The auspicious festival of Karwa Chauth is right around the corner. Also known as Karak Chaturthi, it falls on November 1 this year. During this festival, married women observe a difficult nirjala vrat (fasting without food and water) for their husbands’ safety and prosperity. They keep the fast from sunrise till moonrise.
Women worship Lord Ganesha, Maa Parvati, Lord Shiva and Lord Kartikeya on Karwa Chauth and break the fast by sighting the moon. After looking at the moon through a sieve, married women eat a morsel of food and a sip of water from their husbands’ hands to break the fast. The Karwa Chauth vrat is an important ritual of the festival. While married women generally observe it, married men and unmarried couples also keep the fast. There are many dos and don’ts one needs to follow while observing the festival.
Dos and don’ts to keep in mind while observing the Karwa Chauth fast
1) Red is the colour of the Karwa Chauth festival as it is considered auspicious and worn by women during the celebrations. However, there are some other colours married women can wear, including yellow, green, pink, and orange. However, they should avoid black or white shades.
2) Doing solah sringar and applying mehendi on the hands is another important ritual of Karva Chauth Puja. Married women should apply henna on their hands a day before Karak Chaturthi and wear traditional clothes (preferably in red), mangalsutra, a nose pin, bindi, bangles, earrings, rings, and more. The sringar and mehendi are a symbol of good luck, prosperity, and happy married life.
3) Sargi is another important ritual of Karwa Chauth vrat. It is a special thali containing different food items and gifts given to married women by their mother-in-law.
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The Sargi should be consumed as a pre-dawn meal before starting the fast. Generally, the thali is made in such a way that it can provide all the necessary nutrients and energy. It includes pheni, meethi seviyan, fruits, coconut, meethi mathri, dry fruits, sweets, paratha and juice.
4) The pre-dawn meal should include tems rich in protein and carbs as they take longer to digest and will keep you full longer.
5) Drink as much water as you can before the fast begins. Dehydration can increase the risk of developing headaches and fatigue. Fresh fruit juices can also be a great addition to your liquid intake. Meanwhile, avoid drinking coffee and tea to prevent acidity.
6) Women observing the Karwa Chauth vrat should not use scissors, needles or knives.
7) Pregnant women should avoid keeping the Karwa Chauth fast as it can be stressful for them and affect their health.
8) Baya is a special Karwa Chauth gift that daughters-in-law send to their mothers-in-law. It consists of clothes, jewellery, food, and utensils, among other things. While offering the Baya don’t forget to take blessings of your mother-in-law.
9) Married women and their families should avoid eating non-vegetarian food on their day as they are considered tamasic in nature.
10) Married women should participate in the Karwa Chauth puja and listen to the Katha in the evening before breaking the fast. Without following this ritual, the nirjala vrat is considered incomplete.
