The festival of Karwa Chauth is interlaced with civilization and woven with many stories that combine to be the complete story of Karwa Chauth. The day is very significant and can be only understood when one knows the stories behind it. The festival that we know today was not celebrated as we celebrate it today; it has taken quite some time to become what we know it as today. It is more like a prayer than a celebration that married women do for the health and life of their husbands and family. The celebration witnesses the love and care of a wife for her husband. To appreciate their wives the husbands take care of them the whole day and give them Karwa Chauth gifts. The events and stories are intriguing enough to ignite your curiosity to know more. This article has all the information to satiate your curiosity and help you understand the significance of the day. Even before we start to know the intricate details let us first know by the story why it is called Karwa Chauth.
Have you ever wondered why the day is called to be Karwa Chauth? Well, it is said that this day came to be called Karwa Chauth because of this story. The name Karwa was of a woman who was a devotee and loved and cared for her husband deeply. One day when her husband went to the river to bathe he was attacked by a crocodile. Karwa very bravely bound the crocodile with cotton yarn and prayed to Lord Yama the God of death. On the invocation of Karwa, Lord Yama appeared before her and heard her plea to give her husband’s life back and send the crocodile to hell. Yamaraj disagreed with her and said it was something that he couldn’t do being the God of the dead; it was not his job to return lives. Hearing this Karwa threatened to curse Yamlok the kingdom of Lord Yama and destroy his kingdom. As Karwa was a devoted wife her cursing and destroying Yamlok scared Yama. He blessed Karwa’s husband with life and sent the crocodile to hell. From this day onwards this day is called to be Karwa Chauth when the married women pray to Lord Yama for their husband’s health and the longevity of their life.
There is another story that is related to Karwa Chauth and it is of Satyavan and Savitri. It is said that there was a married couple Satyavan and Savitri. The couple were devoted to each other and were very generous. But one day when Lord Yama went to take her husband Satyavan’s soul with him. Savitri begged Yama to grant her husband life again, but as Yama refused to do so she started following him. She followed him without eating or drinking and kept praying to Yama to let her husband live. Yama finally melted by her prayers and granted her a wish, he said she can ask for anything in this world except for her husband’s life. Savitri was not only a devoted woman she was wise too. She asked to be blessed with children and in order to do so Yama had to give life to her husband. Hence, she was successful in bringing back her husband to life from the threshold of hell. Since that day women fast just like Savitri and pray for their family and their husband’s life.
There is another myth that revolves around Queen Veerati. Veerati was the youngest daughter of the house with seven elder brothers. She celebrated her first Karwa Chauth after marriage in her parent’s house. All the strict rituals and fast were followed properly but by the end of the day, Veerati was exhausted and desperate to complete the fast by praying to the moon. The brothers couldn’t bear to see their loving sister in such distress and placed a rounded mirror behind a peepal tree. They convinced Veerati that it was the moon and as she broke the fast by giving “arga” to the fake moon the news of King’s death arrived. Veerati wept all night until her will and pain compelled a Goddess to appear. She told him that she was tricked by her brother. To make amends she should repeat the Karwa Chauth vrat without any mistake. There’s another variant of the same story that says she left her home to reach her King and on the way she met Goddess Parvati who told her about her brother’s trick. Goddess Parvati suggested she follow the rituals of Karwa Chauth again to bring her husband back to life. Queen Veerati did as told and Lord Yama was compelled to return her husband’s life. This is how Queen Veerati was able to bring her husband back to life with Karwa Chauth's prayers and rituals.
You might have heard these stories in bits and pieces before as well but might not have known about the significance of it. But now you know about it in detail and can understand the significance of fasting and praying to the Lord of death Yama. These stories have shaped the day of Karwa Chauth that we know and celebrate today. Nowadays, husbands also help their wives in their fasts and prayers and it conveys the love and devotion that their relationship has. Hence, it is celebrated with Karwa Chauth gifts and rituals and makes the day momentous for everyone.
