Karwa Chauth: Know Why and How Karwa Chauth Vrat Came Into Practice, Read Full Story Here

Married wonem observe the Karwa Chauth Fast in the hope for a long life of their husbands. The Karwa Chath vrat is kept every year on the Chaturthi tithi of shukla paksha in the Kartik month. According to beliefs, on this day women keep a nirjala vrat (without water) which grants them their wish of a long and healthy life of their husbands.  

Know the story of the karwa chauth that started this tradition and how it came into existence. 

According to ancient beliefs, once karwa mata lived with her husband near the Tungabhadra river. One fine day when Karva ji's husband was going for bath in the river, he came face to face with a crocodile, who caught hold of his leg because of which he was being dragged inside the river. 

Karva's husband understood that now his death is certain, out of fear of death, he started calling his wife Karva. He calls his wife Karva screaming, Karva, Karva, Karva. Hearing her husband's frightened voice, she started running towards her husband. When Karva sees that the crocodile is taking her husband to the mouth of death, she tied the crocodile with a raw thread. Due to being tied with the thread, the crocodile was not able to move and Karva's husband was also in its grip and in such a situation the lives of both came in danger. 

Then Karva calls Yamraj to save her husband's life. As soon as Yamraj comes to them, Karva asks him to give life to her husband and punish the crocodile. Yamraj told that it is not possible to do so because the crocodile still has a life left and her husband's time is over. When Karva got angry, Yamraj got scared and he sent the crocodile to Yamlok and revived Karva's husband. That is why on Karva Chauth, married women pray to Karva Mata that just like she saved their husbands from the jaws of death, she should also protect their Suhaag.

Like Karva Mata, Savitri also tried hard to save her husband. She tied her husband with a raw thread and placed him under the Banyan tree. The power of her love and faith was so strong that Yamraj could not take her husband's life. Ultimately Yamraj had to give life to Savitri's husband and he blessed Savitri that her Suhaag will remain forever.