Married women eat food early in the morning, before sunrise. They are not supposed to eat or even drink water during the day. In the evening the ladies listen to the Karwa Chauth Katha (the legend). Once the moon rises, the women look at 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.

Karwa Chauth Thali Decoration

A decorated thali is very important for performing the Karva Chauth puja. A puja thali, also known as Baya, contains the roli, vermilion, sacred water, dry fruits like almonds, pishta, etc., earthen clay pots, diyas and various types of Indian sweets, in their respective katoris, is tastefully decorated. The art of creating attractive thalis for puja may also contain ritualistic decorations like rangoli and alpana. Puja thali can be decorated with floral designs using flowers, leaves, color, and also with multicolored pulses.

On this auspicious day, Ma Gauri, or goddess Parvati is worshiped. Married women sit around Gauri ma and pray to her for the well-being and long life of their husbands. A small pitcher or Karva with some water is placed in the center. While the story is being narrated, ladies circulate their decorated Baya thalis. After the puja, this thali is given to the eldest member of the family who blesses the woman with all the happiness in life.

Nowadays customized Karwa Chauth pooja thali is also available online. A photo of husband and wife is printed on puja thali.

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Steps to Keep Karwa Chauth Vrat

According to the rules, women must not engage in any household chores on the day of Karwa Chauth. They need to apply mehndi, wear traditional clothes, jewellery and dress up for the pooja and celebrations.
Using sharp objects such as needles, knives, scissors are to be strictly avoided.
Any kind of situation that arises conflict must be avoided by women. As Karwa Chauth is the celebration of togetherness and love, any kind of impolite behavior or confrontation must be avoided on this day.
Women must not consume meals containing onion and garlic.
On this day, women need to wake up early, freshen up, get dressed and eat the Sargi prepared by their mother-in-law before sunrise.
Women are not allowed to eat anything during the Karwa Chauth fast. They should not even drink anything before they break their fast, so it is crucial that they eat filling food and drink enough water to keep them going through the day.
Fasting women must begin their meal with something sweet to ensure harmony and positivity in their married lives.
The above-mentioned rules are to be followed by women while keeping the Karwa Chauth vrat. It is extremely crucial to know how to properly break the fast as well. Otherwise, the entire process remains incomplete and becomes futile. Below are some of the rules that need to be followed in order to properly break the Karwa Chauth fast.

Steps to Break Karwa Chauth Vrat

The Karwa Chauth pooja thali must be prepared before breaking the fast. The thali usually contains a diya, a lota, and a mathi.
Women must see the moon through a sieve or channi in order to break their fast. The lit diya must be placed in the channi.
Then women need to pour water from the lota downwards in the moon’s direction along with mathi thrown as offerings.
After seeing the moon through the sieve women have to look at their husbands’ faces through the same sieve and pray for their long lives and good health.
The husband then offers some water and food to the fasting wife and breaks her fast.
After the women break their fast, they take the blessings of the elders in the family and have their dinner.

Conclusion

Karwa Chauth vrat is one of the most crucial fasts in the history of Hindu rituals. Wives are not allowed to eat even a bite of food or a drop of water after sunrise. They have to wait till the moon becomes visible in order to break the fast. The sky usually stays cloudy on the day of this festival, hence the fasting women have to wait till 8 or 9 pm for the moon to rise. It is very difficult to go about an entire day without a crumb of food or a drop of water, but women happily do this for their husbands’ well-being. So, it’s only humane to be nice and appreciate the fasting women who sacrifice so much for their loving husbands on this day and every day.

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For all Indians, marriage is the most sacred bond of their whole life. So, the festival is celebrated with so much enthusiasm and joy among married women. On the auspicious day of karwa chauth, married women dress up in their best clothing, and jewelry, and apply mehendi on their hands. They keep fast for the whole day without taking even a single drop of water. In the evening, they break their day-long fast after watching the moon in night and eating food from their husband.

The Rituals

The fast of Karwa Chauth kept by Indian women is the most difficult fast for the long life and prosperity of their husbands. On the festive day, married women wear special clothes usually red or pink saree/suit. They adorn themselves with best jewelry, colorful bangles, bindi and apply mehndi designs on both palms. In the evening, they worship Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Kartikeya, and a Kalash or Karwa filled with sweets.

Significance of ‘Sargi’ & ‘Baya’

In some regions, women start their day by consuming food called ‘Sargi’ given by their mother-in-law to eat before sunrise. They receive ‘Baya’ or a basket containing sweets, fruits, and saree meant for mothers-in-law in the evening. Then, women from the neighbourhood assemble at a commonplace to worship Goddess Gauri and an elderly woman of family narrates the story of Karwa Chauth. After that, they all wait for the moon rise. Once the moon appears, they offer water and break their fast by seeing their husband through sieve. Nowadays, customized Karwa Chauth pooja thali is also available online on which photo of husband and wife is printed.

The festival of Karva Chauth is a day to keep fast by the married women for their husbands. They keep the to pray for the welfare and long life of their husbands. The festival brings married women closer to their Mother-in-laws. Karwa Chauth is also marked by gathering friends and relatives. All the decorations, jewelry, heena and joyous atmosphere signifies the splendor and happiness of married life.

Exchange of Karwa Chauth Gifts

Apart from all these, any Indian festival is never complete without exchange of Gifts. After performing all the rituals, women receive expensive and unique gifts from their husbands. The market offers a wide array of Karwachauth Gifts to make your wives on this special day. Sending Gifts on this occasion is a way to convey that you love and care for her. This shows the glorifying face of Karwa Chauth.

All the married women observe fast on Karvachauth and pray for the prosperity and longevity of their husbands. The fast kept by women signifies utmost love and devotion of a wife to her husband. Order Karwa Chauth pooja thali online.

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Karva Chauth Celebration in India

Karvachauth, the day for fasting has become more important and the Karva Chauth celebration in India more elaborate with each passing day. Although the Halwais, the Mehendi and Churiwallis have a busy schedule on this auspicious day. But joining the bandwagon in recent times are the beauty parlour owners, the event managers and the restaurant owners. Various clubs organize special events on this festive day with stalls, tambola and even dance competitions. With so much feasting and fun added to it, there could not be a better fasting occasion than this one.

A Typical Karva Chauth Day

On this day women get up before sunrise. They worship Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh, Kartikeya, and the moon. Gods blessings are invoked for longevity and prosperity of their husbands. Mothers-in-law give their daughters-in-law food called ‘Sargi’ to eat before sunrise, as the fast begins before sunrise and ends only after worshiping the moon at night.

Before evening, the married woman receives the baya or a basket full of goodies from her mother, which is meant for the mother-in-law. The basket contains sweets, mathadi, fruits and a sari. In the evenings, the women dress up in their best finery. After dressing up, she receives Karva Chauth gifts from her mother-in-law. Before the sun sets, the puja chowk is beautifully decorated and a small platform is prepared against a wall. On this, the image of Gauri Mata or Goddess Parvati is placed. In the olden days, this image was made of cow-dung.

The Karwa Chauth Puja

The women gather around this image with their bayas. Each woman also places a karva or a pitcher full of water and seven pieces of pua in front of her. It is adorned with kharia, aipun and a little roli. A red thread is tied around the karva. Nowadays, use of photo printed thali has also increased having photo of husband and wife on pooja thali. At the start of the puja, women apply the roli teeka to Goddess Gauri and also to themselves. With the thumb and the third finger of the right hand, water is sprinkled on the image of the goddess. The same course of action is repeated with aipun and roli. Lastly, rice is showered on the image

An elderly woman of the family narrates the legend of Karva Chauth. The women then pray for the long life and wellness of their husbands. While chanting the prayers, they hand over their bayas from one to another. The wait for the moon rise starts after sunset, and as soon as the moon is sighted, prayers are offered to the moon. The fasting women first observe the moon through a sieve and then break their fast. The first sip of water and the first morsel of food is to be offered by the husband. This is followed by a grand feast for all.

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