Karva Chauth is a festival celebrated by married women to pray for their husband’s long life and prosperity. It is celebrated as a fast observed on the fourth day of Krishna paksh of the Kartik month, it falls between Dassera and Deepavali. The day also coincides with Sankashti Chaturthi auspicious for Lord Ganesh’s worship.Karva means an earthen pot in which water is offered to the moon and chauth means ‘fourth’ in Hindi,Karva Chauth is mostly celebrated in the northern states of India.

The Karva Chauth festival begins with women getting up early morning before sunrise, having a bath and dressing up with complete adornments as a married woman in auspicious colors especially red color. The women then prepare a decorated pooja thali and keep water in an earthen pot to offer to the moon before breaking their fast. The fast begins with a pre-dawn meal called sargi and consists of feni (made with wheat vermicelli, sugar, and milk), and after this women fast the whole day with no food or water and break their fast after offering water (Arghya) to the moon. Traditionally, the women who are fasting do not do household chores on that day and spend time in getting ready for evening prayers. Applying henna, choosing saris and dresses and meeting friends are some of the activities that women spend their time on that day.

In the evening all the fasting women dress in traditional finery and gather together to offer prayers to Lord Shiva and his family. The prayers vary in different regions, but they are offered to Lord Shiva, his consort Devi Parvati, and their children Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesh. The fast is broken after moonrise by first offering water from the earthen pot to the moon and praying for the long life of her husband. The family then sits together and shares the meal consisting of festival specials like and sweets. Women get gifts of sarees and jewelry from their husband for the Karva Chauth Festival. Lord Shiva, Devi Parvati, Lord Ganesh, and Lord Kartikeya are symbolic of a perfect family, their worship ensures happiness, good health, and prosperity for the entire family. For a woman, the companionship
of her husband in her life is almost a guarantee of a happy and fulfilled life. The Karva Chauth festival is an opportunity for the married women to pray and ask this from Lord Shiva and his ideal family.