Karwa Chauth is one of the most auspicious Indian festival celebrated by the Hindu community. As you all may know that on this day, the wives keep fast to bless their beloved husband with a long life. But there have been some other explanations that tell us that there is something more meaningful behind the curtain.
The story of Veervati establishes a believe that brides keep fast throughout the day to compel ‘Yama’ to bless their husbands with a long life. Some old evil misbelieves like Satipratha, made its roots go even deeper because a wife had to keep fast on Karva Chauth or she would be blamed for anything bad happens to her husband and she would be treated in a really bad manner, even burnt alive. Human beings always subjugate the real meaning of festivals with time. But, the celebration of Karva Chauth is actually based on a really sweet reason.
During older times, when a girl was married to a family, she used to find it difficult to make bonds with all family members including in-laws and her own husband and whenever she faced any problem, she couldn’t find anyone in the family whom she could share her feelings with.
The women, then, started to get together and share their insecurities with one another. It helped them to fight back with better moral support with their routine problems. They decided to discuss their problems with everyone and suggest solutions to one another. They used to take up the meeting till the evening without eating or drinking anything. Karwa Chauth was actually the festival of such women who gathered together to find their place in their families. This day was important for women because they used to share similar issues and problems with their community. It gave them a unique sense of equality and importance in family.
A woman’s life has always been isolated in our culture. As a counter, women laughed, made friends and united as a community. Their unity was the real essence of the gathering that soon turned out to be a festival.
Being away from the husband for the day used to make the man realize the importance of their wives in their life. This was a manifestation of a girl’s sacrifices that made husbands realize that it is the wife, who works selflessly for her husband.
At the end of the day, the husband breaks the fast himself. This represents how important a wife is, for him and how lovingly they feel blessed for their heavenly bond.
The real essence of the festival is lost but the zeal and enthusiasm of women for Karva Chauth throughout the country is still the same. It will be the same, till there is love in between the couple.