Karva Chauth 2011 Date, Karvachauth festival vrat katha, Karwa Chauth moon. Karwa Chauth 2010 date is October 26. KarwaChauth is a fast observed by married Hindu women seeking the longevity, well-being and prosperity of their husbands.
Karwa chauth comes nine days before Diwali on ‘kartik ki chauth’, on 4th day of the new moon immediately after Dusshera, in the month of ‘Karthik’. Karva Chauth is an annual one-day festival celebrated by Hindu and some Sikh women in North India and parts of Pakistan in which married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands. The fast is observed in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Indian Punjab, Rajasthan, Western Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. The festival falls on the fourth day after the full moon, in the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Kartik, following the Autumnal Equinox. Sometimes, unmarried women observe the fast for their fiances or desired husbands.
The Legend of Karva
There was a woman named Karva, who was deeply devoted to her husband. Her intense love and dedication towards him gave her shakti (spiritual power). While bathing at a river, her husband was caught by a crocodile. Karva bound the crocodile with a cotton yarn and asked Yama (the god of death) to send the crocodile to hell. Yama refused. Karva threatened to curse Yama and destroy him. Yama, afraid of being cursed by “Pati-vrat” (devoted) wife, sent the crocodile to hell and blessed Karva’s husband with long life. Karva and her husband enjoyed many years of wedded bliss. To this day, Karva Chauth is celebrated with great faith and belief.
The Story of Satyavan and Savitri
When Lord Yama, came to procure Satyavan’s soul, Savitri begged him to grant him life. When he refused, she stopped eating and drinking and followed Yama who carried away her dead husband. Yama said that she could ask for any other boon except for the life of her husband. Savitri asked that she be blessed with children. Yama agreed. Being a “Pati-Vrat” (devoted) wife, Savitri would never let any other man be the father of her children. Yama was left with no other choice but to restore Savitri’s husband to life.