Karwa Chauth 2020 will be celebrated today i.e. Wednesday, November 04, 2020. It’s one of the major Hindu festival where devotees worship Maa Gauri and Lord Shiva with great devotion. The Karwa Chauth fasting is mostly observed by married women for long life and well being of their husband, however, unmarried girls can also keep the Karwa Chauth fast in order to attain an ideal life partner.
The Karwa Chauth festival begins with Sargi ritual. Those who want to keep Karwa Chauth festival, wake up before sunrise for Sargi. A Sargi contains food items like – different dishes, sweets, salty snacks to dry fruits, seviyan, and also clothes like saree or lengha along with jewellery & beauty products.
On Karwa Chauth Day, women wear bridal dress like saree or lengha, apply Vermillion, Henna and Solah Shringaar. During evening Karwa Chauth puja is performed, women worship rising moon and seek blessings for a happy married life.
In Andhra Pradesh the festival is celebrated as Atla Tadde, women dress up in traditional clothing, apply henna and sindhoor which symbolises their married status. In other parts of North India, women get together and listen to Karwa Chauth katha.
According to Drik Panchang, the Karwa Chauth puja muhurat is from 5:34 pm to 6:52 pm, and the Karwa Chauth vrat or fast or upavasa time is from 6:35 am to 8:12 pm. On November 4, the moon will rise at 8:12 pm. The Chaurthi Tithi will start at 3:24 am on November 4 and end at 5:14 am on November 5.
Karwa Chauth Katha
Story of Satyavan and Savitri
As per legends, Lord Yama came down to earth to take the soul of Satyavan, the husband of Savitri. Savitri pleaded Yama to spare the life of her husband and followed him everywhere until he granted her with a boon. Yama told Savitri she can ask for any boon except the life of her husband. Savitri asked Yama to be blessed with kids, to which he agreed. Since she was a “Pati-Vrata” woman, she never allowed any man to touch her, thereby leaving Lord Yama with no choice but to return her husband in full health.
Legend of Queen Veeravati
As per legends, Queen Veeravati had seen brothers who loved her immensely. After marriage, queen Veeravati observed her first Karwa Chauth festival at her father’s residence. She kept the Karwa Chauth fast throughout the day without food or water. By evening, she was eagerly waiting for the Moon to rise since it was becoming difficult for her to stay without drinking or eating anything. Seeing Veeravati’s condition, her brothers created a mirror-like reflection on the Peepal tree that projected as if the Moon had risen. Veeravati, thinking of it as the Moon, performed the Karwa Chauth puja and broke her fast. With every morsel she ate, there was something ominous. With the first morsel, she sneezed, with the second, she found hair and with the third, she received the news of her husband’s death. Hearing this news, she wept throughout the night, which compelled the Goddess Shakti to appear in front of her and ask the reason. Veeravati told Shakti about the death of her husband. Maa Shakti told Veeravati how her brothers, out of goodwill, tricked her. Shakti told Veeravati to perform the Karwa Chauth vrat again. After she performed the rituals with devotion, Lord Yama had to restore the life of her husband.