Karwa Chauth is one of the biggest and most important festivals for married women in the Indian region, especially in northern India. Karwa Chauth falls on Krishna Paksha Chaturthi, the fourth day after Purnima during the Karthik Mas season.
The festival is celebrated mainly by married women for the longevity of their husband's lives. On this day, married women do fasting without water and solid food till the moon sighting in the evening from the morning.
SIGNIFICANCE OF KARWA CHAUTH
Hindu women especially married women give a lot of significance to Karwa Chauth. As stated earlier, women fast till evening, markets are decorated and women also enjoy their shopping spree.
RITUALS ON KARWA CHAUTH
The rituals begin with the women's mother-in-law gifting singar items, consuming food before sunrise and fasting till evening throughout the day without food or water. They wear ethnic attire, apply henna on their hands and perform puja rituals after sunset. They take in water and food only after offering prayer for the long life of their husbands to the moon through that meshed utensil. Especially on the day of Karwa Chauth, women pray to Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha for marital blessings.
KARWA CHAUTH FESTIVE FOOD SPECIALS
Usually during this Karwa Chauth festival, women take food without garlic and onion after the fasting, since they offer prayers to different Gods and Goddess. Lets have a look on what kind of foods you can take on this day specially.
- Stuffed Bhindi with besan as a side dish.
- Jeera pulao rice as for the rice dish.
- Shahi paneer gravy without onion garlic as main dish.
- Dal makhani without onion garlic as in for the main dish.
- Pineapple raita.
- Tawa naan as the Indian bread.
- Rasmalai as for dessert or sweet at the end.