Karwa Chauth Sargi Tips for Mother-in-Law

Karwa Chauth Sargi

Karwa Chauth Sargi

Karwa Chauth is just around the corner. Known as the famous fasting festival in India done for the long live and good health of one’s better halves. Karva Chauth’s fast is observed throughout the day by married women in Northern Indian. Traditionally Karva Chauth is celebrated in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and parts of Uttar Pradesh. This one-day festival falls in the Hindu Lunisolar Calendar month of Kartik on the fourth day after the full moon. Karwa Chauth is a nirjala vrat (without food and water) observed by married women for the whole day until they sight the moon.

Traditional adornments, henna, vibrantly decorated puja thalis, add to the beauty of the day-long festival. Karwa Chauth fast begins at dawn. The fasting women do not eat and drink water throughout the day. Traditionally it’s a day of celebration, women greet each other, apply henna, adorn themselves and participate in the puja ceremony. This day is a good time for festivities and gift exchange since Karwa Chauth follows soon after the Kharif crop harvest in the rural areas. However, parents send gifts to their married daughters and their children.

In the contemporary times, not only women but men as well fast for their better-halves.

Since India has a rich cultural heritage. Narratives and rituals pertaining to Karwa Chauth are diverse. Interestingly, it is this diversity of India which binds the people of the country together. Since rituals vary across India, people celebrate Karwa Chauth as per their respective tradition. However, as per the customs, in the evening a community women-only ceremony is held in which they perform rituals and cherish the blessings of their elders. Depending on the community, a version of the story of Karwa Chauth is narrated with regular pauses. However, in the pauses, the Karwa Chauth puja song is sung collectively the singers performing the feris i.e.  passing their puja thalis around in circles. Narratives pertaining to Karwa Chauth varies across India, in the state of Rajasthan- narratives are told by an elderly woman including stories of Shiv, Parvati and Ganesh. Each fasting women light up an earthen lamp in her thalis while listening to the Karwa story.

Karwa Chauth fast can be exhausting as well. Since it is a day-long fast without water, it’s advisable to keep a check on one’s health and eat nuts as they are great energy providers for the day. So here are some Sargi tips for the festival of Karwa Chauth-

Sargi basically is a significant pre-dawn meal prepared for the daughter-in-law by her mother-in-law in order to bless her daughter-in-law on this special occasion of Karwa Chauth. Sargi is considered to be a plateful of savories and sweets which is eaten by the fasting women during dawn so as to keep throughout the day without food and water. As per the traditions, it is considered as a blessing from mother-in-law to her daughter-in-law for the completion of fast. Sweets, matthri, dry fruits, coconuts, along with adornments amalgamate to from Sargi.

In order to remain hydrated throughout the day, indulge in drinking fresh juices, milk, or buttermilk, green tea to name a few.

It is advisable to eat a nutritious Sargi so as to keep throughout the day.

Eat light food- chapatti, cooked vegetables, halwa etc. so as to provide energy throughout the day.

Fresh fruits are beneficial for humans and they are significant in keeping a person hydrated through the day.

Oily and fried foods must be curbed from eating in Sargi. Since they make an individual more lethargic.

Sargi is a storehouse of energy for fasting women during Karwa Chauth. So, it is advisable to eat right and healthy foods. Consume walnuts and almonds to provide you energy throughout the day.