Karwa Chauth is one of the most cherished festivals celebrated by married Hindu women in Rajasthan. The day is marked by fasting, prayers and traditions associated with the long life of one's husband and the happiness of married life. However, every region has its own customs, and the way Karwa Chauth is celebrated in Udaipur's Old City has a special charm of its own.
Being from the Old City of Udaipur, I have grown up familiar with these local traditions. From beginning the fast before sunrise to visiting Thanak Mandir for Chauth Mata's puja and gathering on a nearby bridge or pulia for the moonrise rituals, our celebration follows a beautiful sequence of customs passed down through generations.
In this article, I am sharing how we celebrate Karwa Chauth in our part of Old Udaipur, Mewar, Rajasthan.
For readers who wish to know more about the festival's significance, rituals, and traditional observances, Drik Panchang's Karwa Chauth guide offers additional information.
A Tradition I Have Grown Up Watching
My understanding of Karwa Chauth comes from the traditions I have watched my mother and other women in my family follow since childhood. I grew up seeing the preparations, the decorated puja thalis, the evening visit to the temple and the excitement of gathering with other women for the rituals.
As a child, these customs were a familiar part of our family's festive life. Today, I realise that every ritual carries a memory and a connection to the generations before us. The way we celebrate Karwa Chauth in Old Udaipur is not simply something I have read about; it is a tradition I have grown up watching and learning from the women around me.
Through LakeCity Blog, I want to document these local customs in my own words so that the traditions of Mewar can be understood and remembered by future generations.
1. Beginning the Fast Before Sunrise
In our tradition, Karwa Chauth begins early in the morning, around 4 AM. Women have their pre-dawn meal, traditionally known as sargi, before beginning the fast. After this, they observe the fast throughout the day without eating or drinking water.
The day is spent carrying out household activities and preparing for the evening puja. For the women observing the fast, it is a day of devotion, patience and prayers for their husbands and families.
2. Preparing the Puja Thali for Chauth Mata
As evening approaches, women prepare for the most important part of our local celebration: the puja of Chauth Mata at Thanak Mandir.
Before leaving home, we take a bath and get ready for the puja. A traditional karwa (a small pot used in the ritual) is filled with water. A small bowl containing prasad is placed on top of it.
We also arrange the puja samagri in a decorated thali. The items include:
Deepak (a traditional oil lamp)
Kumkum
Lacha (sacred red thread)
Mehndi
Gehu (wheat)
Kapoor (camphor)
Prasad and other puja essentials
Rice (Akhe chawal)
Chudi
Odhni
Karwa
Paan leave
Every item has its place in the ritual, and preparing the thali is an important part of getting ready for the evening.
3. Evening Puja at Thanak Mandir
One of the distinctive parts of Karwa Chauth in our area is visiting Thanak Mandir to worship Chauth Mata.
Women carry their decorated puja thalis and water-filled karwas from their homes to the temple. Once there, they perform the puja using the traditional samagri they have brought with them.
The Karwa Chauth vrat katha is also heard during the puja. Women gather together, offer their prayers and seek the blessings of Chauth Mata for the well-being of their husbands and families.
For us, this temple visit is more than a ritual. It is a tradition that connects our families and community with the customs we have followed for years.
4. Moonrise and the Gathering at the Pulia
After the evening puja, women wait for the moon to appear. In our area, the moon usually rises around 9 PM, although the exact time varies each year.
When the moon becomes visible, women gather at a nearby bridge or pulia for the next part of the celebration. Instead of following the familiar scene often shown in films, where women look at the moon through a sieve, our local ritual has its own distinctive practice.
Women perform the moon puja and then form pairs for the traditional exchange of karwas.
5. The Unique Karwa Exchange Ritual
The exchange of karwas is one of the most memorable parts of Karwa Chauth in our Old City.
Women stand in pairs and exchange their karwas seven times. During this ritual, a traditional dialogue is repeated between the two women.
The woman offering water says:
“Jal dehi, suhag dehi.”
The other woman responds:
“Jal dehi, suhag nahi dehi.”
This exchange continues, and on the seventh round, the words change to:
“Jal bhi dehi, suhag bhi dehi.”
After completing the ritual, women offer water to one another and help each other complete this part of the vrat.
The repeated words, the exchange of karwas and the gathering of women make this custom particularly meaningful. It is a local tradition that deserves to be documented and shared with younger generations.
6. Why We Do Not Break the Fast by Looking Through a Sieve
Many people are familiar with the Karwa Chauth ritual shown in Hindi films, where a woman looks at the moon through a sieve, looks at her husband through the same sieve and then breaks her fast.
However, the tradition we follow in our part of Old Udaipur is different.
Our moonrise ritual includes the moon puja, the seven rounds of karwa exchange and the traditional exchange of water between women. We do not follow the sieve ritual as the central part of our local custom.
Karwa Chauth is celebrated in different ways across India, and these regional differences are an important part of our cultural diversity. The customs familiar from films do not necessarily represent the traditions followed by every family or community.
Sharing these differences helps us understand how one festival can have many beautiful regional expressions.
7. Taking Blessings from Elderly Women
After completing the rituals, women return to their families and seek blessings from the older women in the household or community.
We bow respectfully to the elderly women and receive their blessings for a happy married life, good health and prosperity.
This moment adds a special emotional touch to the celebration. It reflects the respect given to elders and the importance of family blessings in Mewar's cultural traditions.
8. The Significance of Karwa Chauth in Mewar
Karwa Chauth is traditionally observed by married women who pray for the long life of their husbands and the happiness of their married lives.
The festival is also associated with devotion to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, who symbolise marital harmony and an enduring bond between husband and wife.
Through the fast and the evening rituals, women pray for:
Their husbands' long life and well-being.
Love, trust and understanding in married life.
Happiness and harmony within the family.
Peace, prosperity and abundance in the household.
For many families, these prayers are not limited to the relationship between husband and wife. They also express the hope that the entire family will remain happy, healthy and united.
Preserving the Traditions of Old Udaipur
Udaipur is widely known for its lakes, palaces, heritage and Mewari culture. But the city's cultural identity also lives in the everyday traditions followed by its families.
Karwa Chauth in our part of the Old City is not just about fasting until moonrise. It is about preparing the puja thali at home, visiting Thanak Mandir, listening to the vrat katha, gathering at the pulia, exchanging karwas seven times and seeking blessings from elders.
These customs are part of the cultural memories we inherit from previous generations. By sharing them, we can help younger generations understand how festivals are celebrated in their own communities and why these traditions matter.
For me, documenting such local customs is one way to preserve the heritage of Mewar and share the authentic cultural stories of Udaipur with the world.
Written by Pragya Puri Goswami
Founder | LakeCity Blog
Exploring Rajasthan through real stories, heritage, local businesses, food, and unforgettable travel experiences.
