the festival?

The Karwa chauth festival is celebrated 9 days before the Diwali festival.

In the year 2017 it falls on 8-Oct.

Who celebrate this festival?

Women of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab observe fast and celebrate this festival. Sometimes unmarried women also observe the fast to beget an ideal husband.

Timing of fast:

From Sunrise to Moonrise.

Karwa chauth pooja muhurth 2017

Karwa Chauth Muhurth is the exact duration of time within which puja can be performed. To be prcise the whole duration for Karwa Chauth Pooja on 8th of October is 1 hour and 14 mins.

Start time of Karwa Chauth puja is 5.54 PM.

End time of Karwa Chauth puja is 7:09 PM.

Moonrise time on karwa chauth 2017

Moon rise time on Karwa Chauth day will be at: 8:11 PM.

How is the Karwa  Chauth Puja performed?

The Pooja preparations begin a day in advance. Women purchase kumkum or bindis, other traditional embellishments along with pooja items like karwa, matti, henna.,Etc..

The food is prepared and consumed before sunrise. Rest of the day time women engage themselves in decorating the pooja thali and beautifying them. The apply mehandi on their hands and feet. They also visit their near and dear ones.

In the evening women gather at a common place like temple or a garden or someones’ place who has arranged the pooja. An elderly lady or the pujarin narrates the legend of Karwa Chauth.

A special mud pot, that is considered lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parvati and some, mathi, fruits and food grains are kept in the place of pooja. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller.

In the olden days an idol of Gaur Mata was made using clay and cowdung. Now just an idol of Goddess Parwati is kept. Every one lights an earthen lamp in their thalis(plates) while listening to the Karwa story. Sindoor (Kumkum) , incense sticks and rice are also kept in the thali.

At this time the women wear heavy saris or chunries in red , pink or other bridal colors, and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married women like, nose pin, tika, bindi, chonp, bangles, earrings etc.

How do they conclude the fast or festival?

Once the moon rises, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. They offer water to the moon and seek blessings. They pray for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands. This marks the end of the day long fast.

So why should I see the Moon On Karwa  Chauth to end the fast?

The Moon plays a major role during Karwa Chauth celebrations. It is the sighting of the Moon that allows the women to break their fast. The procedure observed is, women first see the Moon through the filter (sieve) and then see their beloved or husbands. Once that is done, the ladies are fed with sweet or milk, thus breaking the fast. (Like the ones that we see in the Vijay Tv serials) Also, as per beliefs, the couple enjoys a prosperous married life that lasts for as many pores as there are in the sieve. It is believed that the ritual of looking at the husband through the sieve removes all the evil effects from him.