Hello! Welcome back, my lovely buddies. Happy Dussehra to all of you!. I hope you had an amazing Navratri. October is the month of several festivals lined one next to another. Now that Navratri is over, many of you may be looking forward to the upcoming festivities of Karwa Chauth, Diwali, and Halloween. Especially for those in relationships (married / dating / together / single wish to mingle etc.), you may be considering celebrating Karwa Chauth for your significant other and praying for their well-being.
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| Image by Harryarts on Freepik |
But, my dear ladies, the thought of fasting scares the shit out of you. Or maybe you have scrolled through the shorts by "epitomes of Modern Indian Women (aka. RPS and BD)" criticizing women fasting during Karwa Chauth and calling it a back-dated mentality. And perhaps, in reality, you do have a very hectic schedule on that day - a presentation in front of investors; an exam at your college; a review meeting with your boss; etc. And maybe you live away from your family. So you are scared and worried and perhaps questioning:
1) How to celebrate Karwa Chauth - when I have a hectic schedule?
2) Why is Karwa Chauth celebrated?
3) Can I celebrate Karwa Chauth without fasting?
4) What if I do not see the moon - Karwa Chauth without the moon?
5) Is it done or should Karwa Chauth be celebrated by modern Indian women?
6) I live abroad!
In today's blog, we will discuss these issues. I hope it will help you make the right decisions for yourself and restore peace and joy in your mind to a great extent.
- Why is Karwa Chauth celebrated?
Karwa Chauth comprises two words: “Karwa” meaning an earthen pot of water and "Chauth" meaning fourth. Karwa Chauth is observed on the fourth day after a full moon in the Hindu month of Kartik.
Traditionally, this is celebrated by married women to pray for a joyful and abundant long life of their husbands. Even unmarried women sometimes observe this fast to pray for a happy married life later. A concept that got popularized by TV soaps only recently but which does exist in some families is that: even some men observe fast on Karwa Chauth to pray to the divine for bestowing divine grace and power to their wives. (So miss BD and RPS and many more out there - it is a two-way street indeed; sorry that you haven't experienced it in your lives, lol!).
Intermittent fasting has been a part of Indian culture since Vedic times. And modern science too acknowledges its benefits. As per an article published on healthline.com, during fasting our body cells undergo important repair work which is beneficial for genes related to longevity and protection against disease. A significant drop in insulin levels, an increase in Human growth hormones, and enhanced metabolic rates facilitate fat-burning and muscle gains. Fasting contributes towards reducing the risk of diabetes; oxidative stress and inflammation (resulting in aging) and numerous other diseases. So, the person who fasts occasionally is automatically blessed with numerous health benefits prolonging their lives.
Law of attraction, the law of assumption, the law of this and that, manifestations, witchcraft, etc. you may have heard about it all. Well, if these western originated words seem acceptable to the modern sphere of life, take a moment to ask yourself - how are prayers any different? A wife manifesting wellness for her husband by fasting: if she says she is practicing the law of attraction and is on a diet - she becomes modern; but, if she says she is manifesting through her prayers and is keeping fast - she is appalling and pathetic? (Quoting Modiji - Hypocrisy ki bhi sach mein seema hoti hai!)
2. How to celebrate Karwa Chauth - when I have a hectic schedule / I live away from my family / I live abroad / I am married to a foreigner / Karwa Chauth without the moon?
A. When I have a hectic schedule
On Karwa Chauth day, women wake up before sunrise and eat Sargi, an early morning meal before beginning the fast. And they break their fast only after sighting the moon. So if you observe Karwa Chauth, you will be doing the same. But, the right food choice will go a long way in ensuring an easy fast for you. As rightly mentioned in news18.com, do not include highly spicy, fried, or oily food in your Sargi. Plus, even if your normal mornings begin with your Chai or Coffee, avoid it on this day in your Sargi. This will cut out dehydration or dizziness. Instead, opt for foods that have high fiber, and high protein but low energy density. These can include:
a) oatmeal or whole-grain options of chapatti or bread (rice here will make you feel dizzy)
b) a lot of fruits or fresh juice of them and vegetables,
c) nuts like walnuts, almonds, and pistachios,
d) legumes like beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts,
e) POPcorn
f) Quinoa
g) cottage cheese
h) Greek yogurt (or other Low-fat or fat-free dairy products)
i) soups, especially of Green veggies, Asparagus, Carrots, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Zucchini, and Potatoes
But despite this, if you feel a strong urge to eat or drink during the period, especially before your meeting or exam etc. let me clarify that it is not wrong to do so. And your husband or SO will be absolutely fine even if you munch on something during the day. To still derive the benefit of fasting, munching on sprouts with sprinkled lemon on them; munching on soaked nuts; or eating fruits like bananas, papaya, apple, berries, etc. is absolutely okay. Avoid a full meal though. Fast food and junk food are a big no-no. While fasting is good for your health and so is pushing boundaries sometimes, forcing your body into starving and fainting isn't necessary or advised at all. A thorough reading and understanding of the scriptures will make it pretty clear. The goal of most Vedic practices is to gradually align your body towards certain dimensions. So it's a gradual process and will not happen overnight. Therefore don't beat yourself up and neither be stuck in the debate of whether to do or not to do. Conscious fasting will reap a lot of benefits for you at the end of the day.
Read more about foods: here
B. I live away from my family / I live abroad
In Karwa Chauth, there is a system of mother-in-law giving Baya and Sargi to daughter-in-law as a thanksgiving for her prayers. The baya includes decor items for women like new clothes, jewelry, cosmetics, etc., and may also contain essential items for worship. But what if someone lives far away?
Planning beforehand will go a long way.
You can use amazon gift cards. And usually before Diwali, it is a great Indian festival sales time on amazon. One can find great deals on a range of products there with international shipping facilities as well. In this article, you will find steps on how to ship products internationally on amazon.
Other than amazon, one can also gift a bit of their love by visiting the Indian Gifts Portal. Here one can find amazing gift options with international delivery options as well. They have a great range of exciting and customized Karwa Chauth gift sets too. Finally, you can also use Shoppre.com. Here you can make purchases from any Indian seller and get them delivered to a virtual Indian address provided to you by Shoppre. Then, they will ship your entire package at low shipping costs to your international address. This enables you to shop from any eCommerce platform in India like Flipkart, Myntra, etc., and also online Indian stores like Khadi. You will make a huge saving by purchasing from local Indian stores than from Indian stores abroad, which are mostly way overpriced.
Now suppose you live alone. You do not have a lot of women around you for gathering and stories. Nor for helping you with planning your meals etc. This is what you can do. Plan your Karwa Chauth - a week or two before. Shop the right things regarding groceries & plan and prepare your meals and tiffin beforehand. The foods mentioned above are found almost everywhere. This will help you with your morning meals. Also, if you are planning everything on your own, gift yourself your Baya & Sargi with any of the options mentioned above. YouTube has a huge selection of Karwa Chauth stories and games. You can play them with your local friends or your husband & kids. Including children in festivities is a great way to enlighten them about their roots and traditions. Or you can find an interesting hobby to do yourself. It can be anything like jewellery making, reading and learning about vedas, learning some musical instruments(for ex. flute), or simply reading tarot for fun and a lot more. And if you can connect with your family online, then Covid-19 has indeed taught us how to have digital Shaadis. So, it's about having digital Karwa Chauth. Get creative!.
C. Can I celebrate Karwa Chauth without fasting?
As has been discussed above, this completely depends upon you - your body's necessities and preferences and your circumstances. Say you are a sportsperson. You need to stay hydrated during your practice. And also need high protein. Instead of worrying about whether or not you should celebrate Karwa Chauth, you need to think smart and plan your diet well. There are 16:8; 5:2 and alternate-day fasting types of dieting commonly followed by sportspeople. So, why not plan that regime to fit around Karwa Chauth? And if you do feel a strong urge, munching on Almonds and Walnuts and drinking fruit juices and water will not harm you or your vrat. If you are someone who for medical reasons or for any other reasons literally cannot fast - that's okay. Instead of literally being stuck in the debate of whether to fast or not to fast, why not have detoxifying foods on your platter! Your tummy needs yummy foods but at times it needs rest too. Check out the following articles to know some detoxifying foods you can incorporate into your meals:
1. PatientFirst.com detox foods
Just remember - whatever you decide, decide for yourself. Don't decide blindly based on someone else's views on life. No matter how big an influencer that person is. If dieting is okay, fasting for a specific occasion is okay too.
D. I am married to a foreigner
Do you know that these days while Indians are actively leaving their culture; westerners are Increasingly adapting Indian culture, calling it their own. So, unless your husband harbours strong anti-India feelings; it is highly likely that your husband would love to embrace Indian culture - because he has married you for a reason!. And if your wife is a foreigner, and you married her out of love and not any other superficial reason; be prepared for a thorough celebration of Karwa Chauth. Several expat communities observe that the excitement of Indian festivities is higher among foreign spouses of Indian natives - often even higher than among Indians themselves. So, there is a high probability that even if your birth family isn't happy with your life choices, your spouse will take every possible step to make you happy and create enjoyable memories. And their friends may come in as a strong support system for you.
But what if your husband is perhaps a doctor or an army officer or in professions where he has to be away for long hours - even on Karwa Chauth? And maybe he doesn't have that great set of friends? Well, you can follow the suggestions above on how to celebrate it if you are alone. At times, happiness doesn't come, it has to be created.
E. Can I celebrate Karwa Chauth without the moon?
Now, suppose you live on that part of the earth - where the sun never sets! Or suppose due to some factors, the moon doesn't come up or is not visible (peek-a-boo behind the clouds!).
What do you do in such a case because the moon plays an important role while breaking fast?
There are few alternatives to it too.
a) Wait overnight and eat at dawn break the following day.
b) If that's not possible then once the timing of the moonrise has passed, break your fast in front of a picture or idol of Shiva with a crescent moon on his head. This can be either in a temple or at your home or even a picture on your laptop. It will be counted as equivalent to a moon sighting.
c) Or, you can invoke the moon itself through a picture of it and through prayers. However, people more often use the second tip than this tip as moon is considered to have all its virtues activated by the presence of Shiva. If moon rise or sunset timings are too long for you, then this or the second tip can be used by you after 8:30 p.m. wherever you are on earth.
3. Should Karwa Chauth be celebrated by modern Indian women?
I guess from above you already have an answer to this question. If Modernity for you = discovering and understanding both the world around you and yourself through logic and allowing yourself to be mesmerized by the beauty all around us, you will find meaning and joy in all these festivities. Then you would be unnerved by what any madame BD or RPS will have to say. If modernity means embracing yourself, celebrating your customs, connecting with your roots and an inner you to find meaning to what you are and how you should move forward, say yes to it. Let the world criticize you. You dance to your own tune. And let that become a trend for yourself and for others to follow. If you chose not to celebrate Karwa Chauth but still follow its customs like detoxifying your body, dieting, and praying, you are still a part of it.
And if you do not want to do it at all, well, it's completely your choice. But treating your mind and prioritizing your inner self once in a while is basically a retreat everyone seeks in their modern life. Don't you think that when your own customs are providing you with a great opportunity for it; it's worth a try?
That's all for now. I will see you in my next blog. Till then, take care. Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay blessed.
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