Karwa Chauth Puja Guide: Sargi, Rituals and Key Precautions

New Delhi, October 29: Karwa Chauth is an occasion of deep faith and celebration for married women across the country. To help women observe the fast with proper understanding, astrologer Pandit Shipra Sachdev has explained the key rules and rituals associated with the festival.

Pandit Shipra Sachdev, who spoke with IANS, outlined the significance of the fast, the proper sequence of rituals and the precautions women should take.

Married women keep the Karwa Chauth fast for the long life of their husbands and a happy married life. The fast is strictly nirjala, meaning it is observed without consuming water.

The fast begins early in the morning with sargi. Women must finish eating sargi before sunrise, while the stars can still be seen, and then take the vow to observe the fast.

Throughout the day, the fast continues without water. In the evening, the puja is performed during pradosh kaal. Women worship Mata Gauri, and an idol or form of Mata Gauri is established for this purpose.

Pandit Shipra Sachdev said that women observing the fast should not indulge in cutting or stitching. Knives, scissors and needle and thread should be kept aside, and crossing a river should be avoided until the fast is complete.

In many places, ten married women come together to listen to the Karva Mata katha and perform the puja jointly, which is considered very auspicious. The fast ends after the moon is worshipped.

After offering arghya to the moon, women break their fast by taking water from their husbands' hands.

Pandit Shipra also explained the tradition of bayna, which is observed on Karwa Chauth. The word bayna means to circulate. A thali containing a matki, fruits, dry fruits and other items is turned around and then offered to the mother-in-law or another elderly married woman. The bayna is not eaten by the one who offers it.