Assisted by her maid the damsel in the centre is looking for the moon partially hid behind the clouds. She is making use of a sieve, made of gold, for looking at the moon, perhaps for evading the moon’s greedy eye for numerous myths allege it of seducing consorts of several gods and saints, besides human beings, and turning them disloyal to their husbands. The other damsel, seated on the floor and holding flowers in her hands, seems to be making the offering, which suggests that she has already beheld the moon and is accomplishing the final course of the ritual. Brilliant costume and rich lustrous jewels that the damsels are wearing apart, a large lamp lit in the centre of the terrace, and a few others in alcoves of the pavilion, suggest that the terrace has been duly adorned for the occasion.
As is obvious, Karwa-chautha, the festival name, combines two terms, ‘karwa’, that is, a pot with spout, initially earthen but now more often cast of sugar, and ‘chautha’, the fourth day, that is, the fourth day of one of the months to which ‘karwa’ imparts distinction of a festival. This specific ‘chautha’ falls in the first half, that is, the dark half, of the month of Kartika, broadly the period around mid-October. Those observing Karwa-chautha-related austerities would rise early in the morning when it is still dark, bathe and take some light food and keep the fast for the rest of day. The day is a normal one except that they spent some time in collecting ritual articles, especially the ‘karwa’, which they will decorate with variously coloured paste of rice and will worship Shiva and Parvati, the model of ideal happy family.
They will also draw ‘alpanas’ – auspicious diagrams, drawing in special the figures of the sun, moon and ‘karwa’ on the floor of the house or on terrace, especially on a place where they shall perform evening rituals. When the night commences, moon becomes visible and they have performed its worship, they shall break their fast in the presence of their husbands who usually give them gifts. The mothers of the married daughters send them fruits, sweets and their blessings. In the night, after the fast is broken, the ladies of the locality would assemble at one place and an old damsel shall narrate to them the usual myth of how a woman avoiding to observe ‘Karwa-chautha’ lost her husband, while the other who observed it regularly had her husband’s long life despite that he was usually sick.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.
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