Karwa Chauth: Changing times, traditions
Ghar Aaja Pardesi, Chand Chupa Badal Mein, Bole Chudiyan — the trilogy of Bollywood songs that made Karwa Chauth special…The ‘not-so-progressive’ fast is sure trying to keep up with the times! In its glamorized makeover, it has become gender neutral — husbands are joining their wives for the day to go without any food or water, the evening katha has remained sacrosanct, while bringing along ramp shows, foot spas, designer mehendi and nail art to mark the day!
The long-standing tradition owes its early traces to Puranas. “Shiv Stotram in Shiv Purana has a mention of Parvati observing the fast to save Shiva’s life when he was going through saadsati,” shares astrologer and Vaastu expert CK Jain. The Karwa Chauth kathas have a mention of Veervati, only sister of seven brothers, albeit the story is told a bit differently in different states.
A largely Punjabi festival, Karwa Chauth is traditionally celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. The districts in Himachal sharing a border with Punjab have long kept up with the tradition, while it was not celebrated in tribal belt of the state till a few decades ago. In Jammu, Dogri women have observed this fast traditionally. In its glamorized avatar, courtesy Yash Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Karan Johar, for making it larger-than-life on the big screen, it’s now a pan-India festival with women in Bihar, Maharashtra and as far as Karnataka observing the fast!
Starting with sargi in the morning, the pre-dawn meal in taaron ki chaanv, women spend the day without any water or food till the moon comes out. It’s after offering arghay (water) to the moon that the fast is completed. Karwa is a small earthen pot and Chauth refers to the fourth day of the dark-fortnight, or Krishna paksha, in the month of Kartika. Fasting women fill karwa with sugar or rice amongst the other things needed for puja.
Fasting is feasting in Punjab — matthi, firni, mithai, maah ki dal and much more is available for the special dinner feast for the women decked up from head to toe! — Mona
