Karwa Chauth Puja Vidhi & Process

Karwa Chauth is celebrated amongst Hindu married women mostly in northern India. However, the ritual has been glamorized by Indian TV serials and Movies to the extent that it is marked by many communities nowadays.

In the religious books of Dharamasindhu, Nirnayasindhu and Vratraj mention Karwa Chauth as Karak Chaturthi. Both Karak and Karwa mean a small pitcher that is used during Puja and given as charity afterwards for the well-being of the family.

Although it is mentioned that only women have the right to perform fasting on Karwa Chauth, men to perform fast in the modern era.

The fasting on Karwa Chauth is done not only for the well-being and long life of the husband but also for the sons, grandsons, wealth and everlasting prosperity of the family. Here's the Complete Guide to Karwa Chauth Pujan Vidhi and Puja Samagri.

Karwa Chauth Rituals

The Festival is observed precisely nine days before Diwali and on the fourth day of Kartik month as per Hindu calendar. The grand celebration of this holy occasion begins a day before.

Earlier an idol of Gaur Mata was made using cowdung and earth. Now just an idol of Goddess Parwati is kept. Every lady light a diya in their pooja thali while listening to the Karva Chauth Vrat Katha. The thali also consist of sindoor, incense sticks and rice are also kept in the thali.

In Karwa Chauth ritual, women wear heavy embroidered saari or dupatta in red, pink or other bridal colors and adorn themselves with all other symbols of a married women like, nose pin, tika, bindi, chonp, bangles, earrings etc.

They dress up themselves like a bride. Once the moon rises, the women see its reflection in a thali of water or a sieve. Then they offer water to the moon and pray for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands. This marks the end of the day long fast.

Significance of 'Sargi' and Other Essentials

All women wake up early in the morning and eat food which is also known as 'sargi' before sunrise. They are not supposed to eat or even drink water during the day. In the evening, they get ready in beautiful clothes and listen to the Karwa Chauth katha and break the fast after the moonrise.

Married women start preparation of Karwa Chauth pooja a day in advance. Married women buy the shringar or the traditional adornments and the other pooja items like the karwa, matthi, heena etc.

Early in the morning, before sunrise, they prepare food and have it. The morning passes by in other festive activities like decorating hand and feet with heena, decorating the pooja thali and meeting friends and relatives.

In the evening, women gather at a common pooja place like temple or someone's house who has arranged the puja. An elderly lady or the pujarin narrates the legend of Karva Chauth and all the ladies together listen to the katha.

The essentials of this gathering and listening of the Karwa chauth story includes a special mud pot, that is considered a symbol of lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols of Ambika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some fruits, mathi and food grains. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller.

The newlyweds, the brides-to-be & married women get karva chauth gifts as well as pots of baskets from their mothers-in-law and would-be mothers-in-law.

The tradition signifies that the mothers-in-law fill the earthen pots with traditional food called 'Sargi' which has to be taken by women in the morning strictly before sunrise.

Sargi is something conventional and often comprises of food items like fruits, fried potatoes and milk-based sweets that boost endurance of women.

The Baya

The Baya comprises of an earthen pitcher, money, jewellery, clothes and sweets that are sent by woman's mother to her in-law's at home.

Karva Chauth Pooja & Story

Women observing the Karwa Chauth fast get together as a part of the ritual. The Puja is held in the evening and the Puja-area is decorated with "khariamatti" - mud & an idol of Goddess Parvati.

Hours before seeing the moon in the sky, the traditional story of Karwa Chauth is narrated to the ladies gathered over for the ritual. In the current situation, it might be difficult to gather around and celebrate the ritual, however, ladies can do this over a video call and make the most of the trying times.

In Hinduism, Karwa Chauth Fast is the truest symbol of the sanctity of the relationship between the husband and wife.

Karva Chauth Puja Samagri:

Lord Ganesha idol or frame, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvatiji picture
Copper or Clay Kalash (pot) or a Glass
Red cloth (to cover the pot)
Green Beans, also known as Phalli, Ber (berry), Kachar (small cucumber)
Coin, moli/red thread
Paper or board

Karwa Chauth Puja Thali Samagri:

Kumkum, Chaval, Gud, Moli, Coin, Lamp, Flowers,
Prasad: Churma or Halwa or Sugar in a small bowl
Different communities celebrate the festival differently and the rituals change with traditions.

How to Break Karwa Chauth Vrat or Fast

All women break their daylong fast by the evening when they see the moon in the sky. The fast is often broken in the presence of their husbands & it makes it a ceremonial affair.

Women start the fast-breaking process by lighting an earthen lamp or Diya and filling a container with water. These items are placed on a traditional puja thali and carried to the place from where they see the moon, usually the open terrace or balcony.

The hubby stands in front of his wife & wife sees the moon through a fine sieve. After that, water is offered to the moon, & the wife looks at her husband through the sieve.

A prayer follows this ritual for longevity, & after that husband feeds his wife her first morsel of food, or a sip of water hence, breaking the fast.