Shubh Karwa Chauth
What is Karva Chauth?
Karva Chauth (also pronounced as KarWa Chauth) is a Hindu celebration, mostly followed by Hindus and also many Sikhs. In 2013, it is celebrated on Tuesday, October 22nd. Northern parts of India see a higher rate of participation in the festival, mainly the following states: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Indian Punjab, Rajasthan,Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Women who are married commit to a fast with the intent of prolonging the health, happiness, and wealth of their husbands. In many if not most Hindu/Sikh households, the woman serves as a significant link between the family and society. Therefore, apart from religious reasons, this Indian celebration holds more social importance. The wife performs customary dietary needs and pleasures on this day to seek blessings for her husband such as fasting until the she can see the moon on that day..
In India, some women start preparing for Karva Chauth a few days before the actual date of the festival, by purchasing cosmetics called shringar in hindi, which is a traditional jewellery, and pooja items, such as the karwa lamps, indian sweets (ladoo etc), mendhi and the decorated silver prayer thali (plate).
Karwa Chauth carries a legend from the Hindu legend of Mahabharata. Draupadi, is said to have observed this fast. Once Arjuna went to the Nilgiris for penance and the rest of the Pandavas faced many problems in his absence. Draupadi, out of desperation, remembered Lord Krishna and asked for help. Lord Krishna reminded her that on an earlier occasion, when Goddess Parvati had sought Lord Shiva’s guidance under similar circumstances, she had been advised to observe the fast of Karva Chauth. In some tellings of this legend, Shiva tells Parvati the story of Veervati to describe the Karva Chauth fast. Draupadi followed the instructions and observed the fast with all its rituals. Consequently, the Pandavas were able to overcome their problems.
We would like to wish all couples a blessed Karva Chauth and would also like to bless all women with happy/long lives.
Here is a Karva Chauth vrat katha (prayer) song in punjabi:
great day for hindus to remember