Nineteenth of October, or nine days before divali is being celebrated as 'Karva Chauth', a festival that is celebrated by 'suhagans' . This term, as all Indians know, refers to women whose husbands are alive. Legend has it that a queen named Savitri, started this custom.
Savitri's husband died and the God of Death, Yumdoot came to collect his soul, she pleaded with him to let her husband remain alive. Since Savitri had been a devout wife, Yumdoot granted her any wish except her husband's life. So, Savitri said that she wanted 100 children. And then her wish was granted and her husband got a new lease of life. So all devout wives observe this auspicious day as Kavra Chauth and pray for their husband's long life.
So a festival for married women who are not widows. But what about widows? Are they dead too that they should not celebrate any thing at all, since they have no husband to pray for? It is as if religion was made only for married women and all men only.
But every religion has some sort of custom of fasting. Christians fast during Lent. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and it starts 46 days before Easter Sunday. The month is in mourning for the death of Christ on Good Friday, and then his resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday. So during the 46 days, Christians may give up something that they enjoy, as a sign of penance, meat or cigarettes or alcohol etc. Zorastrians give up meat during a few days every month and during the ten days before navroze, when prayers are specially dedicated to the dead. These ten days are known as gathas. Jains fast during Chaumasa in August and September, known as Santhana. But that is mainly for older people. Younger Jains and even children fast for a week eating only fruits, and boiled water, known as Paryushan. Muslims and bohris fast during moharram for a whole month, but eat and drink before sunrise. Hindus fast all the time, by mainly giving up whatever is white, like milk, flour products, salt, sugar, rice, etc. Hindus fast on Mondays if they worship Shiva, Thursdays are for sant Dattatreya, Fridays are for Santoshima, Saturdays are for Lord Hanuman, and they also fast during Ganesh Chaturthi, Ekadashi, Mahashivratri,Gokulashtmi. It is a custom for Hindus to fast and the women walk barefeet during their fasts. Fasting is a way to bargain with the gods for favours of a happy family life, a long life for the husband, or to fulfill some endeavour of a new business or job.
These details I have gleaned from my colleagues and my students. Especially my students, who show so much self control to maintain their fast, although their classmates are eating and drinking during break time. If only their self control would flourish and grow with age, so that they would refrain from any vices as adults.
So fasting is a way that religion has intervened to help humans to gain health and self control. And to make a wish come true, because dreams help one to survive and thrive.
Savitri's husband died and the God of Death, Yumdoot came to collect his soul, she pleaded with him to let her husband remain alive. Since Savitri had been a devout wife, Yumdoot granted her any wish except her husband's life. So, Savitri said that she wanted 100 children. And then her wish was granted and her husband got a new lease of life. So all devout wives observe this auspicious day as Kavra Chauth and pray for their husband's long life.
So a festival for married women who are not widows. But what about widows? Are they dead too that they should not celebrate any thing at all, since they have no husband to pray for? It is as if religion was made only for married women and all men only.
But every religion has some sort of custom of fasting. Christians fast during Lent. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and it starts 46 days before Easter Sunday. The month is in mourning for the death of Christ on Good Friday, and then his resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday. So during the 46 days, Christians may give up something that they enjoy, as a sign of penance, meat or cigarettes or alcohol etc. Zorastrians give up meat during a few days every month and during the ten days before navroze, when prayers are specially dedicated to the dead. These ten days are known as gathas. Jains fast during Chaumasa in August and September, known as Santhana. But that is mainly for older people. Younger Jains and even children fast for a week eating only fruits, and boiled water, known as Paryushan. Muslims and bohris fast during moharram for a whole month, but eat and drink before sunrise. Hindus fast all the time, by mainly giving up whatever is white, like milk, flour products, salt, sugar, rice, etc. Hindus fast on Mondays if they worship Shiva, Thursdays are for sant Dattatreya, Fridays are for Santoshima, Saturdays are for Lord Hanuman, and they also fast during Ganesh Chaturthi, Ekadashi, Mahashivratri,Gokulashtmi. It is a custom for Hindus to fast and the women walk barefeet during their fasts. Fasting is a way to bargain with the gods for favours of a happy family life, a long life for the husband, or to fulfill some endeavour of a new business or job.
These details I have gleaned from my colleagues and my students. Especially my students, who show so much self control to maintain their fast, although their classmates are eating and drinking during break time. If only their self control would flourish and grow with age, so that they would refrain from any vices as adults.
So fasting is a way that religion has intervened to help humans to gain health and self control. And to make a wish come true, because dreams help one to survive and thrive.
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