Festivals of India: Makar Sankranti

Posted on January 14, 2022 by memoriesandsuch

A harvest festival celebrated across India and the subcontinent, Makar Sankranti, Uttarayan, Maghi, or just Sankranti, which is celebrated today is also known as Poush Sankranti in Bangladesh or Tirmoori in Pakistan, is a harvest festival day, dedicated to the Sun God Lord Surya. It is observed each year the day the Sun enters the zodiac sign Capricorn, which corresponds to January as per the Gregorian calendar and marks the first day of the sun’s transit into the Makara Rashi or Capricorn.

It is celebrated on either 14 or 15 January due to the addition of the extra day in leap years. The festival, which is a harvest festival is celebrated with colourful decorations, children singing and asking for treats, fairs, dances, kite flying, bonfires and feasts. Some go to sacred rivers and lakes and bathe in a ceremony of thanks to the sun and every twelve years, the Kumbh Mela, the largest mass pilgrimage festivity is observed in conjunction with Makar Sankranti. Here, devotees pray to the Sun God and bathe at the confluence of the Rivers Ganga and Yamuna, known as the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, a tradition attributed to Adi Shankaracharya.

Makar Sankranti is known by various names across the country. It is known as Magh Bihu in Assam, Maghi, in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, Sukarat in central India, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, Ghughuti in Uttarakhand, Makara Sankranti in Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal where it is also known as Poush Sankranti, and as Sankranthi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Outside of India, it is known as Maghe Sankranti in Nepal and Tirmoori in Pakistan.

Makar Sankranti is set by the solar cycle and corresponds to the exact time when the sun enters the sign of Capricorn and usually falls on 14 January or 15 January during a leap year according to the Gregorian calendar.

Makar Sankranti is dedicated to the Sun God, Surya whose significance is traceable to the Vedic texts, particularly the Gayatri Mantra, a sacred hymn found in the Rigveda. It marks the termination of the winter season and the beginning of a new harvest season. From this day, the sun begins its northward journey or Uttarayan or the northern hemisphere and so the festival is also known as Uttarayan.

As per legend, Sankranti killed a devil named Sankarasur and so the day after Makar Sankrant is called Karidin or Kinkrant. On this day, she slew the devil Kinkarasur. As per another legend, the Sun God, Lord Surya forgave his son Shani who visited him on Sankranti. And that’s why people distribute sweets and urge everyone to let go of any negative or angry feelings. On this day people take a holy dip in rivers, especially the Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri because bathing in the rivers on this day is believed to result in merit or absolution of past sins. The Sun God is also prayed to and thanked for successes and prosperity. For most parts of India, this period is a part of the early stages of the Rabi crop and agricultural cycle, where crops have been sown and the hard work in the fields is mostly over. The time thus signifies a period of socialising and families enjoying each other’s company, taking care of the cattle, and celebrating around bonfires. On Makar Sankranti, people wear black which is otherwise a huge no-no on other festival days. As Sakranti falls in the winter months, wearing black adds to body warmth which is the reason for the colour.

In Assam, Makar Sankranti is known as Magh Bihu and the festival is marked by feasts and bonfires. Young people erect makeshift huts, known as Meji and Bhelaghar, from bamboo, leaves, and thatch, and in Bhelaghar they eat the food prepared for the feast and then burn the huts the next morning. celebrations also feature traditional Assamese games such as tekeli bhonga or pot-breaking and buffalo fighting. In Goa, people distribute sweets in the form of granules of sugar-coated sesame seeds among family members and friends and newly married women offer five sunghat or small clay pots filled with newly harvested grains, betel leaves areca nuts and tied with black beaded threads tied around them, to the deity. Uttarayan, as Makar Sankranti is called in Gujarati, is a major festival that lasts for two days. Kites made of special light-weight paper are flown and the festival is eagerly awaited.

In Haryana and Delhi, the festival is celebrated similarly to Western UP and the border areas of Rajasthan and Punjab. This includes ritual purification by taking a holy dip in rivers with sweets like kheer, churma, halwa and distributing a sesame and jaggery sweet called til-gud. Brothers of a married woman visit her home with a gift pack, called Sindhara or Sidha with gifts of clothing for her and her family. In Jammu, it is celebrated as Uttrain and is celebrated a day before Lohri by the Dogra community to commemorate the end of the Poh or Pausha month. Among the Dogras, there is a tradition of Mansana or charity of Khichdi of Maah Dal and that is why this day is also referred to as Khichdi wala Parva. There is also a tradition of sending Khichdi & other food items to house of married daughters and fairs are organised in holy places and pilgrimages are taken. In Karnataka, it is celebrated as Suggi and on this day, girls wear new clothes to visit near and dear ones with the Sankranti offering on a plate and exchange the same with other families in a ritual called Ellu Birodhu. The festival signifies the harvest of the season since sugarcane is predominant in these parts. Gifts are exchanged by women and newly married women give away bananas for five years to married women from the first year of their marriage. Kite flying, drawing rangolis, giving away red berries known as Yalchi kai are some of the intrinsic parts of the festival. In rural Karnataka, a display of decorated cows and bulls and their procession is done and they are also made to cross a flame and this custom is known as Kichchu Haayisuvudu. In Maharashtra, on Makar Sankranti day people exchange multicolored halwa and sweetmeats made from sesame seeds and jaggery known as til-gul laadoo. Married women invite friends and family and celebrate with guests given til-gul and some small gift, as a part of the ritual and women make it a point to wear black clothes on this day.

In Odisha, on the day of the festival, people prepare makara chaula and along with uncooked newly harvested rice, banana, coconut, jaggery, sesame, rasagola, Khai/Liaa and chhena puddings offer It to the Gods and Godesses. The Sun God at the Konark Sun Temple is worshipped with many starting the day with a ritual bath while fasting. In Puri special rituals are carried out at the temple of Lord Jagannath. In Punjab, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Maghi which is a religious and cultural festival. Bathing in a river in the early hours on Maghi is important with Hindus light lamps with sesame oil as this is supposed to give prosperity and drive away all sins. A major fair is held at the Sri Muktsar Sahib on Maghi which commemorates a historical event in Sikh history. In Rajasthan and Western Madhya Pradesh, the day is celebrated with special Rajasthani delicacies and sweets. Women in this region observe a ritual in which they give a gift to 13 married women. The first Sankranti experienced by a married woman is of significance as she is invited by her parents and brothers to their houses with her husband for a big feast. Kite flying is traditionally observed as a part of this festival.

In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as the four-day festival of Pongal with day one celebrated as Bhogi Pongal, day two as Thai Pongal, day three as Maattu Pongal and day four as Kaanum Pongal. On Maattu Pongal, many villages in the state will have a Jallikattu, or taming the bull, contest, which is an ancient Pongal tradition. In Uttar Pradesh, the festival is known as Kicheri and involves ritual bathing. Over two million people gather at their respective sacred places for this holy bathing such as Allahabad and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. In Uttarakhand, Makar Sankranti is known by various names in the different parts of the state. In the Kumaon region the festival is known as Ghughuti, Ghughuti Tyar, Ghughutia, Kale Kauva or Uttarayani with the famous Uttarayani fair held in Bageshwar town. During the fair, people bathe before daybreak at the confluence of the Saryu and Gomati rivers, followed by an offering of water to Lord Shiva inside the Bagnath Temple. Those who are more religiously disposed of, continue this practice for three days in succession, which is known as Trimaghi. On this day, people also give khichdi, a dish made by mixing pulses and rice in charity, take ceremonial dips in holy rivers, participate in Uttarayani fairs and offer deep-fried sweetmeats consisting of flour and jaggery to crows and other birds as a way to pay homage to the departed souls of their ancestors. In West Bengal, Sankranti is also known as Poush Sankranti. The freshly harvested paddy and the date palm syrup in the form of Khejurer Gur is used in the preparation of a variety of traditional Bengali sweets made with rice flour, coconut, milk and khejurer gur or date palm jaggery and known as Pitha. Goddess Lakshmi is usually worshipped on the day of Sankranti. In Darjeeling, the festival is as known as Magey Sakrati and is associated with the worship of Lord Shiva.

The Hindu Sindhi community in western regions of India and southeastern parts of Pakistan, celebrate Makar Sankranti as Tirmoori. On this day, parents send sweet dishes and ladoos and chiki or Laaee made of sesame seeds to their married daughters. In Bangladesh, Makar Sankranti is known as Shakrain and is observed with the flying of kites. In Nepal, Maghe Sankranti as it is known in the country, is celebrated as the new year and is a major festival of the Magar community. Observant Hindus take ritual baths during this festival and the oldest female in each household wishes good health to all family members.

So here’s wishing you a very Happy Makar Sankranti with a greeting from my home state of Maharastra which goes like this: “Til gud ghya, god god bola” which means eat the sweet made from sesame and jaggery, say good and positive thoughts and words and leave all the bitterness and negativity of the past behind.

Festivals of India: Vaikuntha Ekadashi

Posted on January 12, 2022 by memoriesandsuch

One of those festivals which are rarely celebrated by many, Vaikuntha Ekadashi, which coincides with the Moksada or Putrada Ekadashi is a special Ekadashi that comes mostly once a year, but sometimes twice and is generally associated with Shukla Paksha or the 11th lunar day of the Margashirsha month in the Lunar calendar corresponding to the Dhanur month in the Solar calendar sometime between 16 December of the current year and ending on 13 January of the next year. Vaikuntha, which is paradise, is where there is no lack, or shortage; only abundance.

Ēkadashi which means the eleventh is the eleventh lunar day or tithi of each of the two lunar phases which occur in a Vedic calendar month, the Shukla Pakṣha or the period of the brightening moon also known as the waxing phase and the Kṛiṣhṇa Pakṣha or the period of the fading moon also known as the waning phase, according to the Vedic medical texts of Ayurveda and is mentioned in detail in many original treatises such as the Charaka Samhita and the Susruta Samhita.

In Hinduism or Sanatan Dharma, Ekadashi holds great importance. A favourite tithi of Lord Krishna, his devotees observe upavas or fasts to be closer to him. In Nepal and India, the day is considered a day to cleanse the body, aid repair and rejuvenation and is usually observed by a partial or complete fast. High protein and carbohydrate-containing foods such as beans and grains are not consumed during the fast as it is a day to cleanse the body, instead, only fruits, vegetables and milk products are eaten. This period of abstinence starts from sunrise on the day of the Ekadashi to sunrise of the following day with rice is not eaten at all during this 24-hour period.

Followers of Lord Vishnu or the Vaishnava believe that the gates to the Lord’s inner sanctum or the Vaikunta Dwaram is opened on this day with the Margashirsha Shukla Paksha Ekadashi in the Lunar calendar known as a Mokshada Ekadashi. Vishnu temples all across the world offer special prayers, yagnas, discourses and speeches. Those who follow Lord Shiva or the Shaiva sect observe the day as Trikoti Ekadashi, a day where all the deities in the Hindu pantheon pay obeisance to Lord Shiva at the same time.

According to the Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikuntha Ekadashi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadashis of the year. However, according to the Vaishnava tradition, fasting is mandatory on all Ekadashis of both the Shukla and Krishna pakshas with fasting on an Ekadashi holier than any other religious observation. Because complete fasting has to be observed on Ekadashi, the meal on the Dwadashi or the 12th day is designed to be wholesome, nutritious, and filling. When observed, it is said to bestow liberation from the cycle of birth and death. On this day, the Vaikuntha Dwaram or the Vaikuntha Vaasal, the Gates of Vaikunta are believed to be kept open. The area encircling the sanctum is referred to as the Vaikuntha Vaasal and devotees throng this doorway to gain entry into the temple, to seek Lord Vishnu.

Legend says that Lord Vishnu opened the gate of his home, Vaikuntham, for two asuras or demons in spite of them being against him. They also asked for the boon that whoever listens to their story and sees the image of Lord Vishnu coming out of the door called Vaikunth Dwar, will reach Vaikunth as well. This is why temples all over India make a door kind of structure on this day for devotees to walk through.

According to the Padma Purana, the Devas, unable to bear the tyranny of Muran, a demon, approached Lord Shiva, who directed them to Lord Vishnu. A battle took place between Lord Vishnu and the demon and Lord Vishnu realised that a new weapon was needed to slay Muran. In order to take a rest and create a new weapon, Lord Vishnu retired to a cave for the Goddess named Haimavati in Badarikashrama. When Muran tried to slay Lord Vishnu, who was sleeping, the female power that emerged from him burned Muran to ashes with her glance. Lord Vishnu, who was pleased, named the goddess Ekadashi and asked her to claim a boon. Ekadashi, instead, beseeched Vishnu that people who observed a fast on that day should be redeemed of their sins and Lord Vishnu thus declared that people who observed a fast on that day and worshipped Ekadashi, would attain Vaikuntha. Thus, came into being the first Ekadashi, which was a Dhanurmasa Shukla Paksha Ekadashi.

The demon Muran stands for the Rajasic and Tamasic qualities in people, attributed to lust, passion, inertia and arrogance. When one conquers these tendencies, one attains the purity of mind or Satva which is indispensable for the attaining of moksha, the liberation or the realisation of the self. For realizing the self as pure awareness, purity of mind is required and fasting helps to keep at bay the tendencies that could be triggered by intake of certain foods. Keeping vigil in the night is symbolic of awareness, or being watchful of the contents of the mind. When the mind is looked at, it becomes still. To abide in the stillness is to attain freedom or peace, acquired through the merging of the mind with the self. This is symbolic of the mind automatically being absorbed in the sight of Vishnu after the arduous fast and vigil. The belief that rice is prohibited, because Muran dwells in it, symbolically signifies that the eating of rice makes one feel heavy and hampers the vigil. This signifies that entertaining negative tendencies could hamper one’s progress towards awareness or consciousness. Observance of the rituals on this auspicious day even without understanding their importance is beneficial. Hence the merit accrued through observing them with piety is believed to be immeasurable. In the Mahabharata, the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna at the beginning of the Kurukshetra War about the Bhagavad Gita is said to have occurred on this day.

At the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, the Srirangam Vaikuntha Ekadashi celebrations last 20 days, divided into two parts, the Pagal Pathu or the morning part lasting ten days and the Ira Pathu or the night part comprising the other ten days. Lord Vishnu as Lord Ranganatha Moolavar will bless devotees in Muthangi or armour of Pearls on all 20 days. On the 10th day of Pagal Pathu, which is the day before Vaikuntha Ekadashi, the Utsavar Namperumal will bless devotees in the Mohini Alankaram. Very early on Vaikuntha Ekadashi, the Utsavar Namperumal will bless devotees in the armour of diamonds and gems and is brought to the Thousand-Pillared Hall from the sanctum sanctorum through the northern gate known as the Paramapada Vasal, the gate to Vaikuntha. This gate is opened once a year, only on the Vaikuntha Ekadashi day. It is said that anyone who goes through the Paramapada Vasal will reach Vaikuntha. On the 8th day of Ira Pathu, the Namperumal will bless devotees in a Golden Horse Vahanam in the evening & the Thirumangai Mannan Vedupari Ritual will be held.

At the seven hills of Tirupati, the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple also has a similar concept to celebrate Mukkoti Ekadashi, as it is known in the region. Tirumala has a special entrance called Vaikuntha Dwaram that encircles the sanctum sanctorum. The dwaram or passage is opened only on Vaikuntha Ekadashi and it is believed that any person who passes through this Vaikuntha Dwaram on this particular day attains salvation. The temple witnesses a heavy inflow of pilgrims and dignitaries for Vaikuntha Ekadashi and all Arjitha sevas are cancelled on this day and only the Sarva Darshanam is allowed on Vaikunta Ekadashi.

On the auspicious day of Vaikuntha Ekadashi, which falls tomorrow, chant the Lord’s name, visit the temple and try and enter the Vaikuntha Dwar at a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and keep a fast if that is possible.

Festivals of India: Bhai Dhooj

Posted on November 17, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

About 10 days back, on the second day after the festival of lights, Diwali, is the festival of which strengthens the bonds between a brother and sister. Also known as Bhratri Dwitiya, Bhaubeej, Bhai Tika and Bhai Phonta, Bhai Dhooj strengthens the bond of affection between brothers and sisters. There are two Bhai Dooj in Hindu calendar. The first one falls on the Dwitiya Tithi of Chaitra month and is not as popular as the second one which falls two days after Diwali or the second lunar day of Shukla Paksha or the bright fortnight in the calendar month of Kartika. The celebrations are similar to the festival of Raksha Bandhan and on this day, sisters give gifts to their brothers. In the southern part of the country, the day is celebrated as Yama Dwitiya.

The festival is known by different names in different communities. In North India, it is known as Bhai Dooj and is observed during the Diwali festivities, on the second day after Diwali. In Nepal it is known as Bhai Tika, where it is the most important festival after Dashain or Vijaya Dashmi or Dussehra. Observed on the fifth day of the Tihar festival, it is widely celebrated by the Khas people. In West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Bangladesh, it is known as Bhai Phonta and it takes place every year on the second day after Kali Puja. In western Odisha, it is called Bhai Jiuntia while the Marathi, Gujarati and Konkani-speaking communities in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Karnataka call it Bhau Beej, Bhav Bij or Bhai Beej. Other names for the festival include Bhatru Dviteeya, Bhatri Ditya or Bhaghini Hastha Bhojanamu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Another name for the day is Yamadwitheya or Yamadvitiya, after a legendary meeting between Yama the God of Death and his sister Yamuna, the river on the Dwitheya or the second day after new moon. According to a legend, Yamraj’s sister Yamuna tried to get her brother to visit her on many occasions but Yamraj was unable to do so for a long time. When he finally met her, he was greeted with a grand ceremony, offered sweets and had the ceremonial tika placed on his forehead. Being immensely pleased with the love and respect he was showered with, Yamraj gave Yamuna a boon and she in turn asked him to dedicate a day on which he would visit her house each year. Hence, the ritual of siblings visiting each other on this day began to honour the kinship between them.According to another legend, after slaying the evil demon Narakasura, Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra who gave him a warm welcome with sweets and flowers. She also affectionately applied tilaka on Krishna’s forehead and some believe this to be the origin of the festival.

Celebrated like the festival of Raksha Bandhan, but without the tyong of the rakhi on the brother’s wrists, on this day, sisters invite their brothers for a sumptuous meal often including their favourite dishes and sweets. The ceremony signifies the duty of a brother to protect his sister, as well as a sister’s blessings for her brother. Sisters then perform an arti for their brother and apply a red tika on the brother’s forehead. This signifies the sister’s prayers for the long and happy life of her brother and treat them with gifts. In return, elder brothers bless their sisters and treat them with gifts or cash. In Haryana and Maharashtra, women who do not have a brother worship the moon instead and apply henna or mehendi on girls as a tradition. For sisters whose brothers live far away and can’t meet her, send her prayers for the long and happy life of her brother through the Moon God and performs aarti or prayer to the moon. This is the reason why children affectionately call the moon Chandamama where Chanda means the moon and mama means a mother’s brother. In West Bengal, Bhai Phonta is marked with many rituals along with a grand feast arranged for the brothers though it is necessary that, both the brother and sister are more than 5 years of age.

In Nepal, Bhaitika or Bhaitihar is known as the tihar or festival of brothers. On this day, sisters pray to the God of death, Lord Yamra for the long life and prosperity of their brothers. The ritual involves sisters marking the forehead of their brothers with a seven coloured long tika with the rest of the rituals is similar to that performed by Hindus elsewhere.

To all sisters and brothers, hope you had a fabulous festive period!

Festivals of India: Kojagari Pournnima

Posted on October 29, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

Also known as Sharad Purnima, Kumara Purnima and Navanna Purnima, the festival of Kojagiri Purnima will take place tomorrow. Kojagiri Purnima is a harvest festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Ashwin which is around September to October, marking the end of the monsoon season. It is said that Kojagiri Purnima is the day when the moon is seen with all the sixteen kalas, which are the different phases of the moon. It is also called Kojagiri Lakshmi Purnima as the day is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi.

On this auspicious day, many divine pairs like Radha Krishna, Shiva Parvati, and Lakshmi Narayan are worshipped along with the moon and are offered flowers and kheer, a sweet dish made of rice and milk. Deities in temples are usually dressed in white signifying the brightness of the moon and many observe a full day of fasting on this day.

Kojagari Purnima is all about the observance of the Kojagara Vrata or fast. People perform this Vrata under the moonlight after fasting for the day. Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of Wealth, is worshipped on this day as it is believed to be her birthday. Lord Indra, the God of Rains, along with his elephant Airavata is also worshipped. It is believed that on the night of Sharad Purnima, the raas which is a form of dance of Radha Krishna also takes place along with their gopis or attendants. To participate in this divine raas, Lord Shiva takes the form of Gopeshwar Mahadev. Vivid descriptions of this night are given in the Brahma Purana, the Skanda Purana, and the Linga Purana. It is also believed that, on this full moon night, Goddess Lakshmi descends on the earth to watch the actions of human beings.

People usually stay awake at night to celebrate the festival and special pujas are offered to goddess Lakshmi and it is believed that the moon is close to earth on this day. Many sages believe that the moonlight on this night have healing power and is beneficial for mind and soul. As the rays of the moon are said to have curative properties, people come out of their house at night to soak in the moonlight. In many regions, sweets like kheer are prepared on this day and are left under the rays of the moon. These sweets are consumed and distributed later as prasad. In some regions, people do not see the moon directly on this night. A vessel is filled with boiling milk and the reflection of the moon in that vessel is seen. This is also the day to begin the Purnimasi fasting for the year. This fasting is observed by newly-wed women.

This day is celebrated differently in different parts of the country. In Odisha, on this day which is celebrated as Kumar Lakshmi or Lakshmi Puja, unmarried women keep fast with the popular belief of getting their suitable groom. This festival starts with maidens welcoming the Sun God at sunrise with a coconut-leaf-made-vessel called kula filled with fried paddy containing 7 fruits including coconut, banana, cucumber, betel nut, sugar-cane and guava followed by an aarti. In the evening they break their fast by preparing a dish containing the fried paddy of the morning along with the fruits, yoghurt and jaggery to offer to the Moon God in front of the tulsi plant. After this maidens play games and sing songs under the light of the full moon. It is one of the most important festivals of the state and is dedicated to Kumar or Lord Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva. According to legend, this was the day when Lord Kartikeya engaged in battle against a demon called Tarakasur. Although the day is dedicated to Kartikeya or Kumar, there are no specific puja or rituals for him. Some people light 108 lamps for the puja. Traditionally, cool milk and rice flakes are consumed on this night.

In Bengali households, the festival is widely celebrated as Lokkhi Pujo. On this day, devotees of Goddess Laxmi observe a fast to please the deity by waking up early, preparing delicious bhog or offering filled with fruits and the delicious payesh and offer these delights in the grand puja conducted in the evening. The ritual of drawing beautiful alpnanas which is a special type of rangoli and paduka or the feet of Goddess Lakshmi is also common in several Bengali households. It is believed that Goddess Laxmi loves these artful decorations and enters the homes of devotees which are clean and beautifully maintained. The alpana and the Goddess’ feet are drawn using a special type of paste made of powdered rice. In Hindu mythology, Goddess Lakshmi is said to symbolise wealth and prosperity and her feet are always shown coming into the house, symbolising Goddess Lakshmi’s entry and presence inside the house.

In Mithila, an offering of paan or the betal leaf, makhana or fox nut, batasha or sugar crystals and kheer or payas which is a milk sweet is made specially for the diety. These delicacies are kept out in the open overnight so that they are bathed in the pious Sharad Purnima moonlight also known as Amrit Barkha or the nectar rain. The occasion is also believed to hold immense significance for a newly wedded couple. People clean the courtyard and decorate it by drawing elaborate rangolis using rice flour paste and the household Gods are place in the courtyard and worshipped. It is an important festival for the newly-weds where the house is decorated by the new bride and the newly-wed couple spend the night playing games with other family members. The new bride’s family sends new clothes for the couple and the in-laws along with a big basket filled with items like silver pennies or tortoise or fishes, cardamom, threads, sweets and Mithila paintings. Another ritual followed is that people keep spicy food out along with a small amount of a sweet dish with a larger serving of the sweet dish kept inside. This practice is based on the belief that the Alakshmi brings bad luck and she likes spicy food, whereas her twin sister, Lakshmi brings good luck and likes sweet dishes. So the people keep spicy food outside for Alakshmi to have her fill and go away without entering the house. A small portion of the sweet dish is kept outside the house to invite Lakshmi to invite her in for a larger serving and stay inside. Goddess Kali is also worshipped in some parts of the Mithila region.

In Maharashtra, the family’s eldest child is honoured on this day. In many parts of the Gujarat, garba, a form of dance with many people takes place in the presence of the moon light.

There are several stories and legends associated with Sharad Purnima or Kojagari Purnima. According to legend, Goddess Lakshmi pays a visit to homes and showers blessing on those she finds awake. The word Kojagiri means one who is awake. In one legend, there was once a King in the eastern part of the country, who promised his artisans that he would buy any object that remained unsold. One artisan made an idol of Alakshmi or the Goddess of Poverty. Keeping his promise the king had to buy the idol and soon misery struck his kingdom. The erstwhile prosperous kingdom was in deep peril, when someone advised the queen to observe the Kojagari Lakshmi vrat on the full moon night of Ashwin, and do the Lakshmi puja as per the rituals. Soon, the kingdom won back its lost glory and established itself once again.

The festival is also known as the Kaumudi celebration where Kaumudi means moonlight and it celebrates the divine Ras Leela of Lord Krishna with gopis. According to another popular legend, the divine ras leela was performed by Krishna along with his consort Radha and the gopis of Vrindavan on Sharad purnima. It sis said that the gopis were woken up by the sweet music from Krishna’s flute. They sneaked out of their homes and came to the forest where they danced with Krishna on the night of Sharad Purnima. Krishna replicated himself to dance with each one of them. On this night Krishna showered bhakti raas on Radha and the gopis. The day is also celebrated by lovers. Couples express their love for each other on this night of full moon.

While they fast, the people also sing devotional songs praising the deity asking her to take shelter in their homes. The devotees break the fast at night by taking some parched rice or chiwda and milk. One can consume milk, coconut water, kheer, dry fruits and fresh fruits while fasting.

Festivals of India: Karva Chauth

Posted on October 22, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of women, mostly belonging to the northern part of India will take part in a ritual immortalised in hundreds of Indian films, the festival of Karva Chauth.

Karva Chauth is a festival celebrated by Hindu women from mostly the northern part of the Indian subcontinent on the fourth day after the full moon or Purnima in the month of Kartika, about mid-October to mid-November. On Karwa Chauth, married women, especially in North India, observe a fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands. The Karva Chauth fast is traditionally celebrated in the states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and is celebrated as Atla Tadde in Andhra Pradesh.

Karva is another word for a pot or a small earthen pot of water and chauth means fourth in a reference to the fact that the festival falls on the fourth day of the dark-fortnight, or Krishna paksh, of the month of Kartik. One hypothesis for this festival is that military campaigns were often conducted by men in far off places whereby men would leave their wives and children at home to go off to the war and their wives would often pray for their safe return. The festival also coincides with the wheat-sowing time or the beginning of the Rabi crop cycle. Big earthen pots in which wheat is stored are sometimes called Karwas, so the fast may have begun as a prayer for a good harvest in this predominantly wheat-eating Northwestern region.

Another story about the origin of this festival relates to the bond of feminine friendship. With the custom of arranged marriage being prevalent, the newlywed is supposed to reside with her husband and in-laws. Being new to the family, the custom arose of befriending another woman as her friend or kangan saheli or sister or dharam behn for life. The friendship would be sanctified through a Hindu ritual during the marriage ceremony itself. The bride’s friend would usually be of the same age or slightly older, typically married into the same village, so that she would not go away and not directly related to her in-laws, so there was no conflict of interest later. This emotional and psychological bond would be considered akin to a blood relationship and it is said that the Karva Chauth festival evolved to include celebrating this special bond of friendship.

There are legends associated with the Karva Chauth festival. In some tellings, the tales are interlinked, with one acting as a frame story for another. The story of Queen Veervati is about a beautiful queen called Veervati who was the only sister of seven loving brothers. She spent her first Karwa Chauth as a married woman at her parents’ house. She began a strict fast after sunrise but, by evening, was desperately waiting for the moonrise as she suffered severe thirst and hunger. Her seven brothers couldn’t bear to see their sister in such distress and created a mirror in a sacred fig or peepal tree that made it look as though the moon had risen. The sister mistook it for the moon and broke her fast. The moment she took the first morsel of food, she sneezed. In her second morsel she found hair. After the third she learned the news of her husband, the King, was dead. Heartbroken, she wept through the night until a Goddess appeared and ask why she crying. When the queen explained her distress, the Goddess revealed how she had been tricked by her brothers and instructed her to repeat the Karwa Chauth fast with complete devotion. When Veervati repeated the fast, Lord Yama, the God of death was forced to restore her husband to life. In a variant of this story, the brothers build a massive fire behind a mountain instead and trick their sister by convincing her that the glow is the moon. She breaks her fast and word arrives that her beloved husband has died. She immediately begins running to her husband’s house, which is somewhat distant, and is intercepted by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Goddess Parvati reveals the trickery to her, cuts her own little finger to give the wife a few drops of her holy blood, and instructs her to be careful in keeping the complete fast in the future. The wife sprinkles Parvati’s blood on her dead husband and, coming back to life, they are reunited.

In a legend from the Mahabharata, Draupadi, too, is said to have observed this fast. Once Arjun went to the Nilgiris for penance and the rest of the Pandavas faced many problems in his absence. Draupadi, out of desperation, remembered Lord Krishna and asked for help. Lord Krishna reminded her that on an earlier occasion, when Goddess Parvati had sought Lord Shiva’s guidance under similar circumstances, she had been advised to observe the fast of Karwa Chauth. In some tellings of this legend, Shiva tells Parvati the story of Veervati to describe the Karwa Chauth fast. Draupadi followed the instructions and observed the fast with all its rituals. Consequently, the Pandavas were able to overcome their problems.

The legend of Karva tells us the story of a woman named Karwa who was deeply devoted to her husband. Once, while bathing at a river, her husband was caught by a crocodile. Karva bound the crocodile with cotton yarn and asked Lord Yama, the God of death to send the crocodile to hell. When Yama refused, Karva threatened to curse Yama and destroy him. Yama, who was afraid of being cursed by a devoted wife, sent the crocodile to hell and blessed Karva’s husband with long life and Karva and her husband enjoyed many years of wedded bliss.

A few days before Karva Chauth, married women would buy new Karvas or spherical clay pots, 7-9 inches in diameter and of 2–3 litres capacity and paint them on the outside with beautiful designs. Inside, they would put bangles and ribbons, home-made candy and sweets, make-up items, and small clothes. The women would then visit each other on the day of Karva Chauth and exchange these Karvas. Women begin preparing for Karva Chauth a few days in advance, by buying adornments or shringar, jewelry, and prayer or puja items, and the decorated prayer plate or puja thali. On the day of the fast, women from Punjab awake to eat and drink just before sunrise. In Uttar Pradesh, celebrants eat soot feni with milk in sugar on the eve of the festival. It is said that this helps them go without water the next day. In Punjab, sargi is an important part of this pre-dawn meal and always includes fenia. It is traditional for the sargi to be sent or given to the fasting woman by her mother-in-law. If she lives with her mother-in-law, the pre-dawn meal is prepared by the mother-in-law. On the occasion of Karva Chauth, fasting women choose to wear traditional wear like a sari or lehenga.

The fast begins at dawn. Fasting women do not eat during the day. In traditional observances of the fast, the fasting woman usually does no housework. Women apply henna and other cosmetics to themselves and each other and the day passes in meeting friends and relatives. In some regions, it is customary to give and exchange painted clay pots filled with goodies. Since Karva Chauth follows soon after the Kharif crop harvest in the rural areas, it is a good time for community festivities and gift exchanges. Parents often send gifts to their married daughters and their children. In the evening, a community women-only ceremony is held. Participants dress in fine clothing and wear jewellery and henna, and in some regions dress in the complete finery of their wedding dresses. The dresses are frequently red, gold or orange, which are considered auspicious colours. The fasting women sit in a circle with their puja thalis and depending on the region and community, a version of the story of Karva Chauth is narrated, with regular pauses. The storyteller is usually an older woman or a priest, if one is present. During the pauses, the festival song is sung collectively with the singers passing their thalis around in the circle. In Uttar Pradesh, a priest or an elderly woman of the family narrates the story of Beejabeti or Veervati. Thereafter, the fasting women offer baayna or a melange of goodies to the idols and hand them over to their mother-in-law or sister-in-law.

The ceremony concluded, the women await the rising of the moon. Once the moon is visible, depending on the region and community, it is customary for a fasting woman, to view the moon or its reflection in a vessel filled with water, through a sieve, or through a dupatta. Water is offered to the moon to secure its blessings with women praying briefly for their husband’s life in some regions. It is believed that at this stage, spiritually strengthened by her fast, the woman can successfully confront and defeat death, personified by Lord Yama. Her husband then takes the water from the thali and offers it to his wife and by taking her first sip of water during the day, the fast is now broken and the woman can have a complete meal.

In modern Northern and Northwestern Indian society, Karva Chauth is considered to be a romantic festival, symbolising the love between a husband and wife. Thanks to Bollywood, Karva Chauth isn’t limited to be a North Indian or Punjabi festival anymore and is now glamorised and widely popular in pan India. There have been calls to modify or eliminate the festival by commentators who hold it to be anti-women and to perpetuate the notion of women’s dependence on men. Karva Chauth has also been cited as a symbol of cultural repression of women by some Indian feminists with others calling the festival empowering for women because the festival enables them to quit housework completely for the day and expect gifts from their husbands.

To those celebrating the festival, here’s wishing you a very Happy Karva Chauth!

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