Karwa Chauth 2021: From puja timings to significance, here's all you need to know

Karwa Chauth is celebrated by married Hindu women who observe a Nirjala fast on the day for the long life and happiness of their husbands. The day is observed in Kartika, the eighth month of the Hindu calendar. This year, Karwa Chauth will be celebrated on Sunday, 24 October. Significance For married women, this is one of the most important festivals as it symbolises the trust and bond between a couple. On this day, married women worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, along with Kartikeya, Ganesha and Chandra Dev (Moon God). Fasting women believe that the Moon God will shower his blessings and grant health and longevity to their husbands. Nowadays, some men also fast for their wives. Some unmarried women also fast on this day for better marriage prospects or in order to get the desired groom. This festival is celebrated with pomp and joy in several parts of the country, especially in the northern states such as Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. Karwa Chauth Puja Timings The Chaturthi tithi will begin on 24 October at 3.01 am and will end at 5.43 am on 25 October. Women will fast from 6.10 am in the morning till the moonrise. The expected time of moonrise is 8.50 pm. The Puja mahurat for Karwa Chauth is between 6.03 pm to 7.15 pm. Along with the moon, Maa Parvati, Lord Shiva, and Lord Ganesha are worshipped on Karwa Chauth. Customs and Rituals: On this festival, women eat a meal at pre-dawn called the Sargi, after which they fast till moonrise. Sargi is prepared by a lot of care and devotion by mother-in-laws. It also includes the traditional attire like saree and lehenga, along with ornaments, worn by women to celebrate this festival. Fasting women also apply henna in their hands and deck up in make-up, clothes and jewellery. The ceremony of Karwa Chauth is performed only by women where they sit in circles with their puja thalis and sing religious songs. Women wait for the moon to rise and once it is sighted, they look at the moon and then at their husbands through a sieve. Women pray for the long life of their husbands after which, the husbands help them break their fast by feeding wives with fruits, dry fruits, and water.