Karwa Chauth : Significance of Looking at the Moon Through a Sieve During Karva Chauth Puja
Karva Chauth is one of the biggest days for married women and is celebrated with gaiety and enthusiasm all across India.
It is the festival of Karwa Chauth and Hindu married women are observing a strict fast to pray for the long life and well-being of their husbands.
Women in the Northern states of the country especially observe this day-long festival with much enthusiasm.
Women worship the moon and offer prayers to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha.
During the Karwa Chauth Puja, women look at the moon through a sieve and only then break their fast.
We have seen our mothers and sisters offering puja to the moon while looking at it through a sieve.
We have seen this custom being followed and depicted in several movies and songs, but few would know the reason why the moon is only looked at through a sieve.
The Karva Chauth Vrat is broken after the moonrise.
Usually, the women head out in groups to perform the puja.
Sometimes the husband also helps in breaking the fast by offering water and feeding a morsel of food to their wives.
There are two beliefs about looking at the moon through a sieve.
It is believed in North India, the moon of Karwa Chauth is a form of Lord Shiva and his son Lord Ganesha.
Also, it is a popular custom in North for women to wear a ghoongat whenever they are in front of elderly people as a mark of respect.
So when the women look at the moon on the Karwa Chauth day, they use the sieve to cover their face to pay their respects.
It is also said that when women worship the moon, they also seek his blessings.
The sieve helps in filtering out only the good blessings.
The filtered blessings signify happiness and goodwill in life.
So while paying their respects, women always use a sieve.
It is interesting to know the stories behind the popular traditions that have been carried out in Indian festivals.