What exactly is Karva chauth fasting all about?
Fasting has nothing to do with food, actually. It is about spending the day with just with automatic force, which we also call god. It is also called ‘Upavasa’, which means leading a parallel life.
In scriptures, ‘man’ symbolizes an idea that is being processed into an action and ‘woman’ symbolizes the starting / Return point of the idea that enables complete deletion of the idea, if found to be harmful.
How long the idea remains viable depends on whether it is created of mighty automatic force or with the small automatic force. If the restore point is created with mighty automatic the idea will last longer.
Moon symbolizes the subconscious mind, which makes ideas mighty and long lasting.
Therefore, Karva chauth is technique to make ideas last longer, which can be used both by man and woman. It is not about a woman making her husband live longer. This technique can be scientifically tested and used any day of the year.
What was the inspiration behind this whole ceremony in olden days?
Karva is another word for ‘pot’ (a small earthen pot of water) and chauth means ‘fourth’ in Hindi (a reference to the fact that the festival falls on the fourth day of the dark-fortnight, or Krishna paksh, of the month of Kartik).In Sanskrit scriptures, the festival is addressed as Kark Chaturthi, Kark meaning an earthen water pitcher and Chaturthi denotes fourth day of lunar Hindu month.
Karwa Chauth is mostly celebrated in Northern India. One hypothesis is that military campaigns were often conducted by men in far off places whereby men would leave their wives and children at home to go off to the war. Their wives would often pray for their safe return. The festival also coincides with the wheat-sowing time (i.e., the beginning of the Rabi crop cycle). Big earthen pots in which wheat is stored are sometimes called Karwas, so the fast may have begun as a prayer for a good harvest in this predominantly wheat-eating Northwestern region.
Another story about the origin of this festival relates to the bond of feminine friendship. With the custom of arranged marriage being prevalent, the newlywed is supposed to reside with her husband and in-laws. Being new to the family, the custom arose of befriending another woman as her friend or sister (dharam-behn) for life. The friendship would be sanctified through a Hindu ritual during the marriage ceremony itself. The bride’s friend would usually be of the same age (or slightly older), typically married into the same village (so that she would not go away) and not directly related to her in-laws (so there was no conflict of interest later). This emotional and psychological bond would be considered akin to a blood relationship. It is said that Karva Chauth festival evolved to include celebrating this special bond of friendship.
In actuality it is a beautiful magical moon and holy day to fast on fluids and not break it with heavy greasy foods rather eat mindfully and consciously.
In todays day and time the celebration brings heaps of wastage to nature and eating of high junk foods in form sargi to fully spoil the internal health.
I hope that one understands the beauty of ocassion and celebrates it purely and consciously.
Happy Karwa Chauth everyone! 🌙
Nidhi Jagetia