Karwa Chauth, a traditional Hindu festival celebrated by married women, is a day of love, devotion and sacrifice. On this day, married women observe a day-long fast for the long life and well-being of their husbands. This festival has been celebrated for centuries in India and is deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of the country. And to celebrate the auspicious day, we take a moment to remember Veeravati – the first woman to observe Nirjala fast on Karwa Chauth.
Veeravati was a beautiful princess who was married to a brave king. She was deeply in love with her husband and their marriage was a symbol of true love and devotion. However, their happiness was short-lived as Veeravati went to her parents' house. She started observing a strict fast after sunrise. As days went by, Veeravati's heart was filled with worry and anxiety for her husband's well-being. She prayed fervently to the gods for his safety. It was then that she remembered Karwa Chauth – a festival where married women observed a fast for the longevity of their husband's lives.
However, Veeravati's fast was unlike any other Karwa Chauth fast. She not only abstained from food and water but also stood in waist-deep water throughout the day, praying for her husband's well-being. This fast is known as Nirjala fast, which translates to 'without water'. It is considered the toughest and most arduous form of Karwa Chauth fast, as it requires the utmost physical and mental strength.
As the day progressed, Veeravati's devotion and determination never wavered. She stood in the water, chanting prayers and thinking of her husband. Even when her body grew weak and her mind was clouded with hunger and thirst, she did not break her fast. Her love for her husband and her faith in the gods kept her going. But Verravati had seven brothers, who decided to end her fast by deceiving her. They decided to climb a tree and hold a flame from behind to trick her so that she could break her fast after thinking that it was a moon.
At sunset, when finally Veeravati broke her fast, she received her husband's death news. She was inconsolable but Indra's wife Indrani arrived to console her and gave her advice to keep fasting each month throughout the year to get her husband back. Her prayer was answered as her husband came back. Her sacrifice and devotion had brought her husband back to her, and their love was stronger than ever.
Word of Veeravati's Nirjala fast spread like wildfire. Her story of love and sacrifice inspired many married women to observe the tough fast of Nirjala on Karwa Chauth. It became a symbol of true devotion and love between a husband and wife.
Since then, Karwa Chauth has been observed every year by married women with great fervour and enthusiasm. They dress up in traditional attire, apply mehndi on their hands, and decorate their homes with bright lights and diyas. The day is spent in prayer, fasting, and preparing delicious food for the evening when they break their fast after sighting the moon.
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