Karva Chauth is a deeply emotional and culturally significant Hindu festival observed predominantly by married women in North India. Falling on the fourth day after the full moon in the month of Kartik (October-November), this one-day festival involves married women observing a strict nirjala (waterless) fast from sunrise to moonrise for the longevity, prosperity, and well-being of their husbands. The word "Karva" refers to an earthen pot and "Chauth" means the fourth day.
The festival's origins are traced to several legends. The most popular is the story of Queen Veervati, who broke her fast by mistaking a fire behind a sieve for the moon, leading to her husband's death. Through her devotion and Goddess Parvati's grace, she was able to revive him by observing a strict Karva Chauth fast the following year. Another legend connects the festival to Goddess Parvati's devotion to Lord Shiva. These stories emphasize the power of a devoted wife's prayers and the sacredness of the marital bond in Hindu culture.
The day begins before dawn (Sargi) when the mother-in-law provides a pre-dawn meal of sweets, fruits, and savories to the fasting woman. After this, the woman neither eats nor drinks anything - not even water - throughout the day. Women dress in their finest clothes, often wearing red or pink, applying elaborate mehndi (henna) designs on their hands, and adorning themselves with their wedding jewelry, mimicking the appearance of a new bride.
In the evening, women gather in groups to listen to the Karva Chauth katha (story), exchange karvas (earthen pots filled with sweets), and wait for the moonrise. When the moon appears, the wife first views it through a sieve, then looks at her husband's face through the same sieve. The husband then offers her water and the first morsel of food, breaking her fast. This moment is intensely emotional and is considered the spiritual climax of the festival. In modern times, many husbands also fast alongside their wives as a gesture of solidarity and mutual devotion.
