Karwa Chauth 2020 – Significance, Vrat Puja & Fasting Tips

The season of festivities is finally here! 

Karwa Chauth  is one of the most celebrated and auspicious festivals celebrated by married women across the country. The day is filled with vigor and excitement symbolizing the unconditional love for their partners.

Mostly celebrated by women in North India, Karwa Chauth  is a prominent Hindu festival. The celebrations of Karwa Chauth  are carried four days after the full moon day or Purnima in the month Kartika, as per the Hindu Calendar. 

Significance of Karwa Chauth –

On this day, women who are married follow a strict fasting ritual. It is believed that this fast helps in upkeep their husbands’ safety and longevity. This festival is popular in the states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. In Andhra Pradesh, the festival is celebrated as Atla Tadde. 

Important Timings

Timings are of utmost importance while planning the day and try to adhere to the specific year’s timings as much as possible. 

This year Karwa Chauth shall be celebrated on 4th November 2020. You can refer to the following timings for the auspicious day-

Karwa Chauth Puja Muhurat – 06:04 PM to 07:19 PM

Karwa Chauth Upavasa Time – 06:40 AM to 08:52 PM

Moonrise on Karwa Chauth Day – 08:52 PM

Chaturthi Tithi Begins – 03:24 AM on Nov 04, 2020

Chaturthi Tithi Ends – 05:14 AM on Nov 05, 2020

Timings Credits : Ndtv Food 

Vrat Katha and Rituals :

Usually, the preparations of Karwa Chauth  are carried out a few days in advance. Women buy adornments, jewelry, and various essentials for pooja. Thereafter they follow a strict no water and no food fast from sunrise till moonrise. Women who fast celebrate the festival by adorning themselves in beautiful henna and traditional clothes. 

Towards the end of the day, Karwa Chauth  Katha is narrated with regular pauses. As per Hindu mythology, the Goddess Akhand Saubhagyavati is worshipped in this pooja through the narration of her tale of fasting. A typical pooja thali usually includes Karwa Chauth storybook, Matthi, Sindoor, Red thread (called Kalawa), Karwa (a vessel filled with water), Dhoop, Paan leaves, Ghee, Kapoor, Diya made out of Atta, Sieve (Channi), some sweets and finally a red cloth to cover the sacred Thaali.

This Katha puja is performed in the evening in a community and the narrator is usually a priest or the oldest woman around. Amidst the singing and folklore women usually sit in a circle with their decorated pooja thalis and wait for the appearance of the moon. 

 Once the moon is visible, women offer water and fruits to the moon and pray for the long life of their husbands. Use the Karwa and offer it to the moon thereafter through a sieve, view their husband, and then the moon again while praying for their long life. Post that the husband breaks their wife’s fast by presenting her with water, fruits, or sweets. Finally, the Karwa Chauth  celebration comes to an end with a big grand feast. 

 While the Karwa Chauth  fasting is a strict fasting ritual to follow, here are some tips you can follow to keep yourself satiated during the day! 

On this day, a Nirjala fast is observed, and “The Sargi Thaali” is prepared. Sargi is often seen as a symbol of love as the mother-in-law prepares her daughter-in-law a grand Thaali to help her sustain the day. 

Since Sargi is the only meal one can relish during the day, it is important to include food items that can keep your body nourished and full of energy. 

Fruits and dry fruits

Eating these can help reduce any chances of dehydration. Majorly citrus fruits and pomegranate can be eaten along with other fruits. You can also eat raisins, almonds, cashews, and other dry fruits as they can provide you with energy to sustain throughout the fast.

Coconut

Coconut is wonder food when it comes to fasting. Coconut is loaded with nutrients that can stabilize your blood sugar and keep you hydrated. So make sure to fill yourself up with Coconut Water and sweets like Coconut Barfi or Coconut Ladoo! 

Sewaiyaan 

Sewaiyaan is the essence of any Sargi Thaali! They help you stay energetic throughout the day and their sweetness also uplifts one’s mood right before the day starts. 

Don’t forget to try out the quintessential Karwa Chauth delicacy, Pheni! 

Hydrate Yourself Up! 

The most difficult part of the Karwa Chauth  is to keep yourself away from water. Therefore the most important thing while planning your pre-dawn meal is to load up on liquids. 

Make sure to drink up plenty of water, fruit-infused water, or even juice jellies to keep you hydrated all day and not cause dehydration on this special day! 

Also, try avoiding caffeine related beverages as it can lead to acidity on an empty stomach later during the day. 

While praying for your beloved’s health and longevity, remember to observe healthy fasting too! 

After a long long day of fasting, make sure to dive into your favorite meals that you can find on BetterButter and relish this well-deserved treat. 

We at BetterButter wish you a very happy and fun-filled KarwaChauth! 

Marketing Team