8/3/2019 Celebrate India Karwa Chauth with Yatra.com

1/3

Celebrate India Karwa Chauth with Yatra.com

Which is the most featured festival in Indian Cinema? Most will definitely sayHoli and some might even say Ganesh

Chaturthi. That is because a large number of popular songs have been composed for both. But, it takes a little astute

observation to realize that it is in fact Karwa Chauth that takes the precedence over all other festivals, when it comes to

Indian cinema. Reason being that a major chunk of movies produced in India are either romantic or family dramas. Be it a

married couple or an unmarried one, Karwa Chauth is the perfect setting to romanticize their relationship. The ingenuity

of the film makers makes it all the more interesting by sometimes turning the event into a tragedy (husband meets with an

accident) or giving it the emotional treatment (the hero stays hungry along with the girl, Remember DDLJ, K3G?). Its

said that cinema is a mere reflection of the society in which it exists. This statement is a lot more believable in this

particular case, because Karwa Chauth is that one festival, which most of the traditional and modern Indian women

celebrate with utter devotion.

Karwa Chauth usually falls either in the month of October

or November. On this dayHindu & Punjabi women,

especially north Indian, observe a fast from morning till

moonrise, for their husbands well-being. The women get

up early and eat specially cooked food known as Sargi

before sunrise. They are not supposed to eat or even drink

water during the day. In the evening, they dress up in bridal

finery, gather at a common place like community temple or

someones house who has arranged thePujaand listen to

the Karwa Chauth Katha (story). According to the culture,

a Karwa Chauth story is narrated with pauses, by either an older woman or the priest. In these pauses, special songs are

sung, during which the women perform the Feris (passing around the thaali, sitting in a circle). The essentials of this

gathering and listening to the Karwa Chauth story includes a special mud pot, that is considered a symbol of

Lord Ganesha, a metal urn filled with water, flowers, idols ofAmbika Gaur Mata, Goddess Parwati and some

fruits, mathi and food grains. A part of this is offered to the deities and the storyteller.

With the sighting of the moon, the women see its reflection in a thaali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. They offer

water to the moon (arag) and seek blessings. They pray for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands and sing

aKarwa Chauth aragsong. She is then given a piece of sweet and sip of water by her husband. It is customary for the

husband to present his wife a gift on this day, like jewellery or clothes. Then comes the much awaited special dinner and

this marks the end of a day long fast.

There is nothing worth celebrating more than to see the most modern couple celebrating Karwa Chauth in all its festivity.

This cultural representation is the best example of Celebrate India.

http://www.yatra.com/blogs/?p=69http://www.yatra.com/blogs/?p=69http://www.yatra.com/blogs/?p=69http://www.indif.com/nri/bhajan/karwa_chauth/karwachauth_song2.asphttp://www.indif.com/nri/bhajan/karwa_chauth/karwachauth_song2.asphttp://www.indif.com/nri/bhajan/karwa_chauth/karwachauth_song2.asphttp://www.indif.com/nri/bhajan/karwa_chauth/karwachauth_song2.asphttp://www.indif.com/nri/bhajan/karwa_chauth/karwachauth_song2.asphttp://www.indif.com/nri/bhajan/karwa_chauth/karwachauth_song2.asphttp://www.yatra.com/blogs/?p=69

8/3/2019 Celebrate India Karwa Chauth with Yatra.com

2/3

A couple of years back, I was in Singapore during Karwa Chauth, travelling as usual. I used the opportunity to call upon

an old friend, whom I had not seen in a long time. I quickly realized that his wife was in fact observing the festival and

fast. And then I realized that my friend will be busy during the afternoon with his wife, and cant show me around. Well, I

had a whole day planned and wanted to not waste a minute.

My friends wife asked me to spend the day with her and my friend, saying she will show me how karwa chauth is

celebrated. I chuckled and refused the offer. But she insisted, to which I said it will be very boring [suddenly the face of

my mom taking me to one of the katha ceremonies with a bunch of other

ladies and how bored I got]. Upon persistent insistence, I agreed though I

was sure it was a bad decision.

What happened after that is nothing less than a miracle. They took me to an

Indian temple in the middle of Singapore city, where there were at least a

couple of hundred females all decked up in fancy sarees, lehngas and

studded with jewels. It looked like a marriage caravan, that too a very rich

one. The atmosphere there was so festive, I just couldnt believe myself.

There was the Katha and ladies sat around in circles of 10-15 each. They

passed their thalis around, all the while singing and having fun. You couldnt

imagine that they are hungry and havent eaten anything ordrank even a sip

of water the whole day. The atmosphere was truly magical with music going and kids dancing.

A lot of guys were accompanying them, and they were having a gathering of their own. Each one trying to ensure their

wife was comfortable. The sense of community there was just incredible. I cannot remember my dad ever doing this. I

couldnt imagine it even in India. These guys truly knew how to CELEBRATE INDIA.

Then we all came back home and evening started with a gathering at my friends place, where some 15 families got

together and a long party started. When the moon came out, all the ladies and their men went out and completed the

ceremonies. Followed with a large pot-luck feast. Everyone had cooked and brought food. I didnt know till then that I

could gulp so many sweets in one meal. At night, I thanked my friends wife for the lovely time and more importantly for

showing me India outside India (in its true festive way). I would never forget what I say. This out of country Indian

festival experience was surely out of this world.

Next morning, One adventure had ended, another one was ready to begin. It was now time to go around and get lost in

the city. Before anything else, I must mention that the public transport system is splendid in Singapore. You can take a

single pass for both bus and the metro and the transport system is so much in sync that you will practically have to be

medically stupid to get yourself stranded in Singapore. Singapore (a country) is smaller than the Delhi (a city) by a huge

8/3/2019 Celebrate India Karwa Chauth with Yatra.com

3/3