Karwa Chauth 2024: What’s in the Karwa Pot

Every year, on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the waning phase (Krishna Paksha) of the month of Kartik, married women observe the Karwa Chauth fast. 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, although it is now also available in brass or copper. What should be filled in? A well-known astrologer from Bhopal named Pandit Yogesh Chaure explains.

The Karwa is filled with various items, which must be pure and sacred because, according to belief, the Karwa represents the deity Karwa Mata, and all the items inside are offerings to her. The main item that is traditionally filled in the Karwa is wheat, which is considered very 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 is 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 raw rice grains. It is also customary to place ‘kheel’ (puffed rice) or a silver coin inside the Karwa. This is considered particularly significant because on Karwa Chauth, worshiping 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. Karwa Chauth Upavasa time is from 6:25 AM to 7:54 PM (which is 13 hours and 29 minutes). Moonrise on Karwa Chauth is expected to be at 7:54 PM.

The festival has links with many folklores, most notably the story of the devout queen Veeravati. After her marriage, Veeravati observed her first Karwa Chauth and fainted from hunger. She broke her fast early after her brothers made her believe that the moon had risen.