KarvaChauth
Divya and Bmm have been talking about Karvachauth and sargi over the last week. Here is an attempt to explain this somewhat weird festival, the tradition and the stories, tinged with my recollection.
Karva Chauth is considered one of the most important fasts observed by the married Hindu women. On this day the women pray for the welfare and long life of their husbands. The festival is followed mainly in the northern parts of the country. 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). The fast is over at moonrise.
The history
The fast of Karva Chauth is of particular importance to Hindu women as they believe it ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. The origin of this festival was based on something that has gotten completly lost. Long time back, girls used to get married at a very early age, and had to go and live with their in-laws in other villages. If they had any problems with their husband or in-laws, they would have no one to talk to or seek support from. Their own parents and relatives would be quite far and unreachable. There used to be no telephones, buses or trains ...
Thus the custom started. At the time of marriage, when bride would reach her in-laws, she would befriend another woman there who would be her friend/sister for life. It would be like god-friends or god-sisters. Their friendship would be sanctified through a small Hindu ceremony right during the marriage. Once the bride and this woman had become god-friends or god-sisters, they would remain so all their lives and recognize the relation as such. They would also treat each other like real sisters. During any difficulty later in life, involving even the husband or in-laws, these women would be able to confidently talk or seek help from each other.
Thus Karva Chauth started as a festival to celebrate this friendship (relationship) between the once-brides and their god-friends (god-sisters). Praying and fasting for the sake of husband came later and is secondary. It was probably added, along with other mythical tales, to enhance the festival. In any case, husband would always be associated with this festival, because the day of starting this friendship between two god-sisters was essentially the day of bride's wedding. It had tremendous social and cultural significance once when world lacked the ways to communicate and move around easily.
Karva-Chauth
This festival is glorified and widely solemnized by the Hindus and Sikh of north-western India. Translated, Karva meaning a clay pot and chauth means fourth. This festival is celebrated on the on the fourth day after the full moon in Kartik month of Hindu lunar calendar. This year this day fell on the 20 of Oct. A few days before Karva Chauth, married women buy new karvas, paint them on the outside with beautiful designs. Inside the pot, they put bangles and ribbons, home-made candy and sweets, make-up items and small clothes e.g. handkerchief/scarf etc. The women then visit each other on the day of Karva Chauth or immediately afterward, and exchange these karvas.
Sargi
Sargi is the pre-dawn karva-chauth meal. The meal is usally prepared by the mother-in-law, for the daughter-in-law, the idea being- the mom is grateful to the girl, who is praying and fasting for the long life of her son, tries to help her get thru the day-long fast. The mother-in-law also presents her daughter-in-law with gifts, which may be a piece of jewelry or a saree.
The ritual
The pooja preparations start a day in advance. Married women buy the shringar or the traditional adornments and the other items like the karwa, matthi etc. Early in the morning they have the sargi. In the late afternoon women gather at a common place like temple or a garden or someone's place who has arranged the pooja. An elderly lady or the pujarin (priestess) narrates the legend of Karwa Chauth. A special mud pot, that is considered a symbol of lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some fruits, mathi and food grains. Every one lights an earthen lamp in their thalis while listening to the Karwa story. Sindoor, incense sticks and rice are also kept in the thali. Women wear heavy saris or chunries in red , pink or other bridal colors, and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married women like, nose pin, tika, bindi, bangles, earrings etc. Once the moon rises, the women see 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.
The kaatha
A long long time ago, there lived a beautiful girl by the name of Veeravati. She was the only sister of her seven loving brothers, married to a king. On the occasion of the first Karva Chauth after her marriage, she went to her parents' house. After sunrise, she observed a strict fast. However, Veeravati couldn't stand the rigors of fasting and was desperately waiting for the moon to rise. The seven brothers who loved her dearly, were very disturbed watching the distress of their sister and decided to end her fast by deceiving her. Then the brothers reflected a mirror through Pipal tree leaves. The sister, taken it as moon rise, broke the fast. The moment the Veeravati ate her dinner, she received the news that her husband, the king, was seriously ill. She rushes to her husband's palace and on the way, she meet Lord Shiva and his consort, Goddess Parvati. Parvati tells her that the king has died, and all because the she broke her fast by watching a false moon. Veeravati asks her for forgiveness, the goddess tells her that the king would be revived. But to achieve this, she would have to undertake the Karva Chauth fast under strict rituals, then her husband would come back to life. Thus, by strictly following all the rituals of Karva chauth, queen Veeravati relivened her husband.
And....
As a kid I remember watching Mom, on karvaChauth. She would wear the loveliest of sarees(which my dear brother told her to save for his wife) and she would smell so nice and look so pretty. We (me and mm) followed her to the pujas the years she went to them. Some years, I remember her listening to the 'katha' on the walkman( she had my grandma's voice on tape, telling the story).
One funny incident comes to mind on the topic of karvaChauth. My little sister was given a task in second or third grade to use words in sentences. The word was 'anshan' roughly translated, it means a 'fast in protest'. And the brilliant girl wrote:
" Karva chauth ke din saab aurte anshan karti hain"
All women, fast in protest, on the day of karvachauth.
:)
Karva Chauth is considered one of the most important fasts observed by the married Hindu women. On this day the women pray for the welfare and long life of their husbands. The festival is followed mainly in the northern parts of the country. 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). The fast is over at moonrise.
The history
The fast of Karva Chauth is of particular importance to Hindu women as they believe it ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. The origin of this festival was based on something that has gotten completly lost. Long time back, girls used to get married at a very early age, and had to go and live with their in-laws in other villages. If they had any problems with their husband or in-laws, they would have no one to talk to or seek support from. Their own parents and relatives would be quite far and unreachable. There used to be no telephones, buses or trains ...
Thus the custom started. At the time of marriage, when bride would reach her in-laws, she would befriend another woman there who would be her friend/sister for life. It would be like god-friends or god-sisters. Their friendship would be sanctified through a small Hindu ceremony right during the marriage. Once the bride and this woman had become god-friends or god-sisters, they would remain so all their lives and recognize the relation as such. They would also treat each other like real sisters. During any difficulty later in life, involving even the husband or in-laws, these women would be able to confidently talk or seek help from each other.
Thus Karva Chauth started as a festival to celebrate this friendship (relationship) between the once-brides and their god-friends (god-sisters). Praying and fasting for the sake of husband came later and is secondary. It was probably added, along with other mythical tales, to enhance the festival. In any case, husband would always be associated with this festival, because the day of starting this friendship between two god-sisters was essentially the day of bride's wedding. It had tremendous social and cultural significance once when world lacked the ways to communicate and move around easily.
Karva-Chauth
This festival is glorified and widely solemnized by the Hindus and Sikh of north-western India. Translated, Karva meaning a clay pot and chauth means fourth. This festival is celebrated on the on the fourth day after the full moon in Kartik month of Hindu lunar calendar. This year this day fell on the 20 of Oct. A few days before Karva Chauth, married women buy new karvas, paint them on the outside with beautiful designs. Inside the pot, they put bangles and ribbons, home-made candy and sweets, make-up items and small clothes e.g. handkerchief/scarf etc. The women then visit each other on the day of Karva Chauth or immediately afterward, and exchange these karvas.
Sargi
Sargi is the pre-dawn karva-chauth meal. The meal is usally prepared by the mother-in-law, for the daughter-in-law, the idea being- the mom is grateful to the girl, who is praying and fasting for the long life of her son, tries to help her get thru the day-long fast. The mother-in-law also presents her daughter-in-law with gifts, which may be a piece of jewelry or a saree.
The ritual
The pooja preparations start a day in advance. Married women buy the shringar or the traditional adornments and the other items like the karwa, matthi etc. Early in the morning they have the sargi. In the late afternoon women gather at a common place like temple or a garden or someone's place who has arranged the pooja. An elderly lady or the pujarin (priestess) narrates the legend of Karwa Chauth. A special mud pot, that is considered a symbol of lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some fruits, mathi and food grains. Every one lights an earthen lamp in their thalis while listening to the Karwa story. Sindoor, incense sticks and rice are also kept in the thali. Women wear heavy saris or chunries in red , pink or other bridal colors, and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married women like, nose pin, tika, bindi, bangles, earrings etc. Once the moon rises, the women see 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.
The kaatha
A long long time ago, there lived a beautiful girl by the name of Veeravati. She was the only sister of her seven loving brothers, married to a king. On the occasion of the first Karva Chauth after her marriage, she went to her parents' house. After sunrise, she observed a strict fast. However, Veeravati couldn't stand the rigors of fasting and was desperately waiting for the moon to rise. The seven brothers who loved her dearly, were very disturbed watching the distress of their sister and decided to end her fast by deceiving her. Then the brothers reflected a mirror through Pipal tree leaves. The sister, taken it as moon rise, broke the fast. The moment the Veeravati ate her dinner, she received the news that her husband, the king, was seriously ill. She rushes to her husband's palace and on the way, she meet Lord Shiva and his consort, Goddess Parvati. Parvati tells her that the king has died, and all because the she broke her fast by watching a false moon. Veeravati asks her for forgiveness, the goddess tells her that the king would be revived. But to achieve this, she would have to undertake the Karva Chauth fast under strict rituals, then her husband would come back to life. Thus, by strictly following all the rituals of Karva chauth, queen Veeravati relivened her husband.
And....
As a kid I remember watching Mom, on karvaChauth. She would wear the loveliest of sarees(which my dear brother told her to save for his wife) and she would smell so nice and look so pretty. We (me and mm) followed her to the pujas the years she went to them. Some years, I remember her listening to the 'katha' on the walkman( she had my grandma's voice on tape, telling the story).
One funny incident comes to mind on the topic of karvaChauth. My little sister was given a task in second or third grade to use words in sentences. The word was 'anshan' roughly translated, it means a 'fast in protest'. And the brilliant girl wrote:
" Karva chauth ke din saab aurte anshan karti hain"
All women, fast in protest, on the day of karvachauth.
:)
posted by Paro at 1:37 PM
2 Comments:
fabulous ...we need some pictures here ..and get this ..iam laughing at my own self ...
so whats new ?
see that is why you are cool
...
personally, I think it was a brilliant observation, very astute, at such a tender age:)
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