Karva Chauth 2016 : know what is the importance and its origin
Happy Karva Chauth!!! It is the Hindu festival traditionally celebrated by married women.
Traditionally “Karva” means earthen pots used to store wheat and “Chauth” means the fourth day. Every year on the fouth day of Hindu lunisolar calendar married women age fast from sunrise to mooonnrise praying for the safety and longevity of their husbands, fiancés or desired husbands this vrat for the long life of his husband.
Women age fast on this day and prays without even drinking a glass of water after sunrise. It is only when the moon rises that women eat something to break their fast. Men are generally expected to feed the first bite of food to their wives on the festival.
On this day women use to dress in bright and colorful ethnic wear, similar to bridal and also apply beautiful Mehendi designs .
According to Mahabharatha’s Vana Parva, Karva Chauth’s origins can be traced back to the time when Savitri begged the god of death, Lord Yama for her husband’s soul.
Karva Chauth is also symbolic of the beginning of the rabi crop-cycle or wheat-sowing time. People are known to have started observing the day praying for a good-harvest season, which is probably the reason why most agriculture-dependent regions like western UP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra etc. observe Karva Chauth.
It is a symbol of love between husband and wife. After moonrise, wife has to first worship Moon and after that she would worship her husband. And take his blessings. After finishing puja husband breaks vrat of his wife by providing water to her with his hands.
On October 19, the auspicious time this year to start the Karva Chauth puja and prayers is 5:43 – 5:46 am to 6:50 pm. In New Delhi, the moon is expected to rise at 8:47 pm and the offerings to the moon can be made following that. It is an important part of the rituals to offer prayers to the moon after the moonrise before breaking the fast.
God Shiva, Ganesha, Karthikeya and goddess Parvati are also worshipped at this time. After this, the women offer earthen pots (karwa) containing rice, urad dal to their mother-in-laws.
Here’s a list of moonrise timings in states across India.
Moonrise time in Uttar Pradesh – 8:35 pm
Moonrise time in Mumbai – 9:21 pm
Moonrise time in Rajasthan – 8:56 pm
Moonrise time in Himachal Pradesh – 8:43 pm
Moonrise time in Punjab – 8:49 pm
Moonrise time in Haryana – 8:48 pm
Moonrise time in Bengaluru – 9:09 pm
Moonrise time in Kolkata – 8:11 pm
