Karwa Chauth is a very popular fasting observance practiced by married Hindu women; to seek long life and welfare of their husbands.
On this auspicious day, women keep day-long fast and offer prayer to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
It is believed that those who observe this fast are blessed with life long prosperity and a healthy spouse. In the Indian culture, Hindu women observed this fast for their husbands.
During the day women abstain from food and water, and at night after moonrise they break their fasts by reading the ‘vrat katha’ and performing the ‘puja vidhi’. There is a very interesting katha behind this fast.
Long ago, there lived a very beautiful princess named Veeravati, who was married to a wealthy and strong king. As per the usual practice during those days, the day of Karwa Chauth arrived and the queen left for her parents' house.
She was very devoted to Lord Shiva and Parvati and therefore decided to observe the Karva Chauth fasting.
She woke up at sunrise and started the fasting abided by worship and pujas. The whole day she did not eat anything and therefore turned so weak and fell unconscious. As per the custom, food should be partaken only after sighting the moonrise.
Her loving brothers could not bear the pain of seeing her faint and therefore created a false scene of moonrise by lighting a lamp on the hill and asking Veeravati to sot it and conclude her fast.
Due to the breach of the fasting rule, immediately after breaking the fast in advance, the queen heard to news of her husband's sudden death. As she was wailing and returning to the kingdom, she had the vision of Mother Parvati and Lord Shiva on the way.
When she prayed them to intervene in the issue, forgive and restore her husband back to life, they conceded.
With the blessings of Shiva and Parvati, her husband was restored to life, but had fallen seriously ill without any consciousness. His whole body was found pricked with sharp needles.
With her sustained efforts, the queen managed to remove one needle per day. At the end of the year, only one needle was left. Veeravati left to the market to buy Karwa for the puja.
The maid servant in charge removed the remaining one needle and the king regained his consciousness and got back his health. He mistook the maid for the queen and made the queen his servant.
Veeravati sincerely served the king in the capacity of the maid servant faithfully all through the year. The next Karwa Chauti day arrived and the queen sincerely prepared for the fasting ceremony.
She bot two identical dolls and placed them near the altar. She started singing the song "Roli ki Goli ho gayi... Goli ki Roli ho gayi" meaning that the queen has become the maid and the mad has become the queen. The kind asked Veeravati what the song meant.
Veeravati narrated all that happened so far.
The king appreciated the patience and forbearance of the queen in addition to her strong devotion. The dauntless faith Veeravati had in Shiva and Parvati was heavily tested and found to be genuine.
The observance of the Karwa Chauth fasting sincerely despite troubles made her get Gods blessings in abundance. With the blessings of Shiva and Parvati, the king and the queen happily lived with health, wealth, happiness and prosperity thereafter.