This post shares Karwa Chauth recipes, Karwa Chauth vrat vidhi or procedure and Karwa Chauth rituals like sargi, baya, group pooja, song and how we break karwa chauth fast in our family.
Karwa Chauth is on 13 October 2022. I am sharing this Karwa Chauth recipes collection so that it is easier for you to decide your menu in advance. Please don’t add onions and garlic in any recipe which you make because they are not allowed during Karwa Chauth vrat. So skip adding them, onion and garlic.
Karwa Chauth Vrat
Karwa Chauth vrat is kept by women in North India for the health, well being, prosperity and long life of their husband.
The word Karwa means diya (small earthen lamp). Karwa also means a pitcher or pot and Chauth means fourth. Since it falls on the 4th day after the full moon in the kartik month.
The day begins at dawn and in my family we have Gobi paratha or Aloo paratha with Raita and a sweet dish like Sooji halwa or Vermicelli kheer or Feni.
Sometimes we have Chaat recipes. If not Paratha than we have Aloo Gobi with phulkas.
All these delicious food are consumed before sunrise or better to say when the stars are still there in the sky (taaron ki chaaon main).
I also have tea and then lots of water too because the whole day goes in Karwa Chauth vrat or fasting without eating anything and even drinking water.
After the Karwa Chauth rituals and pooja are over during the day we wait for the moon to come up. It is customary that the sky will be cloudy and moon will come very late.
After waiting and waiting – finally we get to see the moon through a sieve and offering water to the moon we seek its blessings.
The wives are given the first sip of water and the first morsel of food – usually Mathri by their husbands. (The whole Karwa Chauth vrat vidhi and guidelines are given below in the post after the recipes section).
At home we usually have a dinner of Rajma masala or Punjabi chana or Dal Makhani or Mah ki Dal with rice or roti and some veggie dish. This is how we celebrate Karwa Chauth in our home.
Plan your Karwa Chauth menu in advance. So your whole day goes smooth and hassle free. Eg: You can make the Chutney a day before. Also mathri can be made a day or two before.
Enjoy making the recipes and having them so that you are able to fast for the whole day.
Karwa Chauth Recipes
I am sharing recipes that you can make for dinner (after breaking your vrat) and the recipes that are included in the sargi. The dishes that make up the sargi platter is had before taking the fast.
Kindly note that some of the recipes listed below have onion and garlic in them as I did not make them on the occasion of Karwa Chauth but on some regular days.
If making these recipes on Karwa Chauth, then do omit the onions and garlic from them. You can add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) in the dish to mimic the flavors of onion and garlic.
You can also check this category of No Onion No Garlic Recipes.
Sargi
Sargi is the meal which is had before dawn and before taking up the karwa chauth fast. In this section you will find the breakfast dishes that can be made easily.
I have also added some sweets recipes. You can prep some of the dishes a day before and refrigerate them. The sweets can also be made a day before and refrigerated.
Breakfast & Snacks
Moderate
50 minutes mins
Cauliflower paratha is unleavened whole wheat flatbread stuffed with a spiced grated cauliflower filling. Gobi paratha is often made for breakfast in Punjabi homes as well as served in restaurants and Punjabi dhabas.
Moderate
50 minutes mins
Punjabi aloo paratha is a popular Indian breakfast of unleavened whole wheat flatbread stuffed with a spiced potato stuffing. Learn to make these flavorful and tasty aloo paratha with my tried and tested family recipe.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Paneer paratha is a popular North Indian flatbread made with whole wheat flour dough and stuffed with savory, spiced, grated paneer (Indian cottage cheese) stuffing. Paneer paratha is one of the most popular stuffed paratha varieties from Punjab and usually made for breakfast.
Easy
50 minutes mins
Thepla recipe comes from the Gujarati cuisine and are popular flatbreads made with whole grain flours. Spiced and savory methi thepla are healthy flatbreads made with fresh fenugreek leaves and multi grain flours.
55 minutes mins
Aloo Gobi Sabzi
This is an easy, simple and delicious homely aloo gobi ki sabji.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Aloo Gajar Matar ki Sabji is an easy Punjabi style dry preparation made with potatoes, carrots and peas. The recipe is made without onion, garlic and has minimal spices. Pairs nicely with roti or paratha and can be packed in lunch box.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Jeera aloo is classic potato side dish loaded with cumin and fresh herbs, and is naturally gluten-free and vegan. It gets ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
This gajar matar sabzi is a delicious dish of dry sauted carrots and fresh green peas.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Dahi puri also known as dahi batata puri is a delicious, yummy, chatpata chaat snack from Mumbai. It is sweet, sour, tangy, spicy and crispy chaat.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Sev puri recipe is a canapé like snack -where crispy fried flour discs are topped with flavorful condiments, veggies, herbs, ground spices and more. Spicy, sweet, tangy, savory, crunchy, crispy flavors – all bursting in your mouth in each bite. Learn to make this mouthwatering snack with my authentic Mumbai style recipe.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Aloo Tikki is a popular North Indian street food snack of savory, spiced and crispy potato patties. A basic Aloo Tikki Recipe is made with potatoes, spices, herbs, breadcrumbs or a binding flour and can be stuffed with a filling of mashed cooked green peas or cooked chana dal or paneer.
Moderate
9 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Papdi chaat is a popular North Indian street food snack filled with a variety of mouth-watering textures, flavors and consists of papdi (fried flour crackers), boiled chickpeas, potatoes, chutneys and curd (yogurt.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Aloo chana chaat is a spicy, tangy, sweet chaat made with boiled potatoes, white chickpeas, onion, tomatoes, herbs and spices.
Moderate
5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Sabudana Vada is a popular savory deep fried snack made during Hindu fasting days, featuring tapioca pearls (sago), potatoes, peanuts and herbs. They are naturally gluten-free and vegan. This fool proof sabudana vada recipe gives you a super delicious crispy vada with a soft and light interior.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Vegetable Cutlet are crisp, savory, tender patties made with a mix of hearty veggies, savory spices, fresh herbs and crispy breadcrumbs. Cutlet is a popular snack in Indian cuisine.
Moderate
1 hour hr
Farali pattice is an easy snack of crispy and tasty patties made with potatoes and stuffed with a sweet filling of coconut, nuts and raisins. This dish is from the Gujarati cuisine that is made during fast or upvas.
Moderate
15 minutes mins
This spicy, piquant Green Chutney recipe (also called Hari Chatni) is made with coriander leaves, spices and seasonings. It is added to chaat food like aloo chaat, dahi vada, sev puri, samosa chaat, ragda patties, papdi chaat, dahi puri, etc or served with Indian snacks like pakoda, samosa, vada, kachori etc.
Easy
4 hours hrs 12 minutes mins
Tamarind Chutney or Imli chutney is a sweet and tangy chutney made with tamarind, jaggery and ginger powder. It is also known as saunth chutney.
Sweets
Easy
15 minutes mins
Suji ka halwa or Sheera is a classic Indian semolina pudding made with sugar, ghee and dry fruits. The recipe I have shared is a family heirloom recipe. We have been making this suji halwa recipe for decades during family get togethers, special occasions & festivals. The sooji halwa recipe can be easily halved, doubled or tripled.
Moderate
25 minutes mins
Meethi seviyan is a sweet dessert made from whole wheat vermicelli, ghee, milk, sugar and dry fruits.
Easy
25 minutes mins
Gulgule are crispy, soft fried Indian doughnuts made with whole wheat flour, banana, sugar or jaggery and fennel seeds. A North Indian special sweet.
Easy
20 minutes mins
This creamy seviyan kheer is a North Indian sweet made with wheat vermicelli, milk, sugar, dry fruits and flavored with spices. This incredibly easy recipe of semiya kheer comes together in 20 minutes and makes for an excellent dessert or sweet.
Moderate
50 minutes mins
Rice Kheer is a popular Indian sweet dessert made with basmati rice, whole milk, nuts and saffron. Kheer recipe is easy and is made with a one pan or one pot method. Rice Kheer is basically Indian rice pudding and makes for a creamy delicious sweet dessert.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Besan Ladoo or Besan ke Laddu is a popular Indian sweet made during festivals. These are round sweet balls made with gram flour a.k.a besan, powdered sugar and clarified butter (ghee).
Moderate
30 minutes mins
An easy method to make rava laddu for Diwali or any festival. This rava ladoo also known as suji ke laddu is made with rava (sooji or semolina), coconut, powdered sugar, dry fruits and ghee.
Moderate
15 minutes mins
Make coconut ladoo with three recipes. The first one is a quick 3 ingredient recipe made with fresh coconut, milkmaid and cardamom powder. The second recipe has 2 ingredients – desiccated coconut and condensed milk. The third recipe is made with desiccated coconut and sugar.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
A Carrot Halwa recipe made in the traditional way and slow-cooked – with just grated carrots, whole milk, ghee, sugar and some nuts. You will love this evergreen and popular Gajar ka Halwa recipe. Make this rich sweet for special occasions or during festivals.
Moderate
15 minutes mins
This rich peda recipe is a delightfully sweet fudge-like confection made with khoya (dried milk solids), sugar, nuts and fragrant spices. Make this simple and quick doodh peda recipe (milk peda) for any festival or celebrations.
Moderate
15 minutes mins
These wheat ladoo make for a good sweet snack for kids as well as for the whole family. Easy and quick to prepare delicious ladoo made with whole wheat flour, sugar and ghee.
Easy
30 minutes mins
Phirni is a classic creamy slow-cooked sweet pudding made with ground rice, sugar, milk, almonds, saffron and cardamom powder. It is a popular North Indian sweet made during festive occasions.
Easy
20 minutes mins
Easy Dry fruits laddu recipe without any added sugar or fats like ghee or oil. Packed with nutrients, good fats and fibre, these energy balls are made with dates, figs and various nuts. Dry fruit laddu recipe gets done quickly and comes together under 20 minutes.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Apple halwa recipe made with apples, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Apple halwa is a delicious halwa that is easy to make. This apple halwa does not use sooji (rava), milk, khoya or milk powder. Just apples, sugar (optional) and ghee. Flavorings and nuts of your choice can be added to the halwa.
Moderate
50 minutes mins
Badam kheer or almond payasam is a delicious creamy kheer made with blanched almond paste, milk and saffron.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Sheer khurma is a rich creamy pudding made with vermicelli, milk, dates, nuts, dry fruits, sugar and ghee. 'Sheer' means milk and 'khurma' refers to dates in Persian language.
Dinner
Included in this section is food that you can have after breaking the fast. I have listed mostly Punjabi recipes and the ones which we make in our family.
You will also find some starters and appetizers in this section. You can serve the dal or the curries with roti or steamed rice. Pulao can be served with raita or a side salad.
Lentils & Beans
Moderate
9 hours hrs
This Dal Makhani recipe is a restaurant style version with subtle smoky flavors and creaminess of the lentils. Dal Makhani is one of the most popular lentil recipes from the North Indian cuisine made with whole urad dal (black gram) and kidney beans.
Moderate
9 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
This Rajma recipe is a creamy, tangy and spiced curry made with dried kidney beans. This restaurant style Rajma Masala is made in a base of sautéed onions, tomatoes, spices and cream making it truly delicious. Best served with steamed hot rice (called chawal) or soft roti or flaky paratha.
Moderate
1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
This chana dal fry is Punjabi style recipe of bengal gram lentils or hulled and spilt black chickpeas tempered and flavored with onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices.
Easy
30 minutes mins
This restaurant style dal tadka is a smooth and creamy dal tempered with Indian spices with a smoky charcoal flavor.
Moderate
8 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Amritsari Chole is a delicious variation of the Indian chickpea curry from the city of Amritsar. This recipe of Amritsari Chole is vegan and gluten-free.
Moderate
4 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
This Dal Amritsari is simple and tasty lentil curry from the Punjabi cuisine made with whole black gram and split black chickpea (chana dal).
Moderate
1 hour hr
Black gram dal or kali dal or maa ki dal is a popular and delicious Punjabi lentil dish made with sabut urad dal, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices.
Vegetarian Gravies & Curries
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe is one of India’s most popular paneer preparation. This restaurant style recipe with soft paneer cubes dunked in a creamy, lightly spiced tomato sauce or gravy is a best one that I have been making for a long time. This rich dish is best served with roti or chapati, paratha, naan or rumali roti.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Palak Paneer that is delicious, smooth and creamy. This easy palak paneer recipe is made with fresh spinach leaves, paneer, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices. This is one of the most popular North Indian dish.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
This Shahi Paneer is deliciously rich and creamy, making it one of the most popular recipes in Mughlai cuisine.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Absolutely flavorsome and delish is this Vegetable Kurma – a warming, spiced and complexly flavored curry from the Indian Cuisine made with nuts, seeds, spices and mix vegetables.
Moderate
1 hour hr
This delicious, vibrant Veg Kadai gravy is filled with rich flavors, aromatic spices and vegetables. Made in a kadai (Indian wok) this dish has a medley of onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and various assorted veggies together with spices and cream for a finger-licking restaurant style gravy!
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Matar Paneer is a popular North Indian curried dish featuring green peas and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a masala base of onions, tomatoes, cashews, spices and herbs. I’m sharing our family recipe of a flavorful and simple home-style Mutter Paneer. I have also shared making Matar Paneer in the Instant Pot and in a pan or pot on the stovetop.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Navratan korma is made with 9 ingredients and consists of plenty of nuts, dry fruits, assorted vegetables, fruits, cream, a lot of spices and a few herbs.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
This Aloo Matar (also spelled Aloo Mutter) is a simple, delicious, comforting curry recipe of potato and green peas in an onion, tomato, spice laden gravy base. It makes for a healthy and comforting meal when paired with Indian breads or steamed rice.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Pav Bhaji is a hearty, delightsome, flavorful meal of mashed vegetable gravy with fluffy soft buttery dinner rolls served with a side of crunchy piquant onions, tangy lemon and herby coriander. You will love this pav bhaji recipe for its Mumbai style flavors. I share the traditional method of making Mumbai street style Pav Bhaji and a quick Instant Pot recipe.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Methi Matar Malai is a rich and delicious North Indian curry made with fenugreek leaves, green peas and cream. Smooth and creamy this recipe is a surefire winner with kids and adults alike.
Moderate
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
This Punjabi Aloo Puri recipe is a traditional dish of a spiced Potato Curry (Aloo Sabzi) served with Puri. Both the Aloo Curry and the Puri (Indian fry bread) served together makes for a filling and satisfying meal.
Pulao & Rice Recipes
Moderate
55 minutes mins
Give a makeover to the simple steamed rice by adding cumin (jeera) and some fragrant spices. This restaurant style Jeera Rice recipe is mildly spiced, fragrant and tastes too good.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Trying to get more vegetables in your diet? Try this vegetarian one pot meal of Pulao or Pulav. Use the vegetables that you like most, like peas, potatoes, and green beans. Make this simple Veg Pulao recipe that packs a punch of flavor!
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Khichdi recipe is a delicious one pot meal of rice and moong lentils. Moong Dal Khichdi is light and easy to digest healthy food. Stove-top pressure cooker, Instant Pot and Stove-top Pan instructions are included in the recipe card.
Moderate
25 minutes mins
Peas pulao also known as matar pulao is a tasty rice and green peas dish made with caramelized onions and aromatic spices. It can be prepared entirely in a stove-top pressure cooker or in a pan or in the Instant pot. I share all three ways to make this delish peas pulao.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Kashmiri pulao is a delicious variant of rice pulao from Kashmiri cuisine made with nuts, dried fruits, saffron and fresh fruits. It is aromatic, mild and faintly sweet in taste.
Easy
25 minutes mins
Lemon Rice also referred to as Chitranna or Nimmakaya Pulihora is a crunchy, flavorful and tangy rice dish that is easy to make and tastes so good. Fresh lemon juice, fried nuts, fragrant herbs and spices combine perfectly to give this steamed rice an amazing spicy, tangy and nutty flavor.
Moderate
50 minutes mins
This is a fragrant and lightly spiced paneer pulao made with freshly ground pulao masala which really brings in a lot of flavor and aroma in the recipe.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
This is a mild, flavorful mushroom pulao made with white button mushrooms, basmati rice, thick coconut milk, aromatics and herbs. It makes for an easy and quick lunch or dinner.
Moderate
9 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
Aromatic spiced kidney beans pulao made with kidney beans, basmati rice, onions, herbs and spices.
Indian Breads
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Roti or Phulka or Chapati is an everyday staple Indian flatbread that is made in nearly every part of India. This roti or chapati recipe of an unleavened flatbread is made with basic ingredients – whole wheat flour, ghee, salt and water.
Moderate
1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Crisp as well as soft unleavened whole wheat flat Indian bread. Plain paratha are popular breakfast or tiffin recipe that can be served with pickle or any side veggie dish.
Moderate
2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Easy naan bread recipe without yeast on tawa or stovetop – soft, chewy and delicious naan bread made on stove-top and on a griddle.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Poori or Puri is a traditional Indian fried unleavened bread made with only whole wheat flour, salt, and water. Make crispy, fluffy, and soft poori to enjoy with your favorite meals.
Moderate
2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Kulcha is a popular soft leavened North Indian flatbread. It can be made in the tandoor as well as on a tawa or skillet. Serve Kulcha with a robust and spicy Chana Masala or Chickpea Curry.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
This simply delicious, soft, chewy Tandoori Roti is one of my favorite Indian flatbread of all time. I share 2 different methods to make this yummy butter roti without tandoor.
Moderate
1 hour hr
Rumali Roti is one of the unleavened Indian breads that is made traditionally in the Awadhi, Mughlai and Hyderabadi cuisines. Roomali roti are thin soft rotis and can be folded like a handkerchief. Hence the name Rumali or Roomali roti. The word 'rumal' means handkerchief in Hindi language.
Starters Snacks & Soups
Moderate
50 minutes mins
Hara bhara kabab is made with fresh spinach leaves, green peas and potatoes. So they are nutritious as well as delicious. Hara bhara kebab makes for a good Indian starter or snack. This green kabab can also be stuffed in burger buns or sandwiches can be made from them.
Moderate
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
This Restaurant Style Paneer Tikka is a popular and delicious tandoori snack where paneer (Indian cottage cheese cubes) are marinated in a spiced yogurt-based marinade, arranged on skewers and grilled in the oven.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Chilli Paneer is one of the popular recipe from the Indian Chinese made with batter coated, crispy fried paneer cubes tossed in a spicy, salty, tangy and sweet sauce made with green bell peppers, garlic, ginger, green chillies and seasonings. This Chilli Paneer recipe has a restaurant style taste and flavor.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Tandoori Aloo also called Tandoori Aloo Tikka is a flavorful appetizer or starter snack of marinated, spiced potatoes that are usually grilled in a Tandoor – a clay oven. My recipe of Tandoori Aloo is easily adaptable to grill in an oven or pan-fry in a skillet or frying pan.
Easy
20 minutes mins
This khaman or khaman dhokla recipe makes a wonderfully soft and fluffy, lightly sweet and savory cake that's perfect to enjoy anytime of the day. It's easy to prepare steamed on the stovetop or even in the Instant Pot with my instructions.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Easy to prepare tasty recipe of cheese balls made with potatoes, gram flour and cheese. This popular snack is vegetarian and gluten free, making it the perfect appetizer to share.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Spicy, crispy, vegan Gobi 65 is a fried cauliflower appetizer or snack that everyone will love. Crunchy and savory cauliflower 65 is perfect to serve with tomato ketchup, red chili sauce, chutneys, or your favorite condiment to dip.
Moderate
32 minutes mins
This arbi fry also called as Seppankizhangu Fry in Tamill language is a dry preparation of colocasia or taro roots with spices and herbs.
Easy
15 minutes mins
Sweet potato chaat is one of the easiest to prepare chaat recipe with sweet potatoes or shakarkandi and a few spice powders.
45 minutes mins
Dahi arbi recipe – colocasia-taro roots in a thin yogurt gravy
Easy
30 minutes mins
Kala Chana Chaat is a tangy and tasty snack made from black chickpeas. This recipe is supremely easy to make. Just prep up the ingredients and mix everything together in a bowl.
30 minutes mins
Arbi cutlet recipe – spiced crispy pan fried arbi or colocasia roots. Vegan & gluten free recipe.
Easy
15 minutes mins
Aloo chaat is fried crisp potatoes tossed in spicy and sweet chutneys, a few ground spice powders and then topped with curd, pomegranate arils and sev. It is a popular street food snack.
Easy
25 minutes mins
Comforting, velvety smooth tomato soup recipe from scratch perfect for enjoying as a hearty lunch or light dinner.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
This rich, creamy and delicious mushroom soup recipe is wonderfully satisfying to enjoy any time of the year. It’s a hearty soup prepared in just one pot, and is perfect to make even on a busy weeknight in only 30 minutes.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Spinach soup is a wonderfully flavorful, comforting, and healthy dish. It’s made with simple, wholesome ingredients for a highly nutritious soup.
Easy
30 minutes mins
A delicious one pot, creamy and thick carrot soup that you will be making again and again. The recipe is also vegan.
Easy
30 minutes mins
A Carrot Ginger Soup that is made with 8 ingredients and in just 30 minutes. An easily adaptable recipe that is a perfect option for any busy weeknight. Light, bright, healthy and filled with vegetable goodness.
Karwa Chauth Vrat Vidhi
(These below mentioned rules are followed at my house for Karwa Chauth vrat. Few rules might vary from family to family. I am sharing this Karwa Chauth vrat vidhi for your reference. If in doubt then please consult your family elders or family pandit and always follow the rules followed in your family)
- Karwa Chauth vrat can also be kept by unmarried girls, if the engagement ceremony is already done.
- Onion and garlic are strictly not eaten through out the day even after breaking the vrat.
- Women dress up in their best clothes. Some women also wear the dress they wore on wedding day. Mostly red, orange, golden or bright color clothes or sari is worn. Just avoid wearing white or black color clothes as these colors are not consider auspicious for this occasion. Usually sari or ghagra-choli is worn.
- Women are not supposed to do any household work on this day. Instead they apply heena or mehndi and dress up in their best clothes and do make up.
Karwa Chauth Sargi
(This is mostly done in Punjabi families)
- Sargi is given by the mother in law which includes mathri, coconut (must), fruits like banana, apple etc and sweets or as per your wish. Usually dish made from pheni and milk is also part of sargi.
- Money is also given by the mother in law one day in advance so that the daughter in law can purchase cosmetics or shringar item like bangles, bindi, mehendi, lipstick, hair band, chunri or clothes etc. if the mother in law is not staying with you then she can send/transfer the money.
- On the Karwa Chauth morning, before eating sargi the daughter in law will touch 7 items which she has decided that she is going to offer/donate to the Panditani (religious lady or priestess) in the evening after doing Karwa Chauth group pooja. So just touch the 7 items and then you can eat sargi. these 7 items usually are mehendi, fruits, almonds or cashews (nuts & dry fruits), mathri, coconut and money.
- While having sargi, first eat the sweets or dish made from pheni and milk. It is to start the day with sweet or on a positive note.
After this you can eat coconut and then main course meal. The coconut is usually broken by the husband.
Eat a lot and drink a lot of water. As you are not supposed to drink water or eat food after the sun rises (once the stars have set) and till you do the moon pooja in the night and moon is visible very late on this day. - Before eating sargi, put bindi and take red color chunri on your head. Head bath is taken one day before the Karwa Chauth vrat in evening and the head is kept clean (sucha in Punjabi language).
- The Daughter-in-law also offer clothes and dry fruits like almonds or cashews to her in laws after the Karwa Chauth fast is over (explained later in the post).
Karwa Chauth Group Pooja
- Some people also worship Bhagwan Shiva and Parvati maa in the morning. But in our home, we only worship Parvati maa in the form of Gauri maa in the group pooja which is done in the evening around 4 pm or 5 pm.
- Before the sunset, all ladies from the locality gather in one place for the group pooja. In their thali they bring the items like sweets, mathri, fruits and sari and clothes.
These items are called as ‘baya’. Baya items are bought from the money the daughter in law has received from her mother or father.
If they stay close by then they can send the baya in a basket. But normally daughter in law buy baya items from the money send by her parents. - Apart from baya items there are other things in the thali which includes one diya with mustard oil, sindhur, surma and all the 7 items which you have kept in the morning meant for priestess.
Also bring one glass (lotta) of water (this is the same water which will be offered to moon in the night). In the water rice grains and sugar is also added. Also tie a mauli (red string) around the lotta. - All the ladies sit around the gauri mata image with their items and gauri mata worship is done. All the ladies put surma, lipstick, sindhur to the gaura mata. Its like doing shingar to gauri mata.
- One elderly lady or panditani tells Karwa Chauth katha or story and 7 times the thali containing the baya is rotated. While rotating thali a song is also sung.
Karwa Chauth Ka Gana (Song)
- For first six rotation or feri the song is “veero kudiye karwara, sarv suhagan karwara, aye katti naya teri naa, kumbh chrakhra feri naa, aar pair payeen naa, ruthda maniyen naa, suthra jagayeen naa, ve veero kuriye karwara, ve sarv suhagan karwara”
- After every rotation, once the thali comes back, then it is first kissed and then kept it along with lotta containing water.
- And for the 7th thali rotation the song is “veero kudiye karwara, sarv suhagan karwara, aye katti naya teri nee, kumbh chrakhra feri bhee, aar pair payeen bhee, ruthda maniyen bhee, suthra jagayeen bhee, ve veero kuriye karwara, ve sarv suhagan karwara”
- The gauri maa pooja is to pray for the well being and long life of your husband.
- You can offer the 7 items (which you have touched in the morning before eating sargi) to the panditani or religious lady in this pooja after hearing the Karwa Chauth katha.
- In some families, after the group pooja is done then it is allowed to drink cup of tea or cold drink (but not both). I think, this could be the modern day alteration to make this fast little easier.
Anyways, as per rules whatever drink you choose on your first Karwa Chauth the same drink you can have rest of your life while keeping Karwa Chauth vrat. - Baya items which are worshipped (Mansana) with the help of panditani or priestess is later given to mother in law and father in law.
Few activities to be avoided during Karwa Chauth vrat:
(These are actually mentioned in the song which is sung during first 6 rotation of the thali.)
- Don’t weave or stitch any cloth.
- Do not use scissors and needles.
- Don’t go to fields.
- Don’t wake up any person who is sleeping.
- Don’t try to please someone with whom you have or had a conflict.
How we break Karwa Chauth fast?
When the moon is visible (which is always late on this day) then we take a thali in which one diya made with atta or wheat flour, mustard oil, one cotton wick is lit and mathri is kept. Also the water which you have taken with you in the evening pooja of gauri ma is also taken.
Take the red color chunri on your head. Remove your sleepers and keep one wooden stick or piece below your feet and in a sieve (chhanni), place this lit diya and the woman see the moon indirectly via the sieve.
At our home, we repeat the below line 3-4 times while seeing the moon indirectly via sieve. “Haath khari phair chari main suhagan arg den khari” (which means, my hands are spread, I am standing with a wooden stick below my feet and I am a married woman standing here to offer water to you).
(Translation: haath (hands), khari (standing or spread), phair (feets), chari (wooden stick or piece), suhagan (married lady), arg (water), den (to give), khari (standing).
After saying the above lines 3 to 4 times, throw the diya backwards. Then see the moon directly and pour water downwards in the direction of moon.
Throw 5 to 6 mathri pieces also downwards in the direction of moon. Empty the entire water from the glass/lotta. Don’t drink this water at all.
Then see your husband through the sieve (chhanni). Many women also touch the feet of their husband at this stage. At this point you can also internally pray for your husband well being.
After this, to break the fast, husband will offer water and mathri to you. In our home, we eat rice and dal makhani after this. But onion and garlic can not be put in this dish also.
I pray and hope everyone has a fulfilled Karwa Chauth and this Karwa Chauth adds more harmony, understanding and love into the marriage. I hope both partners help each other in the inner and outer well being of body, mind and soul.
This post from the archives (Oct 2011) has been republished and updated on 3 November 2020.
Dear Mam….
This is my first Karwachawth. i m working women so i m far away from my in-laws & husband. even in our community Karwachawth fast has not kept but i wanted to do for my husband’s health, wealth & long life. i have some queries can you please resolve that on urgently.
1. I m alone where i m working right now. noone is performing Karwachawth pooja. how can i perform thali rotating ritual without anybody with me.
2. My mother in low can’t send sergi but before few days when i visit to my home, she gave me dry fruits. i used that as a sergi & make sevaiya also. is that ok ?
Hi Mitali, Wish you a Happy Karwa Chauth Festival. You can do a small pooja in your home temple worshipping the Divine Mother with a thali having lit diya (lamp), some red flowers, incense and sweets. There is no need to perform the thali rotating ritual. Yes, you can use those dry fruits, but do tell your mother-in-law to tell you on phone that you can use the dry fruits as sargi. Your mother-in-law can also send some money to you (online in your bank etc) which you can use to buy the sargi items. That is what my mother-in-law does as she does not stay with us. I hope this is helpful.
Hi wish you a very happy Karwachawth. Wanted to know if I can use knife on karwachawth if I have to cook food as it’s mentioned somewhere not to use pointed items.
Regards
Priyanka
Thanks Priyanka. Wish you too a happy Karwa Chauth festival. Yes, you can use the knife for chopping veggies or herbs etc. I do cook breakfast and lunch and then the dinner for the rest of the family. So I do have to chop herbs and veggies. Just do not use needle or scissors for cutting and stitching any cloth.