Karwa Chauth 2022: Why moon sighting is considered important on this day?

Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Northern and Western parts of the country. It is observed on the fourth day after Purnima in the month of Karthik. On this day, married women majorly observe fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands.

Popularly celebrated in the states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu, western Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh, the festival is rooted in the ancient times of Mahabharata. It is believed:

Draupadi for the wellness of his husband also performed Karwa Chauth. According to the scripture, once Arjuna, left for Nilgiri Mountains, his brothers were facing challenges in his absence. To curb the problems Draupadi did Karwa Chauth on the advice of his best friend Lord Krishna.

Another folklore is about Queen Veeravati, the only sister of seven loving and caring brothers. It is said that a beautiful queen named Veeravati was eagerly waiting for the moonrise to quench her day-long thirst. And end the struggle of the queen, his brother created the illusion of the moon up in the sky with a mirror. 

Not able to differentiate, the queen performed all the rituals and had water and food before the moonrise. The very moment she had her first bite, somebody came with the news of her husband's demise. After a lot of prayers and requests to get her husband back, Veeravati was advised by the goddess to the next Karwa Chauth with full devotion. She performed all the rituals with utter care and devotion and got her husband's life restored by Yama.

What are the rituals of Karwa Chauth?

The preparations for Karwa Chauth begin with shopping, be it dress, jewelry, cosmetics, or other essentials for puja. On the day of the fast, women awake before sunrise and have Sargi, a special prepared by their mother-in-law. The fast begins at dawn and continues till the moonrise.

Later, in the evening women doll up to perform puja, and offer Arghya and prasad to Moon. Later to this, the husband offers water and food to their wives to express their gratefulness.

Importance of Moonsighting

As per tradition, a woman stays without food and water till the moon rises for her husband’s long life, wellness, and prosperity in life. Moon, Lord Shiva’s hair ornament is worshipped on this day for various reasons: 

• Goddess Parvati is considered to be the symbol of eternal marital bliss, as in every incarnation she married Shiva. So, women on this day through the moon request goddess to bless them with the same marital bliss.
• Also, the planet is considered the god of medicines, therefore it is believed that worshipping the moon will improve health and consequently long life.
• Hindu Mythology cites the Moon, the ruler of mind as the brother of maa Laxmi. So, when a woman looks at the moon through a sieve, it represents scattered thoughts held by regulations. In simpler terms, a woman requests stability in marital life.
• Popularly in North India, the moon of Karwa Chauth is seen as Lord Shiva and his son Lord Ganesha. And it is believed that women look at the moon through a sieve to filter only the good and positive blessings for their family.

The rituals and traditions of Karwachauth differ with boundaries. Some wear their wedding dress, whereas, in some houses, a special dress is gifted by the mother-in-law to perform Karwa Chauth. Well, this special festival has garnered special attention from Bollywood in past years.