KARVA CHOUTH FALLS ABOUT NINE DAYS BEFORE DIWALI ON the Kartik ki Chouth (fourth day of the waning moon or the dark fortnight) some time in October or November. It is the most important fast observed by the women of North India. A woman keeps such a fast for the well-being of her husband, who becomes her protector after she leaves her parents' home. Her husband provides her with food, shelter, clothing,respectability, comfort and happiness. In times gone by, a widow became a burden to the household and was best got rid of by burning her on the funeral pyre of her husband.This was glorified by attributing great virtue to the womwn concerned, having brainwashed her enough so that she herself would decide to become what was known as

a Sati. So it became exceedingly important that her husband remain alive. Hence, the great importance of this fast.
In the olden times, the elders of the family were also keen to dicipline the young wife, who sometimes arrived at the tender age of seven or eight years. Great care was taken on the day of this fast to ensure that she took neither food nor water unwittingly. An older woman would accompany the young girl even to the bathroom, or the toilet, to ensure that she did not drink any water.This is indeed a very tough fast to observe as it starts before sunrise and ends after worshipping the moon, which usually rises at about 8.45 p.m. No food or water is to be taken after 4 a.m. or after sunrise. Nowadays, this fast is kept even in modern educated homes, becoming a symbol of the sentiment that a woman has for her husband. Many women do not adhere to the strictness of the fast, and many do not keep it at all, without causing any ripples in the Hindu society or any damage to their dear husbands! Actually, such a fast is not bad at all, since it is good for the digestive system, and does teach one to complete an assignment, however difficult it may be. Still, if it is inconvenient, and causes one to fall sick, it should be abandoned or the seveity curtailed, by taking water, tea or coffee during the day.

There is great festivity on this day, and the day preceding it, as the mother-in-law of a newly wed makes much ado about sending the stuff for sargai (eating before sunrise on the day of the fast). Women whose husbands are alive join together and eat before sunrise. The food they take is thirst-quenching and keeps the body liquids in proper shape - milk, fruits like singhara and oranges, sherbet, tea or coffee must be taken and, of course, puri and aloo, cooked fresh in the morning, and pheni dipped in milk and anything else one may fancy. All these items, except the liquids, are sent to the girl's house by the mother-in-law a day prior to the actual urat (fast), as the girls spend the night in their mothers' house but come to their in-laws' place during the day. This is the custom for a newly wed, otherwise both sargai and puja are done in one's own house. On the day of the urat, the women rise early, have their bath, and dress up in finery, with gota and kinari. Those who have thechunri wear it even for the sargai. The newly married girls wear their lehanga and chunni, which is very much in fashion again. Heavy jewellery can be worn, but one has to one has to be careful these days.

On Karva Chouth the young women are not supposed to do any work of the household, or any stitching or knitting either. So, these free young ladies generally crowd around a mehndiwali and a churiwali (banfle- seller), wherever they can find them, getting their palms and feet decorated with henna and filling their arms with bangles. It is fascinating to watch henna coming out of the container and forming the beautiful patterns on the palm, as the mehndiwali decorates it with great artistic precision, quite like icing a cake. Really, one has to see for oneself to believe the variety and the beauty of their designs. Buying bangles, bindis and kajal all for oneself, without anyone putting a spoke in the wheel for once, makes the occasion so very enjoyable. It's a day to fuss over oneself. Going to a movie or playing cards is the order of the day and keeps the women busy and happy. Of course, too much excitement must be avoided as it leads to one becoming thirsty, and maybe, a little sick.

The halwais do brisk business on this day since mothers send the baya for their daughters. This baya normally consists of ten big mathris, ten puas (sugar mixed with atta and kneaded with water and made into medium size pakoras), halwa, along with some cash and clothes, if one desires. The cash amount need not be too much; it can be anything from Rs. 5 to Rs. 50. A karva is a must - a karva is a lota (small pitcher) made out of matti (round earthen pot with an outlet on the side, and open from the top with a lid). It shoud not be too big, but should be the size of an ordinary bath lota.

If a karva is not easily available, then any utensil resembling a lota can be used by making a little round spout (taunti) with a piece of kneaded atta.A sari (in the baya) is a must for the first Karva Chouth of a girl. One thing to be taken care of is that the baya reaches the girl's in-laws' home, where the girl has gone during the course of the day, before the evening. The baya is given to the mother-in-law after the manasna.If the mother-in-law is not presented with the baya. Sometimes, the elder one chooses to take only the perishable items, and leaves cash and clothes for the mother-in-law. The baya can be accepted by widows also.
The preparation for the puja should be started at about 4 or 5 p.m. Someone older, who is willing or the housewife herself as the situation demands, prepares a suitable place in the puja room, in case it is a big room which can accommodate all the women who have been invited for the baya; otherwise the best place is a verandah or the open courtyard, since generally the weather isnot cold during this season. The puja place is decorated with kharia matti, which has been soaked in water two to three hours earlier, and takes a semi-liquid form.A chowk- like in any other puja - is decorated on the floor (chowk is described in the glossary). On top of the chowk, the seep chowk is decorated with aipun. This whole chowk should be placed against a wall on one side, where a similarly decorated patta is kept, on which the Gaur Mata is seated. Since the drawing of the chowk takes some time, it should be done much earlier. The Gaur Mata used to be made with cowdung in the shape of a human figure, just about two inches tall. Nowadays, a picture or an idol of Parvati is placed on the patta.

Just about an hour or so before moonrise, those who have observed the vrat, dress up again in their chunris or in red or pink clothes with chonp and bindi on their foreheads. Everyone now gathers around the puja place, where a carpet or durrie is spread over the chowk, leaving space for the puja items. The baya for each individual is kept on a thaali, over the karva, which has a little water and seven pieces of pua in it (seven pieces broken from one big pua). The karva itself is decorated with kharia, aipun and a little roli. A strand of kalava (red thread) of any thickness is tied around the narrow part of the karva. The top cover is also decorated and the thaali is placed on the cover, but if the cover comes in its way, it should be set aside. The thaali should be small so as to balance on the karva where the ten mathris or puris with ten puas, halwa, and cash are placed.

If a set of clothes is to be given, it need not be placed on top of the karva but near it. The women sit facing the gods, and one elder member (there is no taboo on windows) of the family narrates the story and does the chanting for each woman doing the puja. This is known as manasna, which means to give away and never take back. First of all, roli teeka is applied on the forehead of Gaur Mata before the start of the puja. All the women doing the puja also apply roli teeka on their foreheads and hair parting (known as maang). Everyone does pujan by first dipping the third finger of the right hand in water and sprinkling it with the help of the thumb three times on the deity; the same procedure has to be repeated with aipun and roli and, lastly, the rice is showered. This depicts the bathing of the deity, decoration with aipun, putting of the teeka with roli and, lastly, worshipping the deity with rice. Then, taking a little rice in the hand everyone sits down to listen to the story, which is as follows:

Once upon a time, there was a very young girl about seven years old, who was married and had to come for the first Karva Chouth to her father's house. She was the only daughter with seven elder married brothers. Their wives and the young girl kept the fast of Karva Chouth with great devotion. Now, this little girl's brothers could not get used to the idea of their darling sister remaining hungry and thirsty for hours on end. Their patience had nearly run out by evening;and they could not bear to see the pale face of their sister. So, they asked her to take tea or even drink a little water, but she refused as she was very anxious to follow her sisters-in-law. The brothers could not bear it, and even as twilight fell, and no moon was seen, they went out of the house and lit a fire in the forest. They then came home excitedly, and told the little sister that the moon had come out. They gave her a round sieve and asked her to look through it. She ran to each of her sisters-in-law, and asked them to come and see the moon. Each one refused, saying: 'Bibi rani, it is not our moon, but your moon which has come out.' She was very puzzled but took the sieve, and ran out. Looking through it, she saw a bright ball and decided that her brothers were right and sisters-in-law were very wrong. After doing puja to the moon she cosumed some water and food and, lo and behold, her husband fell down in a great swoon! She was petrified and ran helter-skelter, crying and demanding to know what had happened? When she would not stop, and kept pestering everyone, one of her sisters-in-law told her the truth. She was very shocked and resolved that since she was not at fault she would demand the return of her husband to consciousness from Gaur Mata herself. Keeping her husband's head on her lap she just sat down near the image of Gaur Mata. Very soon Gaur Mata came and exchanged karvas with all her sisters-in-law saying: 'Take O suhagan this karva, and give me O suhagan your karva', seven times to each sister-in-law. Then came the turn of the little girl. Gaur Mata refused to exchange karvas with her, but the little one insisted, and finally Gaur Mata turned towards her and said: 'O you, who cannot remain hungry, take this karva. O you, who cannot remain thirsty take this karva.' The young girl pleaded: 'No, no. Please say, take O suhagan this karva, and give O suhagan your karva, just as you have said to my sisters-in-law.' Gaur Mata repied: 'This I cannot say, but next year my sister will come and perhaps she may say it to you.' So this little girl sat with her husband's head on her lap for another year, without eating or drinking. She refused to budge from the place of worship and, on the appointed day, when the second Gaur Mata came, in a great cloud of wind and dust, looking really fearsome, this young bride did not move and insisted that the Gaur Mata stay and exchange the karva with her seven times. The fearsome lady refused, saying: 'Next year my older sister will come, perhaps she may have the power to restore your husband.' This event went on for six years, and each time a more fearsome aspect of Gaur Mata came and went, without doing anything for this young girl, but the girl loved her husband so much that she was ready to go toany extent to get him back and restore his health and happiness.

Then came the seventh Karva Chouth of this bride, who had been sitting without water or food all this while, and had not complained even once. Her husband neither stirred nor opened his eyes. Yet, she had put herfaith in the goddess and did not flinch. Her brothers and her sisters-in-law came to her tried their best to convince her that those who have gone from this world can never be brought back to life again (as it seemed that her husband was totally dead now). But she would hear none of it and, so, on the appointed day of Karva Chouth she was not afraid of the coming of the goddess, even after having experienced terrifying apparitions each year.
The moment came at last - the moon of the fourth day after full moon in Kartik arrived. She saw all the women of the household, dressed in their best, perform the puja and exchange the karvas. Then there blew a great storm, dark clouds covered the sky, the moon vanished, and a great roll of thunder rumbled and a flash of lightning streaked the sky. The trees bent double under the wind, and the rain came down in torrents. All rushed in and shut themselves indoors, but she would not move, and in the lightning she saw a huge figure of frightening dimensions and terrifying aspect, too terrible for any human to behold. And yet, she did not blink her eyes, but smiled a welcome, and implored the goddess to exchange the karva with her. The goddess roared and told her that as she had not been able to abide by the laws of the fast, it was not correct to ask for such a boon.
Now, the girl told the goddess about the trick that her loving brothers had played on her. Since the goddess was Parvati, she could not retain her awful aspects for long and started to shed tears of love for this little girl. She assumed the shape of a very beautiful woman, and the terrible storm, rain and thunder stopped. The moon came out in all its beauty, and there, alone in the courtyard, the goddess brought her karva towards that of the little girl, and said: 'Take O suhagan this karva, give me O suhagan your karva', just once, and the body, which was lying still on the girl's lap, came alive and the young husband rubbed his eyes and looked at his wife. It was a wonderful sight of happiness. The bride then took her karva and exchanged it seven times with Gaur Mata, who herself looked very pleased. There was an aura around them and thus rose the husband after seven years. Soon Gaur Mata left, and the young couple entered the house. There was no mark or strain of the seven years on her or her husband, and they looked radiant and full of life and vigour. Thus was rewarded the young bride's perseverance and faith. May everyone be so blessed!

At the end of the story, when Gaur Mata exchanges her karva with the young bride, each woman doing the puja exchanges her karva with the lady next to her, seven times, saying: 'Take O suhagan my karva', with a karva in her two hands slightly raised, along with the thaali on top carrying all the goodies, and the other woman says: 'Give O suhagan your karva', bringing the karva towards herself. Everyone present takes a partner and does the same. Then these partners do likewise, but with the roles reversed. Now one by one, each woman does the baya manasna,

individually, by taking a little rice in the cup of the left hand and adding a little water ti it, then taking the edge of the pallu in the right hand, while someone chants the relevant couplet. Then both hands are taken round the karva once and then the water is poured on the side of the karva, the chanting being done by an elder lady. The whole process is repeated a second time without the chant.
The chant is as follows: 'Addey-addey Krishna pakshe var (whatsoever day it is) Tith Karva Chouth (name of the member) manse hain apne suhag ke liye yeh karva, mattri, halwa, sari, nagdi, aur(name any other item on the thaali),apne suhag ke liye rani ka sa raj dena, Gaur ka sa suhag, dena Shri Krishna nimant.'
After getting up, one must touch the feet of all the elders and take their blessings. Each woman gives her baya to an elder member of the family.

The puja now ends and one of the women takes the puja thaali with a lighted diya (lamp) and a small utensil of water (hopefully the moon has been sighted by now). One by one they perform pujan of the moon. Each woman offers water to the moon by holding the lamp in the left hand and with the right hand pours the water on the ground seven times, also throwing seven pieces of freshly broken puas. She herself chants: 'Char peher ka deevla, char peher ki raat, bale chandrama arak doon, Karva Chouth ki raat.'
This chant is repeated seven times by each one. The woman does not touch the feet of either of her parents or people from her own family (as opposed to her husband's family), if she is doing the puja in her mother's house.

Since she is regarded as 'devi roop' in her own household.Those who have kept the fast break a puja into ten pieces(each person individually) and each piece is eaten one by one with a little water drunk in between. This is done in total silence.
Now the family dinner is served. Festive items cooked for the occasion are placed on the table, like puri, dahi-vada, with four vegetables, sounth ki pakori (this is made by soaking sounth in water and making a thin liquid more or less drinkable, mixed with sugar, salt and red chilli powder, all to one's own taste, and adding small round pakoris of besan to this mixture). This dish tastes very good and is also very good for digestion. Rice and dal are not cooked on the days of any fast. The food is made without any onion or garlic.Thus, the great fast of Karva Chouth comes to an end.Every morning she would go to the river to bathe with her ladies-in-waiting. She used to take off her jewellery and fancy clothes, and put them on the banks of the river. One day, she did the same and was happily playing and splashing in the river when a kite came flying over the place, and seeing a shining object, it swooped down and took the necklace away. (Kites love to take shining objects to their nests for their young ones to get excited about, and also to decorate their homes with glitter.) The queen came out of the river and found, to her dismay, that her necklace was missing, and she was distressed beyond measure, and no one could console her. She fretted so much that the king heard of it within a few minutes, and came to find out what had happened. He was also very very upset and naulakha haar would be given anything he or she desired. A man with a dholak went around making the announcement all over the kingdom, and everyone came to know of the great loss suffered by the queen and that the discovery of the necklace would make the person who found it rich beyond his or her wildest dreams. So, everyone did nothing but look for the beautiful haar and talk about it at homes and in marketplaces. The queen could not be consoled. She gave up eating and drinking, and the king was also very unhappy and kept inquiring of his servicemen every noe and then as to the progress made in the matter.
Now, there used to be a very old and poor woman, who lived right ouside the town, just where the forest began. She used to make her livelihood by selling wood and sticks for lighting fires, which would meet her meager daily needs. She had no one else to look after her as her children were away and she had to do her own household chores and shopping. In any case, she could not buy much as she was so poor. As Diwali was approaching, she was cleaning her hut, which was very dark and dingy because it was near the forest. She saw a patragho (a large lizard-like animal found in the forest) in a dark corner of her hut. She killet it, and threw it on her thatched roof. At this very moment, the kite with the naulakha haar was flying past and its eyes fell on the dead animal. The kite thought that food was better than the glittering object that it was carrying, So, it dropped the haar on the thatched roof and made off with the dead patragho. The old woman heard the noise and on seeing something shining on the roof brought it down and found, to her amazement, the most beautiful haar that one could imagine. She knew at once that it must belong to the queen. Soon she heard about the king's announcement, and the misery in the palace. So she went and asked for an audience with the king. The king was surprised, but he was a good and kind person and, so, she was brought before him. She asked him whether he would stand by what he had promised through his announcement. The king looked hopeful and solemnly declared that he would do as he had promised.

'I have it here,' the old woman said, and took out the haar from her torn jute bag, much to the amazement of all the countries, who looked startled and wondered what the old woman would ask for. They, as well as the king, expected her to ask for half the kingdom, or any amount of wealth; but she did not. Do you know what she asked for? 'Sire, please order everyone, that on Diwali day no one will light up their houses except me, and the palace shall also be dark.' The king was stunned, but heaved a sigh of relief at the strange request, and he granted it at once. He was afraid that she might change her mind. This was hardly a thing to think twice about. Everyone talked at length about this odd request - in the marketplaces, in the houses, and in the palace. Wise men shook their heads perplexed, not understanding what it would fetch the old woman. Diwali was near, and soon the day dawned. People were told that not a single light should be seen, or else they would be punished with dead - even the king's palace stood in total darkness as the sun went down. There was pitch darkness everywhere, and only one diya twinkled in the old woman's house, far away in a corner of the landscape. The old woman just did what she was used to doing all her life during Diwali, and lit only one diya, being too poor to afford any more.
At the stroke of midnight, Lakshmiji came down from the heavens in her glittering clothes, so that they would shine all the more in the beautiful lights of the houses and palaces which she would visit. She loved a lot of light and gaiety and so she visited those houses which were bright and shining. Today, she was perplexed for she could hardly move without stumbling against a pillar or post, and nearly fell at several places. She was so miserable, that she scanned the horizon for some light somewhere, and then she saw the little glimmer from the old woman's hut.She made a dash for it, because by now she was completely desperate.

The puja now ends and one of the women takes the puja thaali with a lighted diya (lamp) and a small utensil of water (hopefully the moon has been sighted by now). One by one they perform pujan of the moon. Each woman offers water to the moon by holding the lamp in the left hand and with the right hand pours the water on the ground seven times, also throwing seven pieces of freshly broken puas. She herself chants: 'Char peher ka deevla, char peher ki raat, bale chandrama arak doon, Karva Chouth ki raat.'

This chant is repeated seven times by each one. The woman does not touch the feet of either of her parents or people from her own family (as opposed to her husband's family), if she is doing the puja in her mother's house. Since she is regarded as 'devi roop' in her own household.Those who have kept the fast break a puja into ten pieces(each person individually) and each piece is eaten one by one with a little water drunk in between. This is done in total silence.

Now the family dinner is served. Festive items cooked for the occasion are placed on the table, like puri, dahi-vada, with four vegetables, sounth ki pakori (this is made by soaking sounth in water and making a thin liquid more or less drinkable, mixed with sugar, salt and red chilli powder, all to one's own taste, and adding small round pakoris of besan to this mixture). This dish tastes very good and is also very good for digestion. Rice and dal are not cooked on the days of any fast. The food is made without any onion or garlic.Thus, the great fast of Karva Chouth comes to an end.