Happy Karwa Chauth

The Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm among married women. On this auspicious day, women keep a NIRJALA fast means fasting in which water isn't consumed from sunrise to till moonrise for the safe and long life of their beloved husbands. Even some husbands observe the fast for the same reason. Even girls observe fast for suitable and the best match in future.

According to Hindu Calendar, this wonderful festival of love is celebrated in the month of Kartik on the fourth day after Purnima. Though this Hindu festival is celebrated by women across India, it is particularly celebrated in the northern region of the country states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. This year Karwa Chauth is on Sunday, October 20, 2024.

On this special day, women dress up in new clothes(especially in red that signifies the sign of 'Suhaag' - a happily married life). Women also apply Mehendi on their hands and wear ornaments are dress up like a bride.

Women get together in the evening and celebrate the festival by narrating the folk tale, singing folk songs, and reading Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha. The fast is later broken after having a glimpse of the moon and offering water to the moon ('Aragh').

History of Karwa Chauth - The story of queen Veervati

The most popular story is that of the beautiful queen named Veervati, who was the only sister of seven loving brothers. She spent her first Karva Chauth as a married woman at her parents' house. She began to fast after sunrise but by evening, was desperately waiting for the moon to rise. She couldn't put up with the thirst and hunger any longer. Her brothers were anguished to see their beloved sister suffering from thirst and hunger undergoing the strict fast for Karwa Chauth.

They begged her to break the fast but she refused. Seeing her in distress, they tricked her by placing a round mirror in a Pipal tree, which made it look like the moon had risen. A false moon was created to convince her that the moon came out. So, Veervati fell for her brothers' tricks and broke her fast. The moment she sat down to eat word arrived that her husband, the king was dead.