Celebration of Love on Your First Karva Chauth: A Guide to Traditions and Rituals

It’s that time of the year again, with the fragrance of festivities rising high up in the air. Right in the middle of all these festivals in the latter half of the year, we have Karva Chauth. A day celebrating a couple’s love and commitment for each other. First Karva Chauth after getting married is truly a special feeling. It is filled with all kinds of excitement. The beauty of Indian culture and traditions reflects through our festivals. The day of Karva Chauth holds deep significance as a couple commences on their journey of a lifetime. Fasting and partaking in rituals, this day is essentially dedicated to deepening the bond between a husband and wife. While we truly believe love and respect amongst all kinds of relations should be a year round phenomenon, marking a day to remind ourselves to strengthen our path and to celebrate that particular relationship is equally a beautiful way to keep going. If this Karva Chauth is the first you’re celebrating, here’s all you need to know to honour the rituals with grace and truly enjoy every bit of it. 

A Brief History of Karva Chauth: 

Celebrated in the northern parts of India, primarily Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, Karva Chauth is a day to celebrate the union and love between a husband and wife. Karva Chauth translates to “Karva” meaning “clay pot” and “Chauth” referring to the fourth day of the month of Kartik as per the Hindu Lunar calendar. Traditionally, married women pray for their husbands’ well being and a long life while observing a Nirjala (no intake of water) fast from sunrise to moonrise. 

As per history this fast was initially observed by women whose husbands were out in the war, and keeping this fast was felt to be a symbol of strength and hope during long periods of separation. 

Over these years and the modern times we might look at traditions and rituals from a different lens, but the essence of the festivals remains the same. Karva Chauth is symbolic of the love between husband and wife, and the sentiment holds true up until today and for times to come. 

Firsts in life are always very special and hold a close emotional meaning in our memories. Here are a few nuances for your first Karva Chauth that will help you connect with the day a little more. Here’s how you can prepare for the day: 

• Early Morning Sargi: Traditionally the mother-in-law of the new bride gives her a vast array of items ranging from fruits, sweets and nutritional items. These are consumed as a pre-dawn meal known as Sargi. As the fasting observed on Karva Chauth is a Nirjala Upvas (no food items, no water to be consumed), it is important to balance it during the sargi for the body to sustain through the day up until the moonrise. 

• Play Dress-Up: The day of Karva Chauth is the best day to bring out all those heavy and fancy Shararas, Ghararas and Lehengas. Adorn yourself in your best outfit in auspicious colours such as red or orange, pink etc. Glam yourself up with bindis, sindoor and jewellery. 

• Mehendi Application: Henna, or mehendi application on hands is also one of the most widely adapted rituals for the day. 

Rituals of Karva Chauth: 

• Karva Chauth Puja: Traditionally married women gather in groups during evening time to perform the Karva Chauth Puja. Each married woman carries with herself a karva (clay pot filled with water) and a plate with sweets, fruits and flowers. The women then rotate around the plates in front of the image of goddess Parvati, reciting hymns of the day and narrating the Karva Chauth Katha. While they perform this puja, they seek blessings for their husbands. 

• Opening the Fast: Women open their fast upon the sighting of the moon. Women view the moon through a sieve, this is done to symbolically filter out negative energies. Water and prayers are first offered to the moon, after which, the woman looks at her husband. The husband then offers water and a bite of food to his wife, officially opening the fast. It is a moment of sentiment and emotion between the couple wishing and praying for each other’s well being. 

Mythological Significance of Moon Sighting: 

As per Hindu sacred texts, the moon is associated with several deities and is known to be a calming and powerful force. Looking at the moon through the sieve symbolically represents filtering out imperfections of life and focusing on the good and positivity, essentially how life partners should be looking at each other. 

What you must remember on your first Karva Chauth: 

• Fasting the entire day without water can at first seem daunting, but make sure you stock up on your essential nutrients along with ample hydration during the Sargi hours. 
• Any form of fasting can quickly lead up to physical exhaustion, so try to balance the pace of physical activities on this day. Try to rest when you can. 
• While our traditions point out this day to be exclusively women centric from fasting to dressing up, know that this day is way more than just a ritual. It is a celebration of bond and love with your husband. So try and spend some good quality time with your partner. 

Don’t fret too much about the tiny details and nuances of fast keeping. In the eyes of god, if our intentions and actions are pure, a few silly hiccups don’t mean anything. Enjoy this beautiful and surreal experience. While Karva Chauth is celebrated every year, the firsts happen only once. So make the most of it and have a good time.