Karwa Chauth 2023: A Step By Step Guide For Complete Puja Rituals

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Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival where fasting ritual is observed by married women for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. It is typically observed on the fourth day after the full moon in the Hindu lunar month of Kartik.

Even though the customs, rituals, and traditions slightly vary from different regions and communities in India, the core elements remain the same. This year Karwa Chauth will be observed on Wednesday, 1 November 2023. Here is the step-by-step guide for complete puja rituals.

1. Sargi
On this day, Married women wake up before sunrise, usually around 4:00 am or 4:30 am, and have a pre-dawn meal called "Sargi" prepared by their mother-in-law. The sargi includes foods like fenia (a sweet dish made from semolina), fruits, nuts, and at times dishes that are savory. Apart from this, married women also receive gifts and new clothes from their in-laws as a token of love and blessings.

2. Observing Fast
After consuming Sargi, the fast begins, and women refrain from consuming any food or water until moonrise.

3. Applying Mehendi (Henna)
On this day, women apply intricate henna designs on their hands and feet, and it is an important part of the celebration.

4. Puja Preparations
In the late afternoon, women clean and decorate the puja (prayer) area in their homes and dress in traditional attire, and adorn themselves with jewelry.

5. Karwa Chauth Puja

• Women gather the necessary puja items such as a clay pot (Karwa) filled with water, a picture or idol of Goddess Parvati, a decorated thali (plate) with roli, rice, incense, a lit diya (lamp), and some sweets during late afternoon or evening.
• They sit in a circle with other fasting women in the neighborhood and a priest or an elderly woman guides them through the puja rituals.
• These women offer prayers to Goddess Parvati and seek her blessings for their husband's long and healthy lives.
• They listen to the Karwa Chauth Katha (narrative) that tells the story of Queen Veeravati and the significance of the fast.
• They pass their Karwa (clay pot) and thali (plate) to each other in a clockwise direction while singing traditional and devotional songs.

6. Breaking the Fast

• The most awaited moment of the day is the sighting of the moon.
• Women look at the moon through a sieve or a dupatta (scarf) while holding their thali with the lit diya.
• After seeing the moon, they offer water to the moon to seek its blessings and then to their husbands by touching their feet.
• The husband then feeds his wife the first sip of water and some food, officially breaking her fast.
• Once the Karwa Chauth fast is successfully completed, women pray for the well-being and prosperity of their husbands and their family members.
• Friends and family often join in the celebration, and a festive meal is shared by everyone.