Karwachuth 

Karva Chauth is a traditional Hindu festival celebrated by married women mainly in North India. It involves fasting and praying for the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands. Here is a detailed description of the festival:

Karva Chauth has deep cultural and spiritual implications in Indian society. The word "karva" means a small earthen pot, and "chauth" means the fourth day. The festival is celebrated on the fourth day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Kartik, usually in October or November.

The sacred story (Katha) of Karwa Chauth

In ancient times, there lived a courageous and beautiful queen named Veeravati. She was the only daughter of her parents and the beloved sister of seven brothers. After marriage, Veeravati kept her first fast of Karva Chauth for the long life of her husband. She did not eat or drink anything from morning till the sighting of the moon, as the fast of Karva Chauth is observed without drinking water.

As the day passed, Veeravati became very weak from hunger and thirst. Her brothers were saddened to see her condition. They became worried seeing their sister's condition and made a plan to help her. The brothers put a big mirror behind a nearby Peepal tree, which made it look like the moon had risen. They said to Veeravati, "Look, the moon has risen, now you can break your fast."

Listening to her brothers, Veeravati mistook the false moon in the mirror for the real one without looking carefully and broke her fast. As soon as she took her meal, she got the terrible news that her husband had died. Hearing this, Veeravati felt deeply saddened and started crying profusely. Seeing her true devotion and sorrow, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati heard her prayers.

Pleased by her devotion and dedication, Goddess Parvati blessed her and said, "Veeravati, you have broken your fast out of ignorance, but seeing your true devotion and penance, I give life to your husband. From now on, you observe the fast of Karva Chauth every year with full devotion and your husband will live a long life."

With the blessings of Goddess Parvati, the king got life again, and thus Veeravati's fast became successful. Since then, every year married women observe the fast of Karva Chauth and pray for the long life and happy life of their husbands.

●Rituals and Customs

•Dawn Meal (Sargi):The day begins before sunrise, when women eat a meal called sargi, which is prepared and sent by their mother-in-law. It consists of sweets, fruits, dry fruits and sometimes other light items like puri. This meal gives them strength to endure the entire day of fasting.

Fasting:

After eating Sargi, women begin their fast, which lasts until moonrise. The fast is strict; traditionally, they do not consume food or water. However, some people may adjust this based on health or personal circumstances.

Karwa Puja (Prayers):

During the day, women wear beautiful traditional dresses, often red, orange or golden in colour, symbolising prosperity and marital happiness.

In the evening, they gather with other married women to perform Karva Chauth puja. They sit in a circle, pass the karva (earthen pot filled with water) to each other, and tell a story or legend relating to the origin of Karva Chauth. The most popular story is that of Queen Veervati, whose devotion saved her husband's life.

Offering Prayers to the Moon:

After the Karwa Chauth legend, women wait for the moon to rise. Once the moon is sighted, they perform a puja, first looking at the moon through a sieve or sometimes a cloth and then looking at their husband in the same way. This ritual symbolizes the moon's connection with the husband's long life and well-being.

Breaking the Fast

After the moon is sighted, women break their fast by drinking water, usually offered by their husbands. Husbands often present gifts or tokens of appreciation to their wives for observing the fast.