Detailed Information about Karva Chauth Festival & Its Importance

Karva Chauth is one of the most important festivals for married Indian Hindu women. It is the festival where they fast for the long life of their husband and pray for their good health and prosperity. There are many legends behind this festival. According to one legend there was a woman called Karva who was a devoted wife. One day her husband was bitten by a crocodile while taking bath in a pond. After that she went to Yama, the god of death and requested him to send the crocodile to hell. When Yama refused she threatened to curse him. Afraid of this Yama quickly obliged and granted long life to her husband. Throughout history we find many women including Draupadi observing this fast to pray for the good health and longevity of their husbands. One legend also has it that this festival basically started when a girl got married and came to her in-laws. There in the new environment, away from her parents she would befriend other woman, who would be like her god-sister with whom she could share all her feelings in the absence of her parents. This festival was used to celebrate such friendship. The role of husband came because he was the link between the bride and her newfound god-sister.

Karva Chauth is usually celebrated in the month of Karthik, on the fourth day of Krishna Paksha. In English calendar it usually falls in the month of October. During this day women do not take even a single morsel of food from dawn to dusk. They wake up early in the morning, take a bath, wear their best clothes, apply makeup and jewellery, and put a bindi on their forehead and sindoor (vermilion) on their head. Once the moon appears in the sky, she views it through the pores of a sieve and then watches her husband's face and finally partakes food from the hands of her husband.