As the soft moonlight fills the sky in the night every year, many millions of hearts in India are all celebrating this festival known as Karva Chauth that is not just a ritual. It is a day of love that is manifested in silent prayers, devotion, and trust. Women do not fast because they are doing something rare, but because they are showing their strong attachment and love. This antique practice still shines in the present-day world, causing the fusion of the ancient culture and the contemporary manifestations of love.
Karva Chauth is a festival, which is a fine fusion of tradition and emotion. During this holy day, married women fast very rigorously since the sunrise till they are able to see the moon at night, wishing that their partner would live long and prosper.The day starts early and involves a rich pre-dawn meal, rituals, being dressed in traditional clothes and sitting together with other women to talk about prayers and stories. They gaze at the moon when it is rising, pray, and eat love and gratitude through a sieve.It is not merely a quickie it is a soul bursting engagement of devotion, faith, and the untold power of affection.The legend of Savitri and Satyavan
In that kingdom of Madra there was once a beautiful princess who was wise called Savitri. She was not only famous in her beauty but also she was smart, devoted and determined.
One day, Savitri went to the forest and met Satyavan who was a good-looking and good-natured prince in exile with his blind father and mother. She developed a strong attachment to him as soon as she laid her eyes on him and was certain that he would be her husband.
When Savitri, however, consulted her father, the doom of Satyavan was told him no less than one year before that day, as long as he lived in exile. Savitri was never deterred and decided to marry Satyavan because of her devotion and her will.
It arrived the day when Satyavan was cutting wood in the forest. Then he became weak and sank Yama, god of death, had arrived to steal his soul. Savitri was a courageous and faithful woman who pursued Yama wherever he went. She talked to him wisely, meekly, and with undying dedication.
Yama was impressed by her devotion and her witty pleas and therefore granted her three boons, provided that she would never directly request Satyavan to be spared. Savitri thought her wishes well:
- That her father-in-law had his sight restored and his kingdom back.
- That her father should live long and prosper.
- She should have a hundred sons blessed.
By giving such boons, Yama was not able to deny Savitri her right wish The life of Satyavan was saved, because the fulfilment of such boons was indirectly relevant to save her husband. Yama blessed the pair and disappeared under the influence of her religiosity and will.
Since then Savitri and Satyavan had long and happy life together. The bravery, wisdom, and undying love of Savitri was one of the timeless references to the marriage devotion.
Behind the Festival There is a Meaning and History
Even the name of the festival itself has a strong meaning as well, as in the case of Karva, which means an earthen pot which is a symbol of luck and purity, and Chauth which means the fourth day of the Kartik lunar month. It is a time-honored tradition enjoyed in the entire northern India as a festival of love and devotion. It is thought that fasting in the pure heart makes the marriage relationship more emotional and encourages blessings of a happy, long, and peaceful married life.
Rituals and Day Celebration
- Early Morning (Sargi): Before the sun rises, the party starts with special pre-dawn breakfast called sargi which has been made lovingly by the mother-in-law. It brings power and blessing to the future day.
- Fasting: Following sargi, women keep a fast no food, no water as a touching prayer to their partner to live long and happy.
- Evening Puja: In the evening when the sun goes down, the women get dressed in traditional clothes, put mehendi and attend the evening puja. They adorn their thalis, pray and hear the Katha of Karva Chauth maintaining the heart of the festival.
- Moonrise Ceremony: When the moon sets, women stare at it through a sieve, provide water and then turn to their husbands symbolic gesture of love, trust and devotion. The day is then broken in a very soft manner with the help of their partner and this is the most desirable moment of the day. .
Karva Chauth in the contemporary times
As much as Karva Chauth is an institution, nowadays it has assumed a modernized interpretation of a union of partnership. Over time, husbands also fast with their wives hence demonstrating love, support, and equality. In addition to the rituals, the festival also puts emphasis on mutual respect, emotional attachment and the value that binds modern relationships together.
Karva Chauth is not only a fast but a festival that makes it to celebrate eternal love, commitment and companionship. It teaches us that sometimes the best relationships cannot be made only through words, but the values, trust and other minor but meaningful gestures.
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