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Saturday 12 April 2014

Karva Chauth







Karva Chauth is a sublime festival. On this day women observe a day long fast for the long life of their husbands.They do not even take water.  K is the 11th day festival of A 2 Z  challenge.


Karva Chauth festival is celebrated in all States of North India. It is celebrated nine days before Diwali. Married ladies observe a day long fast for the well being and a long life for their husbands. They get up before sun rise, take bath and eat. This ceremony is called Sargi. An elaborate spread is   prepared. This contains  Fenia, a sort of vermicelli, coconut, fruits, sweets and other eatables, which the ladies like. The eatables are sent by the mother of the lady.  After this ceremony, they cannot even drink water .  







In the evening, the ladies dress up  with all finery. Mehendi is an essential part of dressing up. They assemble in a temple or some common place in the neighbourhood. Each lady carries a plate, which contains some Mathis( an eatable)and gifts for the mother-in-law. The plates are covered with a bright cloth. All the ladies sit in a circle and  pass on their plates in a circle seven times. This ceremony is called Baya.



Happy Karva Chauth


During this process the temple priest or some elderly lady  narrates the legend of Karva Chauth. The fast ends after the moon is sighted. The ladies see the moon through a sieve and offer water to the moon. The husband gives a first sip of water to his beloved wife. The fast ends with a sumptuous feast.
Ready with Thaalis

26 comments:

  1. Wow.. awesome one, Mam. Being a South Indian, I have never taken this lent! This time I will :) Thanks for sharing :)
    Shalzzz|Loving Life
    Check out my latest at Tale of Two Tomatoes

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    1. Thank you Shalzzz. I am glad you liked it.

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  2. I had only seen this celebration in movies and serials, being a South Indian never knew much about it. It is nice to know the details behind this festival Ushaji :)

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    1. Thank you Reshma. In movies they exaggerate too much.

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  3. i hav always loved watchin dis on tv. i am a south indian and so didnt know much abt it! thanks for sharing :)

    http://swathishenoy.blogspot.in/2014/04/k-for-kindness.html?m=1
    a-z participant

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  4. I am amazed at all the festivals and reasons for celebrations. It is mind boggling.

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    1. Thanks Kathy. All the festivals have a story behind it.

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  5. Gorgeous picture of beautiful ladies...Sometimes, moon sighting becomes an issue though on a cloudy evening :-).

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    1. Thank you Jayant. I have also faced a situation when the moon could not be seen due to clouds.

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  6. This is an important festival for ladies. Good photographs. Enjoy reading these posts!!

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    1. Thank you Archana. Glad you liked the post.

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  7. Nicely described...I married a north Indian and follow this rituals , well more or less...But what I don't like is that only women have to fast so I make my husband fast too..It should be equal na ;)
    Latest A2Z Challenge Post-Random Thoughts Naba

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    1. Thank you Naba. Of course it should be equal for both, the wife and hubby.

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  8. Very important festival... I love this one and can't wait to do it!! :P :D Lekin shaadi toh karna hai :P :D

    ~S(t)ri
    Participant|AtoZ Challenge 2014
    Smile, it makes (y)our day!

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    1. Thank you Stri. Jaldi se jaldi shaadi kar lo!

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  9. Now-a-days, this is only fast that I observe and the best is that Kshitij has been fasting along with me all these years too, so Karva chauth is all the more special for me :)

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    1. Yes Shilpa, if husband gives company to the wife, it deepens their love and regard for each other.

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  10. As a Punjabi I observed this festival for many years. But then one year I just stopped. No, not because of any "pseudo-feminist" argument or anything...but simply stopped. But I still value the deeper idea behind this festival - the idea of connection between women and moon, the feeling of sisterhood, the woman-to-woman bonding - all things that are part of this festival.

    Beauty Interprets, Expresses, Manifests the Eternal

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    1. The love and regard does not depend on the fast. It is the mutual trust and regards that matter.

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  11. I have seen my north indian friends keep this fast....and have marveled at the thought behind the whole festival ... i can never keep a fast though! nice description!!

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    1. Thank you Titli. Thanks for the sweet comments.

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  12. 'Apni maang suhagan ho....sang hamesha saajan ho' :) Beautiful description !

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    1. Jab sajan ho saath to himmat badh jati hai. Thank you Sreeja.

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  13. I go to watch the celebrations when my friends exchange the plates. It is a sight to watch the beautifully dressed ladies with colored hands narrating the story of karwa chauth called " chutuk baneer". i believe it is the story of young ganesha.

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    1. Yes Asha, the women wear their dsesses. There are several stories in connection with this festival.

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