The meaning of Karwa Chauth is offering Argya to the moon using an earthen pot known as Karwa on the Chaturthi of the Karthika month. It falls on the fourth day of the dark fortnight in the Kartika month every year. The origin of this festival is still very hazy but there are definitely some anecdotes associated with this festival.
Why We Celebrate Karwa Chauth?
India is a country of festivals and rituals. From north to south, east to west there are a number of festivals. One of the major and significant festivals celebrated in northern part of the country is Karwa Chauth. Married, Hindu and Sikh woman celebrates Karwa Chauth by fasting for the long lives of their husbands. The idea behind celebrating the festival is to pray and wish for the well-being, prosperity, longevity of their husband. The women of the families fill the earthen pot or Karwa with wheat grains and offer to the God praying for a great Rabi season.
In ancient India, women of 10-11 years of age were married. Hardly they could enjoy their childhood or early teenage in such a marriage. Communication was also a big obstacle in those days. So, they couldn’t come to their parent’s home. So, you can say from an early age, a woman had to take the full responsibility of a new household. From cooking to cleaning, she was the in-charge. But, she was basically all alone away from the loved ones in an unknown house and without any friends too. Where would she go while feeling alone or missing home? So, to resolve this problem, the women started celebrating Karwa Chauth in a grand way where married women of the whole village and some nearby villages used to congregate in one place and spend the day in joy and laughter. They befriended each other and called each other God-friends or God-sisters. One can say that this festival started as a means of enjoyment and to forget the fact that they are alone at their in-laws place. They celebrated the union among themselves on this day and gifted each other bangles, lipsticks, sindoor, etc. to remind each other that there is always a friend somewhere.
The legends associated with Karwa Chauth:
There are a number of legends associated with the origin of the festival. We will be discussing some of the famous legends and fables associated with the festival.
Legend of Karwa
Karwa Chauth has been associated with the legend of Karwa. Karwa, a married woman deeply loved her husband. One fine day his husband went to take a bath in the river. A crocodile caught him, hearing him scream Karwa rushed to her husband. After seeing the crocodile, she had a cotton yarn in her hand. She bounded into the crocodile with the cotton yarn and rushed towards Lord of Death, Yama. She requested Yama to send the crocodile to hell. Yama refused to do so. Karwa being angry, threatened to curse him. Yama accepted her request and sent the creature to hell. Yama also blessed Karwa’s husband with long life.
The Legend of Satyavan and Savitri
The legend of Satyavan and Savritri is another famous one associated with the festival. It states that one day, Lord Yama came to take away Satyavan‘s soul. At that point, of time, Satyavan’s wife begged Lord Yama to leave him, but he denied. Being angry and disappointed, Savitri gave up food and water. Seeing her in this state, Lord Yama granted her to wish anything leaving her husband’s life. She wished for children, for fulfilling her wish Lord Yama had to bring her husband back to life.
The legend of Veeravati
Years ago, there was a queen named Veeravati. She had blessed with seven loving brothers. She was married to a king. On her first Karwa Chauth, Veeravati went to her parent’s home to observe the fast. She waited desperately and long for the moon to appear to break her fast. Her brother seeing her in distress planned to trick her by reflecting a mirror through the papal leaves. As soon as Veeravati saw the light, she believed it was the moon. She broke her fast by taking some food and water. As soon as she broke the fast, she received the news of her husband being ill.
She left for the place, while going to the palace Lord ‘Shiva‘ and Goddess ‘Parvati’ met her. Goddess Parvati told Veeravati about the fact that her husband had departed due to her breaking the fast after seeing the false moon. The queen asked for forgiveness, Goddess blessed with a boon that her king would be alive if only she could keep Karwa Chauth following all the rituals again. Veeravati agreed and followed the orders, which revived her husband.
Rituals
The fast starts from the dawn, where women eat “sargi” a meal prepared by her mother in law in the morning. After eating the Sargi, women stay without consuming water and food all day long until the moon rises. The mornings are usually indulged in community gatherings, putting henna on hand, etc. In the evening, there is a prayer that is offered by all the women for the long life and well-being of their husbands. The fast is called off once the moon appears. The women observe the moon through a strainer and then the husband is seen through the same strainer. The husband gives water and sweets to the wife opening her fast.
Single women also observe the fast wishing for a loving and caring husband. The fast is called off when a single woman sees the first star in the sky. Celebrated major in the Northern and Central part of India, the festival celebrates the beautiful relationship between a husband and wife.
The Puja Process
The pooja preparations start a day in advance. Married women buy the shringar or the traditional adornments and the other Pooja items like the karwa, matthi, Heena etc.
Early in the morning they prepare food and have it before sunrise. The morning passes by in other festive activities like decorating hand and feet with Heena, decorating the Pooja thali and meeting friends and relatives.
In the late afternoon women gather at a common place like temple or a garden or someones’ place who has arranged the pooja. An elderly lady or the pujarin narrates the legend of Karwa Chouth.
The essentials of this gathering and listening of the Karwa chauth story , 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. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller.
Earlier an idol of Gaur Mata was made using earth and cowdung. Now just an idol of Goddess Parwati is kept. 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.
At this time the 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, chonp, 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.
व्रत कथा
कार्तिक कृष्ण पक्ष की चतुर्थी को करवा चौथ कहते है| इसमें गणेश जी का पूजन करके उन्हें पूजन दान से प्रसन्न किया जाता है, इसका विधान चैत्र की चतुर्थी में लिख दिया है| परन्तु विशेषता यह है की इसमें गेहूँ का करवा भर के पूजन किया जाता है और विवाहित लड़कियों के यहाँ चीनी के करवे पीहर से भेजे जाते है| तथा इसमें निम्नलिखित कहानी सुनकर चन्द्रोद्र्थ में अर्ध्य देकर व्रत खोला जाता है|
कथा- एक साहूकार के सात लड़के और एक लड़की थी| सेठानी के सहित उसकी बहुओं और बेटी ने करवा चौथ का व्रत रखा था| रात्रि को साहकार के लड़के भोजन करने लगे तो उन्होंने अपनी बहिन से भोजन के लिए कहा| इस पर बहिन ने जवाब दिया- भाई! अभी चाँद नहीं निकला है, उसके निकलने पर अर्ग देकर भोजन करुँगी| बहिन की बात सुनकर भाइयों ने क्या काम किया कि नगर से बाहर जा कर अग्नि जला दी और छलनी ले जाकर उसमें से प्रकाश दिखाते हुए उन्होनें बहिन से कहा-बहिन! चाँद निकल आया है अर्ग देकर भोजन कर लो| यह सुनकर उसने अपने भाभियों से कहा कि आओ तुम भी चन्द्रमा को अर्ग दे लो, परन्तु वे इस काण्ड को जानती थी, उन्होंने कहा बाई जी! अभी चाँद नहीं निकला है, तेरे भाई तेरे से धोका करते हुए अग्नि का प्रकाश छलनी से दिखा रहे है| भाभियों की बात सुनकर भी उसने कुछ ध्यान ना दिया एवं भाइयों द्वारा दिखाए गए प्रकाश को ही अर्ग देकर भोजन कर लिया| इस प्रकाश व्रत भंग करने से गणेश जी उस पर अप्रस्सन हो गए| इसके बाद उसका पति सख्त बीमार हो गया और जो कुछ घर में था उसकी बीमारी में लग गया| जब उसने अपने किये हुए दोषों का पता लगा तो उसने पश्चाताप किया गणेश जी की प्राथना करते हुए विधि विधान से पुनः चतुर्थी का व्रत करना आरम्भ कर दिया| श्रधानुसार सबका आदर करते हुए सबसे आशीर्वाद ग्रहण करने में ही मन को लगा दिया| इस प्रकाश उसके श्रद्धा भक्ति सहित कर्म को देखकर भगवान गणेश उस पर प्रसन्न हो गये और उसके पति को जीवन दान दे कर उसे आरोग्य करने के पश्चात धन-सम्पति से युक्त कर दिया| इस प्रकाश जो कोई छल-कपट को त्याग कर श्रधा-भक्ति से चतुर्थी का व्रत करेंगे वे सब प्रकार से सुखी होते हुए
गणेश जी विनायक जी की कहानी
एक अन्धी बुढिया थी जिसका एक लड़का और लड़के की बहु थी| वो बहुत गरीब था| वह अन्धी बुढिया नित्यप्रति गणेश जी की पूजा किया करती थी| गणेश जी साक्षात् सन्मुख आकर कहते थे कि बुढिया भाई तू जो चाहे सो मांग ले| बुढिया कहती है, मुझे मांगना नहीं आता तो कैसे और क्या मांगू| तब गणेश जी बोले कि अपने बहु बेटे से पूछकर मांग ले| तब बुढिया ने अपने पुत्र और वधु से पूछा तो बेटा बोला कि धन मांग ले और बहु ने कहाँ की पोता मांग लें| तब बुढिया ने सोचा कि बेटा यह तो अपने-अपने मतलब की बातें कर रहे है| अतः इस बुढिया ने पड़ोसियों से पूछा तो, पड़ोसियों ने कहा कि बुधिया तेरी थोड़ी सी जिंदगी है| क्यूँ मांगे धन और पोता, तू तो केवल अपने नेत्र मांग ले जिससे तेरी शेष जिंदगी सुख से व्यतीत हो जाए| उस बुढिया ने बेटे और बहु तथा पडौसियों की बातें सुनकर घर में जाकर सोचा, जिसमे बेटा बहु और मेरा सबका ही भला हो वह भी मांग लूँ और अपने मतलब की चीज़ भी मांग लूँ| जब दुसरे दिन श्री गणेश जी आये और बोले, बोल बुढिया क्या मांगती है| हमारा वचन है जो तू मांगेगी सो ही पायेगी| गणेश जी के वचन सुनकर बुढिया बोली, हे गणराज! यदि आप मुझ पर प्रसन्न हैं तो मुझे नौ करोड़ की माया दें, निरोगी काया दें, अमर सुहाग दें, आँखों में प्रकाश दें, नाती पोते दें, और समस्त परिवार को सुख दें, और अंत में मोक्ष दें| बुढिया की बात सुनकर गणेश जी बोले बुढिया माँ तूने तो मुझे ठग लिया| खैर जो कुछ तूने मांग लिया वह सभी तुझे मिलेगा| यूँ कहकर गणेश जी अंतर्ध्यान हो गये| हे गणेश जी! जैसे बुढिया माँ को मांगे अनुसार आपने सब कुछ दिया वैसे ही सबको देना| और हमको भी देने की कृपा करना|
करवा चौथ का उजमन
उजमन करने के लिए एक थाली में तेरह जगह २ से ४ पूड़ी और थोड़ा सा सीरा रख लें, उसके ऊपर एक साड़ी ब्लाउज और रूपए जितना चाहे रख लें| उस थाली के चारों ओर रोली और चावल से हाथ फेर कर अपनी सासू जी के पांव लगकर उन्हें दे देवें| उसके बाद तेरह ब्राह्मणों को भोजन करावें और दक्षिणा दे कर तथा विन्दी लगाकर उन्हें विदा करें|