Karwa Chauth
A fast observed by married women for the well-being and long life of their husbands.
तिथी व समय: Chaturthi (fourth day) of the Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Kartik, usually in October or November, about 9 days before Diwali.
महत्व एवं कथा (Significance)
Karwa Chauth is a day-long fast, from sunrise to moonrise, observed mainly by married Hindu women in North India for the health, prosperity, and long life of their husbands. Some unmarried women observe it too, for a good future spouse.
The fast is broken only after sighting the moon in the night sky, traditionally viewed through a sieve, followed by looking at the husband's face — after which the husband offers his wife water and food to break the fast. The festival's name comes from 'karwa' (a small earthen pot used in the puja) and 'chauth' (the fourth day).
पूजा विधि व परंपराएँ (Rituals & Customs)
- A pre-dawn meal (sargi), often given by the mother-in-law, before the fast begins
- A day-long fast without food or water
- Evening puja to Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Karwa Mata
- Sighting the moon through a sieve and then the husband's face
- Breaking the fast with water and food offered by the husband