Karwa Chauth, then and now
Karwa Chauth, a festival celebrated by women for the longevity of their spouses, takes us through the saga of Veerawati, a steely woman who brought back her husband from the jaws of death through the power of fasting.
Legend has it that Veerawati, who observed fast on this day, fainted before sighting the moon. Her brothers lit a bonfire behind a cluster of trees to make her feel that the moon had appeared, following which she broke her fast. Her husband immediately fell unconscious. Veerawati prayed to Goddess Parvati for help, who advised her to observe the Karwa Chauth fast to prolong his life. This is how she brought him back to life.
The festival used to be a low-key religious ceremony. I remember how my mother would wake up early morning and after hurried ablutions, she would apply a fresh coat of cow dung in the kitchen. She would then rustle up sargi, a ritualistic feast comprising fenis dipped in milk, coconut, fruits and assorted sweetmeats that she would partake of in small amounts before sunrise. We siblings would savour the delectable dainties to our heart’s fill.
Evenings were packed with a flurry of activities, including preparing a puja thali. Dressed in salwar-kameez, with a heavy-duty dupatta fluttering over her head, she would trudge a long distance to listen to a woman gifted with the skill of katha narration.
She would then turn to the kitchen to cook lip-smacking cuisines, especially Kangri dhaam, which we would relish after she had sighted the moon and offered prayers.
Cut to the present times. The festival has gone through a metamorphosis. On the penultimate day, the new-age women storm beauty parlours for a makeover. They don’t mind paying a fortune for it. Henna application hotspots are flooded with clients, days ahead of the festivity. The women’s day starts with them eating sargi, mostly ordered online. They are dressed in designer wear and embellished with jewellery. They assemble at a designated place to listen to the story on their mobile phones.
Karwa Chauth now means no cooking at home. The festival has evolved over the years, witnessing twists and turns in terms of the scale of celebrations. Fasting time has turned into a selfie session. Most of our festivals have been reduced to perfunctory rituals, taking away the sheen of a celebration, besides undermining the essence of the festivity.
