***Read To The End For A Surprise ***
Today began like any other Karva Chauth. Tia woke up early in the morning before sunrise, bathed, dressed and went downstairs where other women in the house, her sisters-in-law and mother-in-law, would collect to eat sargi, the special meal prepared by her mother-in-law.
As a teenager she had always loved the festival of Karwa Chauth. She loved to see her mother and aunts decked up in their finest. She loved the mehendi that all the women in the house applied on their hands. Karwa Chauth fascinated her. The festival where the wife would fast from sunrise to moonrise for her husband’s wellness and long life, always appealed to the romantic in her. As she grew up, she read the various stories behind the festival – that of the Hindu men leaving their families to fight the Muslim invaders, spending this last evening celebrating with their wives; of married women exchanging karvas (clay pots) with their kangan-sahelis or god-sisters; of Lord Krishna telling Draupadi to observe the fast so the Pandavas could attain glory.
But the story she loved the best was the one that her mother would tell everyone every year on Karva Chauth, that of the girl with the seven brothers.
Karvachauth Story: The Girl With Seven Brothers
This beautiful girl was the only sister of her seven brothers. Being the only sister and the youngest, she was loved and cherished by all of them.
Soon it was time for this sister to get married, and go away to her husband’s home. With a heavy heart, the brothers bid farewell to the sister. A year passed.
On the day of Karva Chauth, as per tradition, the girl returned to her mother’s house. Her brothers were overjoyed at having her back with them. However, when they saw their beloved sister suffering with hunger and thirst undergoing the strict fast for Karva Chauth, they were anguished. They begged her to eat one meal with them, but she reused saying she would eat when the moon came out.
They put their heads together and came up with a plan. One of the brothers climbed up to the highest tree in their courtyard and held up a sieve with a flame behind it. The other brothers took their sister out to show her the so-called moon. The sister believed them and broke her fast with some water and sweetmeats.
The moment she sat down to eat, news arrived that her husband was dead. Heartbroken, she prayed to the Goddess, who appeared in front of her and told her about the trickery. She then told her to return to her husband’s house and to wait with her husband’s body for a whole year. When the next Karva Chauth would arrive, she would have to observe the fast with complete devotion which would bring her husband back to life.
The sister did just as the Goddess instructed and was reunited with her husband.
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Tia’s mother would round off the story session with another story, since one story on an auspicious day was considered inauspicious.
Karva Chauth Story: The Chatakminar (Ganesha) and His Kheer (Rice Pudding)
Once Ganesha, disguised as a chatakminar (saint) went into a village. He carried a small bowl with some milk in it, and a few grains of rice tied in a piece of cloth.
On reaching the village, he asked each of the villagers to help him make kheer (rice pudding) with it. Everybody laughed and mocked him. Wandering around, he reached a small hut on the outskirts of the village. He knocked and an old woman came out. He repeated his request.
Now the old woman was a pious lady, and did not want to turn away a guest, so she decided to humor him.
“Go inside and fetch the largest vessel you can.” said the saint to the old woman.
“Baba, we are poor people. We have no large vessels, just a few small pots and pans.” she replied.
“Trust me,” said the saint.
The old woman went inside the hut and saw a huge, gleaming copper pan sitting in the corner. She was amazed and realized that this was no ordinary saint. She carried the vessel out and poured the bowl of milk into it. The pot became full to the brim. She untied the cloth of rice and saw that it was as deep as a sack.
“Now, keep the pudding to boil. Then go and invite all the village-folk to have some pudding.” instructed the saint.
The old woman did as told. She told her daughter to watch over the pudding as it boiled, and went to call the villagers. The villagers were all amused when the old woman invited them for pudding. They knew she was very poor and could hardly afford food for herself. Out of curiosity, they all decided to visit her home and see how she would feed them.
When they reached they saw the large pot of rice pudding and were amazed. All villagers had their fill of the pudding, and left. But there was still a lot of pudding left in the pot. The saint told the old woman,
“Dig a hole in your backyard, place the leftover pudding along with the pot into the hole, and cover it. Tomorrow morning, when you dig open the hole again, you will find a pot full of gold in its place.”
The old woman did as told. However, at night, as soon as the old woman went to bed, the daughter crept into the backyard and dug the hole open, meaning to take all the gold for herself. But all she found was a pot full of rocks and pebbles. She came inside and saw that the few items they possessed had also turned into rocks. She started crying and lamenting.
The old woman woke up and saw what had happened. She ran after the saint, and told him everything. The saint said,
“Your daughter is blinded by greed. Go back and bury the pot again. Then you dig it up in the morning. And you will get what I promised.”
This time the old woman did as he said, and was rewarded by gold and riches.
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After the morning sargi, Tia left for work. She loved this day at work. This was one day when she could do away with the boring formal dress suit she wore everyday. She eagerly waited for the evening when Rishi would pick her up. Just like every year, they would go home, wait for the moon and break their fast together.
Times had changed and with time, they had updated the traditions as well.
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