Karwa Chauth 2024: What The Karwa Pot Contains

Every year, on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the waning phase (Krishna Paksha) of the Kartik month, married women observe the fast of Karwa Chauth. This fast is kept for the long life and good health of their husbands. This year, Karwa Chauth falls on Sunday, October 20. Several items are required for the rituals associated with this fast, one of which is the ‘Karwa’, an essential part of the puja. The Karwa is filled with various items and is considered incomplete without it. A Karwa is a small pot, traditionally made of clay, shaped like a small pitcher, though it is now also available in brass or copper. What should be filled in it? A well-known Bhopal-based astrologer named Pandit Yogesh Chaure explains this.

The Karwa is filled with various items, which need to be pure and sacred because, according to beliefs, the Karwa represents the deity Karwa Mata, and all the items inside it are offerings to her. The main item traditionally filled in the Karwa is wheat, which is considered highly auspicious.

The lid of the Karwa is filled with sugar, one of the ingredients used during the puja. Alternatively, you can fill the Karwa with Ganga water or milk. It’s important to note that the pot used for offering water (Arghya) should be separate from the Karwa.

You can fill the Karwa with ‘Akshat’, which are uncooked rice grains. It is also common to place ‘kheel’ (puffed rice) or a silver coin inside the Karwa. This is considered especially significant because on Karwa Chauth, worshipping the moon is important, and wheat, rice, and silver are believed to strengthen the influence of the moon.

The Karwa Chauth Puja Muhurat is from 5:46 PM to 7:02 PM. The duration is 1 hour and 16 minutes. The Karwa Chauth Upavasa Time is from 6:25 AM to 7:54 PM (which is 13 hours and 29 minutes). The Moonrise on Karwa Chauth is anticipated to be at 7:54 PM.

The festival has ties to many folklore, most notably the story of the devoted queen Veeravati. Following her marriage, Veeravati observed her first Karwa Chauth and fainted from starvation. She broke her fast early after her brothers tricked her into believing that the moon had risen.