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I have made this post because our beloved Maaneet are going
to be celebrating their first Karwachauth in a day or two and there are many of
us who might not know the significance of the ritual'.So I thought while
educating myself why don't I post what I have learnt in this post '.So that
those of you who are lost with words like sargi, shagun etc etc will get some
help with this post'.
Significance of Karwachauth
Karwachauth is celebrated every year by Hindu married women
from the western and northern parts of India. Married women fast from sunrise to
moonrise to pray for the safety and long-life of their husbands. It is
celebrated on the fourth day of the new moon in the Hindu Lunar calendar in the
month of Karthik. Sometimes even unmarried women fast for their fiancs or
desired husbands.
Karwa means an earthen pot with a spout symbolizing peace
and prosperity and used in the rituals and chauth means fourth that is the day
on which Karwa Chauth is celebrated. The legends behind Karwa Chauth are many.
I have just listed two of them here'
Queen Veervati
Queen Veervati who was observing the
Karva Chauth fast, was tricked by her seven affectionate brothers who were
pained by the arduous efforts taken by the sister for her husband's longevity.
The brothers made a mirror on a pipal tree which gave an impression that that
the moon had risen. Veervati broke the fast mistaking it for moon light, as the
fast is intended to end with the rising of the moon. The moment she sipped a
little water, news arrived that her husband was dead. However a Goddess who
took pity on her, revealed her brothers' intentions and directed her to observe
the fast again which revived her husband. A variant of the story also has it
that her brothers made a huge fire behind a mountain whose light, Veervati
mistook for the moonlight and broke her fast. Soon the news arrived that her
husband was dead and while she hurried in grief to her husband's house, Lord
Shiva and Parvati intercepted, and Goddess Parvati cut her little finger and
instructed Veervati to sprinkle it over her dead husband, also warning her to
observe the fast strictly henceforth.
Karva
The story of Karva, a devout wife
whose husband was about to encounter death in the jaws of crocodile is also an
important legend associated with Karva Chauth fast. The impeccable love and
devotion that she had for her husband empowered her to bind the crocodile with
a cotton yard and demanded Yama, the Lord of death to banish it to hell or
narak. The frightened Yama complied to her demand fearing her prowess owing to
being a devout wife.
The Rituals
The preparation for Karwa Chauth begins weeks before the
actual festival. Married women especially newly-weds shop for shringaar and
puja thali items, clothes, jewellery etc. They adorn their hands with intricate
mehendi designs and groom themselves for the upcoming festival.
On the day of Karwa Chauth, women wake up before sunrise and
eat a meal prepared by their mother-n-law. This meal is called a Sargi.
Sargi
The mother-in-law prepares an elaborate Sargi (the pre-dawn Karva Chauth meal) when her daughter-in-law observes her fast. She wakes up much early to prepare a sumptuous and lavish meal inclusive of sweets and other delicacies for daughter-in-law. Saasu-ma blesses her bahu with an ashirvaad of 'Sada Suhagan Raho' which means, 'may you always enjoy a blissful married life' when the latter touches her feet with reverence. She also presents her daughter-in-law with gifts, which may be a piece of jewelry or a heavy saree and other shringaar items on the Karva Chauth.
After eating the Sargi, the women observe a fast throughout
the day till moonrise without food or water. The rest of the day is spent
applying mehendi, decorating the pooja ki thali and visiting friends. In the
evening women dress up in their bridal fineries with all the suhaag ki
nishaanis.
The women receive basketful of goodies from their mothers by
evening.
BayaBaya is a gift given to a daughter's mother-in-law by her mother on the occasion of Karva Chauth. It usually consists of salted mathris, dry-fruits and some gifts. It also contains the pooja ki thali to be used for the rituals. This Baya is a little more special when the daughter is observing her first Karva Chauth. Mothers of newly wed daughters bring gifts for all her family members. Some utensils are also included in the baya which are to be distributed amongst women who join the newly-wed on her first Karva Chauth Puja.Pooja ki ThaliA decorated thali is a very important component for performing the Karva Chauth puja. A puja thali containing the roli, vermilion, sacred water, dry fruits like almonds, pishta etc., earthen clay pots, diyas and different types of Indian sweets, in their respective katoris, is tastefully decorated. The art of creating attractive thalis for puja may also contain the ritualistic decoration like rangoli and alpana. Puja thali can be decorated with floral designs with the help of flowers, leaves, color and also with multicolored pulses.
In the evening, the married women
gather at a common place and prepare a corner for the puja. This 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 Process Of Puja
The Process Of Puja
The women sit 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. At the beginning 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 procedure is repeated with aipun and roli . Lastly, rice is showered on the image.
Narration of Vrata Katha
An elderly woman of the family narrates the legend of Karva Chauth. The women then pray for the long life and welfare of their husbands. While chanting the prayers, they pass their bayas from one to another.
I don't claim to know all the nitty gritties of the ritual
but have used the help of the great Google uncle for my research'..I would like
to give special credit to the website'. http://www.karwachauth.com,
which helped me a lot in writing this. Some of the things I have just picked
from the website and pasted here'..😆😆😆
The CVs decision of celebrating Karwa Chauth might have been
to highlight the new phase in Maaneet's life'.By performing the rituals of this
festival Geet is in a way reaffirming the faith in her marriage and also her
husband'.She is praying for the safety and longevity of her beloved Maan. When
Maan will break her fast in front of all and sundry, he is reassuring Geet that
come what may, he will always be there for her and will do anything to give her
happiness. In return, Geet will gift herself to Maan body and soul. And this
will lead to the much awaited CON. The marriage of Geet and Maan is incomplete
unless and until it is sealed with consummation. And I think this track is
leading to that...😳
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