Karva Chauth, is a Hindu festival, which is celebrated for a day, in the Northern parts of our country. During this day, married women fast from Sunrise to Sunset, asking for her husband’s safety and long life. This ritual is celebrated in the states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, etc. This festival falls in the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartik and is followed four days after the full moon day. On this day, including married women, unmarried women also follow this ritual, for their fiancée or future husbands.
This festival originated and being celebrated only in Northern states of the Indian subcontinent. This festival came into existence, when men were allotted in far off places during war or training, which compels them to leave their wife and children, in their home town. Under such circumstances, their spouses will pray god for their husband’s safe return, from war. This festival also coincides with the beginning of Rabi crop cycle.
Rituals and Celebrations of Karva Chauth 2018:
A few days before the actual festival, women purchase clay pots in spherical shape, with 7” – 9” diameter and with a capacity of 2 – 3 litre. They decorate this clay pot with colours and on the festival day, they place bangles, ribbons, sweets inside this clay pot. This clay pot is known as a Karva. Women who are visiting one another on this special day, exchange these karvas, with their neighbours. Including this, before the day of this festival, they also purchase new cosmetics, jewelry, puja items and Karva lamps.
On this day, married women start their fasting during the dawn and they do not have any eatables or drinks before dawn, as well. Women who are fasting are not required to do any household work. Instead, they apply henna to themselves and to others on this day and also meet their friends and relatives. During the dusk time, a small ceremony is held, in which only women are allowed to participate.
Women are dressed up for attending this function and this function is named as a fera ceremony. After this ceremony, once the moon appears, according to the region, married women view their husbands face as a reflection in the water or through a sieve or through a nice material like dupatta. With this ceremony, the fasting comes to an end and husband’s feed their wife with a sip of water or something sweet.
Date, Puja Time and Muhurat of Karva Chauth 2018:
Since this festival falls on the fourth day of month Kartik, according to the Hindu calendar, its Gregorian dates tend to change. It usually falls in the month of October and sometimes on November.
- Date: Sunday, October 28, 2018
- Puja Time: 19:36 – 20:41
- Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes
- Moon rise on Karva Chauth: 23:27