The true essence of womanhood – Karva Chauth

Women are an integral part of our society without whom it is completely impossible for one to even think of the world moving forward or moving at all. Every year, on the occasion of Karva Chauth, women from all around the globe fast from the sunrise to moonrise. The festival falls on the fourth day after the full moon, in the Hindu Luni-solar calendar month of Kartik. Sometimes, unmarried women join the fast for their fiancés or desired loved ones.

The husband-wife relationship

Karva Chauth is observed and experienced by many but the significance of Karva Chauth does not only limit itself to the husband-wife relationship, but it also goes much deeper and aims at connecting friends and family. Back in history, when cars and cell phones were non-existent, every woman who used to marry in some other village had no one who could understand her or someone with whom she could share her sentiments with. Hence, she used to befriend someone from the clan or the neighbourhood, the bond was commonly known as ‘Kangan Behen’ or God friends. To celebrate the bond and the special moments of sharing between these friends, Karva Chauth was celebrated.

Sargi

On the day of Karva Chauth, the mother in law gifts her daughter in law ‘Sargi’ through which she depicts that she may be her daughter in law but she will never consider anything less than a blood daughter. It is also about learning self-control, focus and much practice the fast for better concentration and devotion to Shakti.

In all these significances, one thing remains common, womanhood, Karva Chauth is about women spreading and sharing the love and belongingness with their family and friends. No matter if she practices the fast or not, a woman remains a non-ignorant part of any human’s life and without her, the world would fall apart.

Dr. Archika Didi