Karva Chauth, A Reminder of a Dedicated Relationship

Karva Chauth is an annual one-day festival celebrated by married women. Married women keep a strict fast from sunrise to moonrise and do not take even a drop of water for the safety, longevity and prosperity of their husbands. The festival falls on the fourth day after the full moon in the month of Kartik (Hindi Lunisolar Calendar).  Karva is another word for diya (small earthen oil-lamp) and chauth means 'fourth' in Hindi. The festival also coincides with the wheat-sowing time (i.e. the beginning of the Rabi crop cycle). Big earthen pots in which wheat is stored are also sometimes called karvas, so the fast may also have begun as a prayer for a good harvest in this predominantly wheat-eating region. Women awake to eat and drink (Soot feni or Sargi) just before sunrise. It is traditional for the sargi or feni and Karva to be sent or given to the woman by her mother-in-law. If the mother-in-law lives with the woman, the pre-dawn meal is prepared by the mother-in-law. This ritual helps to understand the importance of both daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. It strengthens the relationship between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law.

Women decorate themselves like bride on that day. Preferably, they used the bridal sari or choli-lahanga of red, golden or orange in color. Each fasting woman lights an earthen lamp in her thali while listening to the Karva story. Sindoor (vermillion), incense sticks and rice are also kept in the thali. They ensure that the earthen lamp should not extinguish. This is the embodiment of the life of husband and they are providing aegis to the same. The storyteller (usually older women or a priest) tells the story of Queen Veervati and Karva. Both Queen Veervati and Karva were the “pati vrta” (husband devoted) wives. The both legends reaffirm how their chastity and devotion towards husband brought back the life of their husband from Yama (the god of death). According to the region and community, women sing Karva song seven times. The number of Karva is also seven. In the legend of Queen Veervati, she had seven brothers. Seven… Seven … Seven…!! The number seven is the reminder of seven vows one has taken during marriage while circumambulating the fire seven times. This is a metaphor of seven lives bondage with the same husband and wife. However, there is nowhere mentioned in any authentic scriptures. The soul takes body according to its Karma. The soul is neutral, flesh is either female or male (Katha Upanishad).

The women await the rising of the moon. Once the moon is visible, depending on the region and community, it is customary for a fasting woman, with her husband nearby, to view its reflection in a vessel filled with water, through a sieve, or through the cloth of a dupatta. Water is offered (arka) to the moon (som or Chandra, the lunar deity) to secure its blessings. She then turns to her husband and views his face indirectly in the same manner. In some regions, the woman says a brief prayer asking for her husband's life. It is believed that at this stage, spiritually strengthened by her fast, the fasting woman can successfully confront and defeat death (personified by Yama).

Now the prayer has been completed for the longevity of husband, and the reminder of seven vows has also been done. Why moon in this picture ……?  Moon is very handsome and attractive among gods. Moon has reflected light. Moon is the husband of 27 wives (Nakshatra); they wait for their husband desperately. Moon is the deity of mind. The moon incantation or worship is done to control the mind. On the fast day, women desperately wait for moon to rise. There are only two things in the mind of women, one is husband and second is moon. It suggests that, the mind should be so controlled that there should be no other though in the mind rather than husband. And every reflection, she should see him only. The husband now takes the water from the thali and gives his wife her first sip and feeds her with the first morsel of the day (usually something sweet). The fast is now broken, and the woman has a complete meal. It is customary for the husband to make a gift to his wife, such as jewelry or a new dress.

Psychologically and pragmatically, man is grinded between wife and mother, if the conflicts take place at home between wife and his mother. Both are dear to man, and he does want to leave anyone, and want to see both happy. If wife is happy and mother is not or vice-versa, in both the cases man cannot be happy. In stress, tension, anxiety, a person neither lives more nor earns more. That is why, it is necessary to maintain all the relationship happy to ensure man`s (husband) life long, healthy and prosper.