Karva Chauth falls on October 20 this year.
The key rituals involve women observing a strict fast from sunrise until they see the moon in the evening.
Karva Chauth is a traditional Hindu festival celebrated by married women, primarily in North India to pray for the well-being and long life of their husbands. It usually falls in the month of October or November, during the Krishna Paksha on the fourth day after Purnima in the month of Kartika. The key rituals involve women observing a strict fast from sunrise until they see the moon in the evening, without consuming food or water. They break the fast afterward by offering prayers to the moon, seeking blessings from their husbands’ prosperity and long lives. Apart from all the rituals, Sargi holds a special significance in this festival. It is a pre-dawn meal, usually prepared by the mother-in-law for her daughter-in-law which is consumed before sunrise on the day of Karva Chauth.
Sargi typically includes a variety of fruits, sweets, dry fruits, and a glass of water or milk. The mother-in-law will also provide mehendi and jewellery to her daughter-in-law. This year, the auspicious time to consume Sargi will begin from 4 am to 5 am on October 20 according to Deoghar’s famous astrologer Acharya Pandit Nandkishore Mudgal.
Sargi also has some other key importance as consuming it provides energy and helps the women sustain the day-long-fast without water and food. The tradition of mother-in-law preparing Sargi also strengthens the bond between the two. The act of receiving Sargi is also essential as the mother-in-law’s blessings are beneficial for a healthy and harmonious married life.
According to Pandit Ji, married women after preparing Sargi should begin the worship of the moon after 7:40 pm. They should offer water to the moon after seeing their husbands’ faces in the sieve. They will break the fast after the husband gives the first sip of water or a bite of food. The timing of moonrise can vary depending on the location, so it is also necessary for women to check the expected moonrise time for their specific area on the day of Karva Chauth.
