look news india
Among the Sanatan culture and traditional festivals of our country, the fasting of ‘Karwa Chauth’ is considered to be the most special and sacred. This Nirjala fast, observed on the Chaturthi date of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month, is the biggest celebration for married women of their unwavering love, dedication and longevity of married life. On this day, Mata Karva and Lord Ganesha are worshiped by being hungry and thirsty from morning till night, and then after seeing the moon in the sky in the evening, this fast is broken by offering Arghya. Different states of the country have their own unique and beautiful customs of celebrating Karva Chauth. In many major areas of Uttar Pradesh like Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Western Uttar Pradesh as well as in some areas of Haryana and Rajasthan, a very special and interesting tradition is followed, where women use their ‘Nath’ while offering Arghya to the Moon. After all, what religious secrets and folk beliefs are behind this unique tradition of married women offering water to the moon through their nose? Let us know every aspect of this tradition in detail.
What is the unique tradition of offering water to the moon by dropping water from the nose on Karva Chauth?
On the day of Karva Chauth, when the evening falls and the married women do sixteen adornments and look at the moon through a sieve, after that the main ritual of offering Arghya to the moon begins. Generally people offer water directly to the Moon using a pot or earthen pot, but in Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj and many surrounding areas of Uttar Pradesh, the way of performing this ritual is very different and traditional.
Under this tradition, when women drop water from the karva, they let the stream of water touch or pass the ‘Nath’ worn in their nose. At some places, water is offered to the Moon by placing a single stick attached to the Karve on one’s nose. During this time, women have a different glow on their faces and pray for the long life of their husbands. While offering Arghya, women also sing traditional and folk songs or short lines, like- “Let me pray to your moon, may my marriage remain immortal” or else “Chanda’s lamp, moonlit night, moon’s offering, my beloved’s fast”. There may be a slight difference in the form of these lines according to regional dialects, but their sentiments are always the same i.e. for the husband’s long life and unbroken good fortune.
Women’s sixteen adornments and nose rings are a symbol of marital bliss and unbroken good fortune.
In Indian folk culture and marital beliefs, ‘Nath’ is not considered just an ordinary ornament, but it is considered the most prominent and sacred part of the Solah Shringar of married women. From the time of marriage to all the auspicious festivals throughout life, Nath is associated with good luck, marriage and marital honor of the woman.
On the auspicious occasion of Karva Chauth, when women wear a nose ring and offer Arghya to the Moon, its direct spiritual and symbolic meaning is that they are including the biggest symbol of their marriage in this holy puja. According to folk beliefs, dropping a stream of water from the nose ring symbolizes that the wife wants to keep her immense love, dedication and unbreakable relationship immortal towards her life partner i.e. husband. Moon is considered to be the factor of coolness, love and mind, hence when water is offered to the Moon through the symbol of Suhaag i.e. Nath, it makes the marital relationship stronger and deeper.
This belief is related to purity, positivity and protection from evil eyes.
There are many deep social and psychological beliefs behind this ancient ritual. There has been a belief in our society for centuries that when a woman looks very beautiful by applying sixteen makeup, then she or her husband may face the evil eye (Nazar Dosh). On the day of Karva Chauth, women dress up in the most beautiful and traditional clothes, in such a situation, according to folk traditions, many measures are taken to prevent eye defects.
Regarding this tradition of pouring water from the nose ring, elderly women also believe that by touching the nose ring, the symbol of marriage, this entire ritual of Arghya becomes even more sacred and powerful. Water is considered a symbol of purity, energy and life in Sanatan Dharma. When water touches the nose ring and flows towards the moon, it drives away negative energies and infuses positivity into the family. This not only removes the evil eye, but there is an unwavering popular belief that this makes the relationship between husband and wife safe and happy for many births.
Such festivals present colorful shades of culture and traditions
Such traditions being passed on from generation to generation in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country are proof that our festivals are not just religious rituals, but they are a great medium to connect the society, add sweetness to relationships and keep the folk culture alive. Even today, in culturally rich cities like Kanpur, Lucknow and Prayagraj, these small rituals are performed with the same devotion as they were performed centuries ago. On the night of Karva Chauth, when the moon rises in the sky and women drop water from their nose rings and pray for the long life of their husbands, that scene truly becomes the most unique example of the beauty and depth of Indian culture.