Karwa Chauth 2023: On this day, married women observe a full-day fast or a Nirjala vrat
The auspicious festival of Karwa Chauth, also known as Karak Chaturthi, will be observed on November 1, this year. On this day, married women observe a full-day fast or a Nirjala vrat (fasting without food and water) for their husbands and pray for their long life, security, and good health. The women observe fast from sunrise till moonrise. Women dress traditionally, apply henna on their hands, receive gifts, and get together to enjoy the auspicious day.
According to Drik Panchang, the Karwa Chauth puja muhurat is from 5:36 p.m. to 6:54 p.m. The vrat time is from 6:33 am to 6:15 pm, and the moonrise time is at 8:15 pm.
Here's the story of Karwa Chauth
There are two famous stories associated with the Karwa Chauth festival but the one that is more generally narrated during the Puja is about Veeravati.
A long time ago, a man named Vedsharma and his wife Leelavati lived a happy life with seven sons and a daughter named Veeravati, who was the most pampered. After her marriage, when Veeravati observed her first Karwa Chauth, she had to face a lot of hardship. She was unable to stay without food and water and fainted. After seeing her condition, the brothers decided to trick their sister into breaking the fast.
One of the brothers climbed a tree with a lamp. When Veeravati gained consciousness, the other brothers told her that the moon had risen and brought her on the terrace to see the moon, so that she could break her fast.
Seeing the lamp, she believed that the moon had really risen behind the tree and Veervati broke her fast. According to popular belief, after her third morsel of food, she was called by her in-laws and told that her husband had died.
Heartbroken, Veeravati cried all night until a goddess appeared in front of her. Goddess Indrani told her that she broke the fast without giving Argha (offering) to the moon and that led to the untimely death of her husband. However, she promised Veeravati that if she keeps Chauth vrat every month and the next Karwa Chauth vrat; her husband will be alive and back. Seeing her devotion Yama, the God of death, was forced to bring her husband back to life.
Significance of Karwa Chauth:
Karwa Chauth is celebrated with the belief that it emulates Goddess Parvati, who observed a fast to obtain Lord Shiva as her husband. Therefore, married women keep this fast to ensure the longevity of their husbands and an enduring marriage. On this day, women worship Goddess Gauri and, after offering water to the moon in the evening, break their fast by drinking water from their husband's hand before partaking in a meal.
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