HINDU TEMPLE  OF KENTUCKY

Karwa Chauth

Dates : Karwa Chouth falls about nine days before Diwali on the Kartik ki Chouth (fourth day of the waning moon or the dark fortnight) some time in October or November.

Practice : It is the most important fast observed by the women of North India. Karwa Chauth is a fast undertaken by married Hindu women who offer prayers seeking the welfare, prosperity, well-being, and longevity of their husbands.

It is said to have an extraordinary observance rate among married Hindu women.

In principle, the fast is not to be broken until the moon is sighted at night, and an elderly woman in the house is supposed to narrate the story of Karwa Chauth before the fast is terminated.

This is indeed a very tough fast to observe as it starts before sunrise and ends after worshipping the moon, which usually rises at about 8.45 p.m. No food or water is to be taken after 4 a.m. or after sunrise.

Karwa Chauth is observed by married ladies on the fourth day of the dark half of Kartika (October�November) in order to ensure prosperity, sound health and longevity of their husbands. Widows and unmarried girls do not observe this fast. Married women keep a strict fast and do not take even a drop of water. They get up early in the morning, perform their ablutions, etc, and wear new and festive raiments.

Shiva, Parvati and their son Kartikeya are worshipped on this day along with the 10 Karwas (the small earthen pots with sprouts) filled with sweets. The Karwas are given to the daughter and sisters along with gifts. At night when the moon appears, the women break their fast after offering water to the moon. 

The story of Karwa Chauth is told and heard among the women. Sometimes a Brahmin priest tells this story and gets gifts in return. The married women receive costly gifts from their husbands, brothers and parents on this occasion. They touch the feet of their mother-in-law and other elderly ladies of the family and seek their blessings.

There are many interesting stories about this celebration. A legend says that once on this day a young married woman observed this fast at her parents house. She was very beautiful and tender. The austerity of the strict fast made her almost lifeless. So her brother started a fire on a nearby hill and pointed out to the glow, telling her that it was the glow of the rising moon.

No sooner had she broken her fast on seeing the false moon, then she received the bad news of her husband�s death at a distant palace. She immediately set out for her husband�s house. On the way Shiva-Parvati met her and explained to her that the cause of her tragedy was the immature termination of the fast. Parvati gave her some blood from her little finger and asked the lady to sprinkle it on her dead husband. Parvati also advised her to observe complete and strict Karwa Chauth fast in future.

On reaching home, the lady sprinkled the holy blood over her husband�s dead body and he was at once revived. Ever since then, she observed Karwa Chauth fast in strict conformity and lead a happy prosperous and healthy life with her husband and children.