Karwa Chauth 2022: The festival of Karwa Chauth is celebrated annually by Hindu women. It is a celebration of love, marriage and the unbreakable bond shared between a husband and wife. The day holds great significance as married women fast for the long life and well-being of their husbands. The term 'Karva' implies an earthen pot of water and the word 'chauth' means fourth, signifying that Karva Chauth falls on the fourth day after Poornima (full moon), in the month of Kartik, according to the Hindu calendar. Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesh and Kartikeya are also worshipped on this day.
What is Sargi? Know its relevance
Women commence the day with a small early morning prayer, usually followed by sargi, which is considered synonymous with this festival as it highlights the deep-rooted love and respect in the Indian families. It is actually a pre-dawn traditional meal, a thali, or an assortment of different food items that married women receive from their mother-in-law on the day of Karva Chauth. The meal is also said to provide ample energy for women to sustain themselves without food and water throughout the day.
Traditional values are not the only thing associated with the foods that are part of the sargi during Karva Chauth. It is also vital that it provides ample energy to women to sustain without food and water throughout the day. It's also considered a good omen to share the sargi with friends and relatives.
Karwa Chauth 2022: Shubh Muhurat of Sargi
Ideally, Sargi should be completed by 4-5 AM in the morning before sunrise. According to astrologers, it is considered good to consume Sargi during Brahma Muhurta. This time Brahma Muhurta will be from 04:46 am to 05.36 am on October 13.
Karwa Chauth 2022: What to keep in sargi thali?
Sargi not only includes food items but also the '16 shringar' items which are presented by mother-in-law or sister-in-law of the woman observing the fast.
Talking about the sargi platter, it typically consists of seven, nine, or 11 types of bite-sized food items. If you're keeping the Karva Chauth fast this year or sending a sargi to your daughter-in-law, make sure these things are included in your sargi thali to make it complete:
Fresh fruits
Fresh fruits contain ample amounts of fibre and water. Since this fast involves staying without food and water, eating fresh fruits will keep women feeling fuller and also satiate their body's water requirements. Have citrus fruits like pomegranate, orange, pineapple to avoid feeling parched during the day as citrus fruits have high water content and this can help make up for the loss of hydration, throughout the day. Also, since fibre takes time to digest, hence, it will keep you off from feeling hungry.
Sweets
A few sweets are kept in the thali to lift your spirits and complete the fast on a positive note. Therefore, a sargi thali should mandatorily have sweets in it. Also, since they are rich in glucose and sucrose, a sweet or two will provide you with the much-needed energy to carry on throughout the day without feeling weary.
Dry Fruits
Including cashews, almonds, raisins and pistachios, among other dry fruits in the sargi thali, will supply you with all the essential nutrients that will keep you active throughout the day.
Light cooked food
Simple home-cooked foods that are easy to digest can also be part of the sargi. A couple of rotis, a simple sabzi and halwa will suffice to provide enough energy for the day.
Coconut water
Coconut water is a detox for this day, as not only will it keep you hydrated on a 'nirjala' fast but shall also keep your electrolytes balance in check.
While the preparations for the festival are in full swing, do not forget to add these healthy food choices from our list to your sargi thali.
