"Karva Chauth: The Festival For Long Life Of Husband...!!

" Every married woman wish for long life of her husband & children. It remains the first dream of a married woman in India; to keep her family & home safe. "Karva Chauth" is a festival observed by Indian Hindu married women for long & blissful life of their husband. Any married woman observing the vrat or fast is termed as "Sauvagyavati" or" Joyous state of wifehood."
Terminology:
The term "Karva" is an earthern pot with a spout- a symbol of peace & prosperity that is required for the rituals. It is otherwise called Diya. "Chauth" means the "Fourth day". hence the name Karva Chauth.
Period Of Karva Chauth: This festival comes 9 days before Diwali on "Kartik ki chauth", i.e. fourth day of the new moon immediately after Dusshera, in the month of Kartik(October-November).
The Ritual & Fast Of Karva Chauth:
On this day, the married women keep fast or vrat, praying for the welfare & long life of their husband. They eat food early in the morning before the sunrise. They are not supposed to eat or even drink water till they break their fast after the moonrise. They listen to Karva Chauth katha & worship moon when it appears.
The Custom:
The married women dress up with beautiful sarees, Langha cholis etc, wear ornaments & decorate their hands with Heena or mehndi and move to a temple or a place where the pooja has been arranged. One must not forget, wife do expect for surprise gifts from their husbands :)
The Puja Process:
In the evening, the married women gathefr at the pooja place. Goddess Parvati's idol os kept in the pooja place. Each woman decorate her Pooja thali with flowers & eartern lamp in it and listen to Karva chauth katha. Sindoor, incense sticks & rice are also kept in the thali.
Once the moon rises, the women view its reflection in a thali of water or through shieve or a dupatta. They then offer water to the moon & seek blessings and pray for long life & prosperity of their husbands. This marks the end of the day's long fast.
Some Traditional Tales Associated With karva Chauth:
1. The Story Of Veervati:
Veervati was a beautiful queen with seven brothers. She observed her first karva chauth at her parent's home & her brothers could not see her staying hungry for the fast. So they played a trick & kept a mirror on the peepla tree which looked as if moon rise. Veervati saw that & broke her fast. Soon she got to know her husband is dead. She cried with pain until a Goddess came & say her abouth her brothers' doing. Veervati repeated the fast & got back her husband.
once moe in another karva Chaut day, she was fooled by her brother & broke the vrat. her husband was dead. She cried & worshipped Goddess parvati who appeared and instructed her to keep the complete fast next time. parvati cut her little finger & gave few drops of her holy blood, which Veervati sprinkled on her husband & she got him back.
2. The Legend Of Karva:
Karva was a legend who was a Pativrata(Dedicated wife0. while bathing at a river, her husband was caught by a crocdile. Karva bound the crocodile with a cotton Yarn and asked yama(God Of death) to give back her husband's life, else she would curse him. Yama gave back the life of her husband. To this day, Karva chauth is celebrated with great belief.
3. The Story Of Satyavan & Savitri:
Savitri was a pativrata & wife of Satyavan. In a jungle, Satyavan was lying dead, when savitri asked for her his life from Yama. Infront of the strong dedication of Savitri, Yama lost, 7 agreed to retun back Satyavan's life.