What is Karwa Chauth?
Karwa Chauth is a prominent festival celebrated by married women across various states in India. The term Karwa Chauth is comprised of two words, wherein 'Karwa' refers to 'earthen pot' and 'Chauth' means 'the fourth.' This festivity is celebrated on the fourth day after the full Moon (Poornima) in the month of Kartik. It is a day-long festival in which married women keep fast from sunrise to moonrise, praying for the longevity of their husbands. The festival is revered with great enthusiasm amongst married Hindu and Sikh women in northern as well as western parts of India, primarily in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
Karwa Chauth Gift Ideas
Significance of Karwa Chauth
Karwa Chauth, an annual festival rejoiced by married women all around India, holds great value in Indian culture. Preparations for Karva Chauth begin several days ahead. Married women buy new clothes, jewelry, make-up, and pooja items. On Karva Chauth day, women eat sargi before sunrise. After this, mehndi is applied on the hands and feet in the morning, and Karwa chauth Pooja thalis are decorated. Fasting women from the neighborhood gather in a temple, house, or garden before dusk. Here all the women perform Karva Chauth worship together. During this time, the idol of Parvati Ji with dung and yellow soil is established. Nowadays, the already prepared statue of Mata Gauri is also kept. After worship, all women listen to the story of Karva Chauth from an elderly woman. At this moment, all the women worship in bright and colorful attires with sixteen adornments. Arghya is offered at the rise of the Moon, and then aarti of the husband is performed. The fast of a woman ends by drinking water from the hands of her husband.
When is Karwa Chauth 2024?
The festival of Karva Chauth falls nine days before Diwali. According to Hindu Panchang, the fast of Karva Chauth is celebrated every year on Chaturthi tithi of Kartik month. At the same time, according to the English calendar, this festival comes in the month of October or November. This year Karva Chauth is on 20th October 2024, Sunday. And the Karwa Chauth 2024 moonrise time will be 08:20 PM.
Karwa Chauth 2024 Timings
| Karwa Chauth 2024 | Sun, 20 Oct, 2024 |
| Karwa Chauth Puja Muhurat | 05:46 pm to 07:57 pm |
| Moonrise | 08:20 PM |
| Chaturthi tithi Begins | 20th Oct 06:46 am to 21st Oct 4:16 am |
| Chaturthi tithi End | 20th Oct 06:46 am to 21st Oct 4:16 am |
Legends Associated with Karwa Chauth
Every Indian festival is backed by spiritual and mythological importance. Karva Chauth, the festival of love and devotion, is another such festival with many legends associated with it.
Story of Rani Veeravati
A long time ago, there was a gorgeous princess named Veeravati. She was the only sister to her seven brothers, married to a king. On her first Karva Chauth, after her marriage, she went to her parents' house. She observed a strict fast right after the Sunrise. By the evening, she fainted. Her dear brothers could not bear the troublesome condition of their sister and decided to end her fast. They decided to disguise the moonrise. They lighted up a fire at a nearby hill and asked Veeravati to see the flame. They convinced her that it was the Moonlight, and because the Moon had risen, she could break her fast. The moment the queen broke the fast and started eating, she received the news that her husband was dead. On the way to her husband's palace, Goddess Parvati told her that the king lost his life because the queen had broken her fast by watching a false Moon. When the queen asked the Goddess for forgiveness, she granted her the blessing that the king would be recovered but would be ill. Next year, on Karva Chauth, she observed a strict fast that day. The king regained consciousness. It was only the queen’s devotion and her firm faith that won her husband’s love and the blessings of Goddess Parvati.
Story of Satyavan and Savitri
When we talk about Karva Chauth, there is also a story of Satyavan and his wife, Savitri. When Lord Yama came to grab Satyavan’s soul, Savitri requested Lord Yama to grant him life. When he refused, she started fasting and did not eat and drink anything for a long time. And when Yamraj came to know about her devotion, he gave up his purpose and granted her husband’s life. From this day onwards, Karva Chauth is celebrated by married women for ensuring long life and prosperity of their husbands.
A Tale from Mahabharata
Another episode in the Mahabharata epic states that when Arjun went to the Nilgiri Mountain to meditate for a few days, leaving his brothers, the Pandavas and wife Draupadi behind, his wife got anxious and she sought Lord Krishna’s help. He advised her to fast for Arjuna’s well-being and reminded her how Goddess Parvati did the same for Shiva’s safety. Draupadi followed the instructions carefully and observed the fast with all rituals, and soon, Arjuna returned home.
Story of Karwa
According to a fable, there was a woman named Karva. She was strongly devoted to her husband. One day while bathing in the stream, her husband was attacked by a crocodile. Then Karva came running and tied the crocodile with cotton yarn. After that, she went to Lord Yama, the Lord of death, and requested him to send the crocodile to hell. When he refused, she threatened to curse the Lord. Being fearful of the power of a devoted wife, Lord Yama readily accepted and sent the crocodile to Yamlok, and blessed Karva's husband with a long life.
Karwa Chauth Rituals/Karwa Chauth Vidhi
The festival of Karwa Chauth is a symbol of the constant devotion of the wife towards her husband. The one-day fast that ensures the well-being, prosperity, and longevity of husbands, the festival of Karwa Chauth gives an opportunity for all married women to earn a close bonding to their in-laws. Having a huge social and cultural significance, this festival is marked by keeping fast, applying mehndi, and exchange of gifts. There are some essential elements associated with Karwa Chauth Vrat Vidhi detailed below:
Sargi
The festival does not start only on the day, but the preparations begin a day in advance! Sargi is a particular feast prepared by the mother-in-law and sent to the daughter-in-law or bride-to-be to eat before the dawn on the Day of Karwa Chauth. The Sargi includes delightful and healthy eatables -fruits, mathri, milk-based sweets, and dry fruits like cashews, pistachios, and almonds. Mothers-in-law also bless their daughters-in-law and gives them traditional jewelry as well as sari to wear on this special day. Sargi additionally makes excellent gifts for Karwa Chauth.
Baya
On Karwa Chauth, the mother-in-law gets gifts from her daughter-in-law’s mother, which is known as Baya. The Baya consists of mathris, dry fruits, sarees, cosmetics, and utensils. Gifts for Karwa Chauth are also extended to all the married females of the husband’s family. After receiving the Baya, women doll up in bright clothes and apply mehndi on their hands and feet, which symbolize a married Indian woman.
Karwa Chauth Puja Vidhi & Narration of Story
The arrangements for performing Karwa Chauth Puja begin in the evening. The women dress up to their best and wear jewelry. Then all the women of the family and neighborhood gather for the Pooja around a beautiful idol of Maa Parvati, and the traditional story of Karva Chauth is narrated to all the married women. After the completion of Karwa Chauth ki Kahani or Karwa Chauth Katha, they offer their prayers to the Goddess and solicit happiness, long life, and prosperity from her for their husbands. Finally, the women pass their thalis around in a circle as they chant the holy hymn.
Ending the Fast with Moonrise
As the Moon appears in the sky, it is time to break the fast. The woman prepares her Karwa Chauth Thali with a sieve, sweets, lights diyas, and pours water into the karva. The woman goes to the place where she can clearly see the Moon. While her husband stands in front of her, firstly, she sees the Moon through the sieve and then her husband, and offers water to the Moon. The fast ends as the husband feed her a bite of food or sweets or by making her drink a sip of water. She solicits for her husband’s blessings by touching his feet and vows to be with him forever.
Exchange of Gifts
The husband bestows his wife with Karwa Chauth gifts to honor her prayers and dedication. The wife, too, offers lovely gifts to her husband for all the little things he does for her the year-round. With the sweet gesture of the exchange of gifts and hampers, this day becomes more beautiful. Therefore, this Karwa Chauth, double up your affection with the best gifts for your spouse and make her/him feel loved and cared for like never before!
Karwa Chauth Vrat Katha
According to Karwa Chauth Katha beliefs, a moneylender had seven sons and a daughter. Once, the women of the house fasted on the day of Karva Chauth. In the house, the moneylender's wife, daughters-in-law, and daughter worshiped Goddess Karva with complete rituals on this day. On the occasion of the festival, a lot of dishes, etc. were made at home. When it was time to eat, all of them sat down to eat; the brothers also asked their sister to have a meal with them. Everyone asked the sister for food many times, but the sister said that the Moon had not risen, and she would eat only when the Moon comes out and after offering the food to it. Then, the brothers worried that she had not eaten anything for the whole day. They decided to go away from home to the city and lit a fire and brought a sieve and showed it to the sister and told her that the Moon has come out. The moneylender's daughter, ignoring the talk of her sisters-in-law, offered her food to the Moon shown by the brothers. In this way, due to breaking the fast of Karva Chauth, Lord Ganesha got offended, and after a few days, her husband became very ill. Due to this, there was a lot of sadness in their house. When the daughter came to know, she duly worshiped Lord Ganesh and apologized, after which God gave her husband's life back. From then on, the fast of Karva Chauth started becoming prevalent.
Gifting Guide for Karwa Chauth 2024
Occasions and festivities are best marked by the ritual of giving gifts to each other. The Karva Chauth grants another reason to bestow a Wife, Daughter, Mother-in-law, Daughter-in-law, Sister-in-law, Husband with lovely gifts as a sweet gesture of your love and affection. Nowadays, gifts have become an essential part of Karwa Chauth Vidhi. So, extend your Karwa Chauth wishes and order gifts to your lovely relations.
Special Karwa Chauth Gift Hampers
Gift hampers are always the best ideas to impress women. The most popular Karva Chauth hampers include Cosmetics, Pooja Thali Set, Chocolates, Hand Bags, Plants, Sweets, Dry Fruits; all available as combos. Explore our Karva Chauth gift selection and shower your unconditional love on your wife.
Sargi
The Karwa Chauth festival becomes more exuberant with attractive Karwa Chauth Gifts. Therefore, send Karwa Chauth Sargi and gifts to your Daughter-in-Law and shower your love and blessings on her.
Sweets, Dry Fruits & Chocolates
While breaking the fast, you can gratify the taste buds of your spouse this Karva Chauth festival by gifting sweets and chocolates. Chocolates, together with sweets, enable us to instill sweetness in the relationship. Hence, you can delight your husband or wife with a wonderful box of chocolate and sweets. Some of the most demanded chocolates during Karva Chauth celebration are Dairy Milk Silk, 5-Star, KitKat, Munch, Ferrero Roche, and Perk. In the same manner, the most loved among Sweets comprise Kaju Katli, Milk Cake, Barfi, Laddoo, and Rasgulla. Dry fruits like Almonds, Cashews, Pistachios, Raisins play a very significant role during Karva Chauth and are major components of the Sargi.
Personalized Gifts
Personalized or customized gifts are the best token of love that speak your heart out and impress the receiver with their elegance. This Karva Chauth, you can customize a cushion, mug, keychain, clutches, photo frames, flowers, etc. with a quote or personal message and image of yours together with your husband or wife.
Plants
Plants not only spread positivity in the environment but also bring good luck and prosperity to the home wherever they are placed. So, if you are looking for a gift that can bring good luck to you and your partner's life, then it’s good to gift a plant.
Perfumes
As per Hindu belief, applying perfumes before leaving home for a job or any other work is considered to be a good omen. You can present perfumes to your husband or wife as a token of your love, care, wishes, and blessings. Different perfumes are available in the market, or you can also visit our online store to buy the best perfume for your better half.
