My Karwachauth

>> Thursday, October 8, 2009

Hi Friends,

Karwachauth this year has been really great and eventful as usual. With lots of blessings from seniors & support from friends & family, we have all finally managed to have a great time. Share your experiences on how karwachauth was celebrated at your home & society. You may also send in your photographs, videos whatever you feel like sharing to me @ my email and I will surely share them online.

Thanks

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Karwachauth Celebrations

>> Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The day of Karva Chauth is celebrated mostly amongst the entire North Indian community settled either in India and other parts of the world. The most important aspect of this day is that a dawn to dusk fast is undertaken by the North Indian ladies and seeing the moon they finally break the fast. The fast is unique perhaps because nowhere in the world does a wife go without food or water just to pray for the longevity and well-being of her husband.




In modern day, with all the trappings of commercialization attached, Karva Chauth, the big fasting day has turned into a full-fledged event. The event is growing bigger with each passing day. Karva Chauth celebrations promise to grow bigger with each passing year. The Halwais, the Mehendi and Churiwallis have traditionally been busy on this auspicious day. But joining the bandwagon in recent times are the beauty parlour owners, the event managers and the restaurant owners. Karwa Chauth Celebrations in India

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Recipes for Karwachauth

Depending upon family tradition the menu of food is decided for Karwachauth. However, some important festivities do call for some sweets, specially homemade sweets, are a call for the day. So why not try a hand at some of the yummy & mouthwatering recipes for the day.

Shaahi Rabri
Ingredients:
- 1 kg full cream milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4-5 green cardamoms
- 12-15 almonds - blanched and shredded
- 2 tbsp pistachios - blanched and shredded
- vark (Silver leaf) - optional



Method:

  • Bring the milk to a boil in a wide, heavy based pan or a kadahi and add the sugar and cardamoms and simmer over low heat, till thick (at least half should evaporate)
  • When thick enough, add sugar and cardamoms.
  • Simmer some more, when done, the colour changes to a beigeish cream.
  • Shut off the heat. When cool, transfer on to a serving dish, put the silver leaf on the top and garnish with the nuts. Chill and serve.
Note: You can add condensed milk to it to save you from cooking too long, in which case of course, you will have to adjust the sugar also.


Besan ke Laddoo

Ingredients:
- 2 cups gram flour
- 1/2 cup ghee
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp powdered green cardamom
- few almonds-blanched, slivered, to garnish
- few pistachios-blanched, slivered, to garnish


Method
:
  • In a kadahi, melt the ghee and add the gram flour.
  • Stir-fry over low heat. It takes about 30 minutes for the flour to get cooked through and it gets a pasty look when done. The colour should be a light brown.
  • Shut off the heat and leave the mixture to cool completely. If it does not cool entirely, it becomes moist when sugar is added.
  • Add the sugar and cardamom and mix well by rubbing it with your open palm against the base of the bowl. Rub till blended thoroughly.
  • Shape into tight, hard balls, pressing hard at every stage. At the final stage, keep it pressed a little longer, so that the surface becomes smooth.
  • Decorate the top of each ball with almonds and pistachios.
  • Can be stored for almost 4-6 weeks.


Rava Laddoo with Khoya
Ingredients:
- 200 gm rava (semolina)
- 200 gm powdered sugar
- 200 gm khoya (grated)
- 100 gm ghee
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp chopped dried fruits
- silver leaf



Method:
  • Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast the rava over a low flame until golden in color.
  • Heat the rest of the ghee and saute the khoya till it collects together (stir continuously).
  • When the khoya cools, blend all the ingredients together and make small balls.
  • Garnish with chopped nuts and decorate with silver leaf.

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Karwachauth Songs

Karva Chauth song sung by women while exchanging thalis. Karwa Chauth festival is widely celeberated by North Indian women and the puja song sung by punjabi women, while they exchange thalis seven times. They place 'Bayna / Baya' in the thali....

Karva Chauth Songs,Songs on Karwachauth,Karvachauth Puja Song,Karwa Chauth Song

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Henna for Karwachauth

>> Monday, October 5, 2009

Ritual of Henna / Mehendi for Karwachauth
Mehendi or Henna has its own significance in India. It is like a tradition in India, and women adorn their hands and feet by using Henna Mehndi. Henna Mehandi is basically a paste that is obtained from the leaves of henna plant. It has a special place in the lives of married women (suhagans) who usually apply this on the occasions like Karwa Chauth.

Henna is considered an auspicious symbol of good fortune for married women, in the Indian culture. Here is a belief in India that the women whose mehendi has left a dark color will get plenty of love and care from her husband. It is said that Henna Mehendi also gives a lesson to a new bride that she should do her best to delight her husband and in-laws, like Henna Mehendi itself do for her by providing its lovely color to her hands and feet.

Not only traditional henna, but henna tattoos also are in vogue nowadays. Fancy henna tattoos, for hands, feet, belly, face, back, upperarms wherever you ask for, are available in the markets.

Check out some of my favourite henna patterns:











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Karwa Chauth Rituals

>> Sunday, October 4, 2009

KarwaChauth is one such occasion when most married Hindu women in North India seek the blessings of God for their husband's long life. Karva Chauth is observed on the fourth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin, which is also called Kartik according to some calendars.

Though it is a day marked with neither food nor water, this festival is quite popular among the newlyweds. A few days before the festival, markets are full of items needed for the festival. The preparations for this festival start a week in advance. Appointments are made with beauty parlours, hands are decorated with intricate mehendi designs and jewelery and cloth merchants do a brisk business.

Karwa Chauth Rituals & Festivities

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Karwa Chauth Gifts

>> Saturday, October 3, 2009


Inspite of being one of the toughest fast, Karva Chauth is always looked forward and is welcomed by married woman with great fervor. One of the reason behind this joy and happiness is the golden chance of receiving expensive and beautiful gifts from their husbands and relatives. As this festival is considered very important for married women, all the symbols that reflects the marriage status of a woman is in high demand such as jewelery, bangles, henna, sarees, lehnga choli and many other traditional gifts.

Gifts given on the Karva Chauth day is an expression of love between man and wife. Karwa Chauth is particularly special for a newly-wed woman who gets decked up in her bridal finery. The most common gifts given on this day range from new clothes, sweets, jewelery to anything that can make a married woman feel happy and satisfied. During this festive occasion, jewelers and apparel makers get into the act, with special collections and designs at every price point imaginable. Thus, women observing a fast for the well-being of their husbands are rewarded with gifts by their husbands, mothers-in-law and other relatives. Karwa Chauth Gifts,Karwa Chauth Gifts Online,Karwa Chauth Gift Ideas,Send Karwa Chauth Gifts

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Karwa Chauth Calendar 2010

Karwa Chauth is evidenced with the infinite love and devotion of wife for husband and her willingness to sacrifice for his well being. The day which marks the emerald celebrations in various parts of the north India, falls on the chaturthi tithi after the full moon in the month of kartik as per the Hindu calendar. Many sacred scriptures like Dharma sindhu, Nirnay sindhu, says that the Karva Chauth fast should be observed at moonrise (chandrodaya vyapini) and poorvaviddha. It is considered to be a good sign if its tritiya viddha. If it is visible during the both days then one should take the first one but in case it is not visible on both days then it would be right to keep fast on the second day. The Karwa Chauth fast is observed on the Kartik ki Chouth which is the 4th day of the dark moon and falls 9 days before the Deepavali festival, sometime in October or November.

When is Karwachauth,Karwachauth Date 2010,Karwa Chauth Calendar,Karva Chauth 2010

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Bindi

>> Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Importance of Bindi
The bindi is one of the most fascinating of all forms of body decoration. Hindu Women attach a very great significance to this ornamental mark on their forehead, apart from its decorative importance. It is not just an ornamental decoration, it signifies their marital status. The bindi is worn on the forehead between the two eyebrows -- a spot considered a major nerve point in human body since ancient times. The bindi is also commonly known in various Indian languages as 'tika', 'pottu', 'sindoor', 'tilak', 'tilakam', and 'kumkum'.

A bindi is usually a small or a big eye-catching round mark made on the forehead as adornment. However, with changing times & fashion trends, this round-red mark has changed many faces / shapes & designs. Women not only want to go in for stone-studded Bindis, they also also on the lookout for a more designer look, with colors matching their dresses. Here are a few designer bindis, you might want to check out & adorn yourselves with, this karwachauth.
























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Karwa Chauth Thali

>> Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Karwa Chauth Pooja Thali Decoration

As we all know Karwa Chauth is celebrated with great pomp and show by all the married Hindu Ladies, in various parts of the globe. It is an auspicious festival that brings fortune as well as well being alongwith long life for the husband if his wife observes this fast with full faith.

Since Karwa Chauth Pooja has a lot of significance, an equal significance is given to the Puja Thali Decoration. Karwa Chauth is loaded & associate with a lot of intricate rituals and customs. Thus, all the arrangements for the pooja are done prior to the festival or prior to the pooja.

One of the most important part of this Pooja is decoration of the Pooja thali so that every material is specified in accordance with the required quantity and order. It is also important because the decorated thali forms an important component of the Karwa Chauth puja.

The Pooja thali are interestingly decorated by the women who observe the fast to give their Pooja thali an exclusively attractive look.

The Karva Chauth Pooja Thali, better known as Baya / Bayna, consists of the roli, vermilion, sacred water (gangajal), dry fruits like almonds, pistachios etc., earthen clay pots, diyas and different types of sweets.

The Thali may be a silver thali, brass thali or a steel thali depending. In this Thali, every Pooja material is kept separately in small bowls. During the Pooja this thali is needed while the story is being narrated. After the puja, this thali is presented to the eldest member of the family who blesses the lady i.e. the thali is given to mother-in-law by her bahu.

The Pooja Thali can be decorated in accordance to the creative skills and arts known to the decorator as there is no specific rule and regulation to how the thali should be decorated. Some people decorate thalis for puja by making ritualistic decoration like rangoli and alpana while some people opt for floral decorations with the help of flowers, leaves, color and multicolored pulses.

So go ahead & decorate your Pooja Thali / Plate as per your desire & liking.







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Karwachauth Story

>> Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Karwachauth Katha in English
Story of Karwa Chauth (To be told on Karwa Chauth in the Evening, while doing pooja, before offering water to the Moon)

The Hindi Story, has been translated in English for the benefit of those who are unable to read Hindi Language. :-)

It is said that in a village, seven brothers and one sister were staying with their parents (money lender). The sister was youngest among them. That's why everybody adored her.

When she was 10 or 12 years of age they married her. After marriage on first karwa chauth, she came to her mother's house. Her mother-in-law affectionately sent sargi for her. She put mehendi/henna on her hands along with her mother and bhabhis (brother's wives) and had sargi in the morning before sunrise and observed a nirjal fast (without taking water).

By the evening the brothers got worried that how can their small sister live without food and water till night. They consulted among themselves and decided that we will create artificial moon for their sister.

Two brothers went to the forest and burnt cowdung coal. The other two brothers went home and said let's go sister the moon has risen. All her bhabhis (brother's wife's) kept quite. Sister said "let's go Bhabhi the moon has risen, lets worship the moon and offer ark (water is offered to the moon) to it. All the Bhabhis said "So early only your moon could have risen, You may go."

She was not only young but also simple hearted, she really thought everyone's moon rises separately.

She hurriedly took the pooja material to the terrace. There in the forest one brother was standing with a sieve in front of the cowdung coalfire, so from distance she thought that the moon is rising from behind bushes.

She offered her worship and ark to the moon and came back home. As soon as she started eating Puya's, she received a message from her in-laws that her husband is seriously ill suddenly.

On hearing this, the Girl's father and brothers along with her rushed to her in-law's house. There her husband was seriously ill. Every body was worried.

Hakim (auyarvedic Dr.), Doctors were called but nobody could understand the illness.

Then the family enquired from priests and Astrologers. They told them that this has happened because the girl has eaten puya's, after seeing the artificial moon i.e. before sun-rise. Now the only solution is that till the next year karwa chauth, the girl should take good care of her husband, then keep fast on Karwa Chauth and exchange karwa with Gaur Maata and make her say "le suhaagan karwa le","de suhagaan karwa de". Then her husband will be well and will live long. On hearing this, the girl decided to take good care of her husband for one year.

Next year when Karwachauth arrived, her mother sent sargi for her. As per the tradition, she did sargi and kept her fast. Her mother also sent material for baya/bayna, karwa and money.

In the evening, all married ladies dressed up wore chunari, making preparation for the pooja, she waited to exchange karwa with Gaur Maata.

When the first Gaur Maata arrived. The girl held her feet and pleaded her
"O'Gaur Maata, Please exchange karwa with me."

After lot of pleading Gaur Maata sat with her and said
"Sister of seven brothers karwa le",
"Jo bhukhi naa reh sake (who can't stay hungry) karwa le",
"Jo payasi naa reh sake (who can't stay thirsty) karwa le",
"Jo Chalni meh chaand dekhe (One who see moon in sieve) karwa le."
She begged her again and again to say "Le Suhaagan Karwa Le" Gaur Maata said, "I won't say this. My other sisters will come, you make them say." And after saying this, she went away.

After some time 2nd Gaur Maata came and she also went away saying what the earlier one had said. In this way they came one by one when the ninth Gaur Maata came, the girl was worried. When she begged her again and again and held her feet, then Gaur Maata said," when my youngest sister will come, you ask her, I will not say. My sister is scary looking but good at heart, don't let her go, make her say it."

After some time 10th Gaur maata came. She had dark complexion, had big teeth, horrible face and was wearing lot of jewelry. When she heard the small girl pleadings, she sat down with her to exchange karwa and like other Gaur Maata's said
"Sister of seven brothers karwa le",
"Jo bhukhi naa reh sake (who can't stay hungry) karwa le",
"Jo payasi naa reh sake (who can't stay thirsty) karwa le",
"Jo Chalni meh chaand dakhe (One who see moon in sieve) karwa le."

The girl fell on her feet and said "O' Mother please forgive my mistakes, Please say "Le suhaagan karwa le". If you will say this , my husband will live. I will always worship you. Please bless me.

On girls repeated pleading, Gaur Maata felt pity for her and said-Let it be so and said "Le suhaagan karwa le" and the girl said "de suhaagan karwa de". Then, the same thing was repeated by both of them in reverse order. When they said this ten times Girls husband was well again. Everybody touched Gaur Maata's feet".

Hey Gaur Maata jaise aapne saahukaar ki kanya ka suhaag diya, waise hi sabko dena

Sab Milke Bolo .. Karwa Chauth Mata ki Jai, Gaura Maata Ki Jai
Hey Chauth Maata Saubhagya, Putra aur Achal Laxmi Sabko Dena, Mangal Karna aur Kalyaan Karna !
Jai Ho Maa!!

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Henna & Henna Designs

>> Monday, September 21, 2009

As we discussed in our earlier post, the concept of Solah Shringaar is not complete without Henna or Mehendi as is commonly known in India. All the married woman who observe the holy fast ofkarwa chauth enthusiastically throng to parlours & mehendi walas a night before observing the fast, so that the colors of henna adorn their beautiful hands & feet. Some even apply mehendi a day before, so that the color darkens and appears at its best on the final day. Just as we discuss the importance of mehendi for a married woman, why not check out some of the beautiful henna patterns or mehendi designs:


Ecstatic, Beautiful, Mehendi Designs for Beautiful Hands:-



















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Solah Shringaar

>> Tuesday, September 15, 2009

For an Indian bride or a Hindu married woman, the importance of solah (16) shringaar is utmost. Specially on her wedding day and all subsequent such ocassions & festivals when she vows to relive all the promises of her wedded life. Different kinds of beauty rituals are associated with the solah shringaar specially on her wedding, all her friends & relatives gather together to put together the bride at her best, with all the adornments consisting of solah shringaar.

Making up the bride with all her adornments consist totally of 16 different adornments, which adorn her from tip to toe and cover every part of her body. This is how she is supposed to be dressed for all the subsequent ocassions after her marriage, specially each Karwa Chauth.

Dressing up for karwachauth, reminds every woman of her wedding day, as this is one day when she dresses up in her wedding attire (i.e. the dress which she wore for her marriage) which can be either her bridal lehenga choli or her bridal saree. The Solah Shringaar consists of the following adornments:-

  • Bindi
  • Sindoor
  • Maangteeka
  • Anjana / Kajal
  • Nath / Nose Ring (attached with Gold Chain)
  • Haar / Necklace / Mangalsootra
  • Karn Phool / Earrings
  • Henna / Mehendi (Hand & Feet)
  • Choodiyan / Bangles (Maroon or Green Color)
  • Baajuband / Arm Band
  • Aarsi / Thumb Ring / Hath Phool (a bracelet which has rings for all 4 fingers as well as thumb)
  • Keshapasharachana / Hairdo (Braid with Flowers for an accentuated look)
  • Kamarband / Waist band
  • Payal & Bichuas (Anklets & Toe rings in Silver Metal)
  • Itar / Perfume
  • Bridal Dress (Bridal Lehenga Choli / Bridal Saree or Bridal Salwar Kameez)

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Karwa Chauth Songs

>> Monday, September 14, 2009

Karwa Chauth Songs / Geet

As is the ritual, for every pooja their is an arti which is sung along to please the Lords. For Karwa Chauth Pooja also, ladies sing along a song for each completed ritual, be it after the pooja & while exchanging their thalis & karwas or while offering water (jal) to the 'moon'.

Karwachauth ke Geet (Songs for Karwa Chauth)

After the Pooja, the ladies (performing the pooja) exchange their thalis and karwaas (karwadas), during this time, they sing this song.




Once the moon rises, following song is sung while offering water (jal) to moon / Chandrama ko ark dete samay ka gana:-

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First Karwa Chauth

Karwa Chauth is of great importance for married Hindu women and this festival is also a big occasion for Newly married women, who are fasting for the 1st time, i.e. their first Karwa Chauth Fast. It is by far the most important fast for her & also for her family members. All relatives & immediate family members give a lot of importance to the new bride who is observing her 1st karwa chauth fast. She is showered with lots of gifts & blessings for a happy & successful married life. Gifts pour in from her maternal (mayka) side as well as in-laws (sasural).

Sargi
As is the tradition with many Hindu families, the ladies observing fast have to wake up early morning before sun-rise and have a lavish / sumptuous meal so that all day she is able to spend without food & water. This meal is known as Sargi. The 1st sargi is prepared by the Mother-in-law and is very elaborate which includes sweets, sevaiyan and other delighful delicacies. Mother-in-law blesses her daughter-in-law who is observing karwa chauth with blessings like “Sada Suhagan Raho”, meaning “May you be blessed with a happy & blissful married life”. She also gifts her with Sarees, Jewelry & Other Suhaag items (viz.. Sindoor, Bangles, Bindi, Bichue, Payal / Anklets).

Baya / Bayna
Just like Mother-in-law gifts various items in the form of Sargi, the daughter-in-law presents her mother-in-law with Baya or Bayna. When the girl is observing her 1st karwa Chauth, this Baya or Bayna come from her Mother's Home (Mayka). The 1st bayna usually consists of salted mathris, dry-fruits, sweets and gifts for all close family members. This Bayna is a little more special when the daughter is observing her first Karva Chauth. Mothers of newly wed daughters bring gifts for all her family members. Some utensils are also included in the baya which are to be distributed amongst women who join the newly-wed on her first Karva Chauth Puja.

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