Karwa Chauth is a marriage ceremony in which the wife fasts for the full day in order for her husband to live a long and healthy life. It is widely observed in northern India.
Karwa Chauth fasting is observed during the Krishna Paksha Chaturthi in the Hindu month of Kartik, according to the Drik Panchang. Karwa Chauth can be traced back to the Mahabharata, when Savitri implored Lord Yama, the God of Death, for her husband’s soul. The Pandavas and their wife Draupadi is the subjects of another scene in the epic.
Arjuna is supposed to have gone to the Nilgiris to pray and meditate for a few days, and Draupadi, concerned for his safety, sought the help of her friend Krishna. He counseled her to fast as Goddess Parvati did for the sake of her husband Shiva’s protection. Draupadi followed it, and Arjuna was soon safely restored home.
The festival will be held on October 24 this year. Fasting hours are from 6.27 a.m. to 8.07 p.m., while puja hours are from 5.43 p.m. to 6.59 p.m. The moon will rise sometime after 8.07 p.m.
The festival’s name comes from the words ‘karva’ and ‘Chauth,’ which both imply ‘earthen jars’ used to store wheat. Women purchase new earthen pots, or karwa, and decorate them with gifts like bangles, bindis, and chocolates. They exchange their karwas and execute the rites with other married women.
