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Some Puranic texts, including the Bhavishya Purana and the Naradiya Purana, do describe women fasting on the Chaturthi Tithi for their husbands’ long life
The Ramayana and Mahabharata do not mention Karva Chauth or any fast by that specific name. (Image: Canva)
Karva Chauth, observed on October 10 this year, remains one of the most widely practiced fasts, especially among married women. While the ritual is often regarded as an ancient tradition, its historical roots are more nuanced than popularly believed.
Contrary to widespread notions, the fast in its current form does not appear in the major Hindu epics. The Ramayana and Mahabharata do not mention Karva Chauth or any fast by that specific name. Similarly, canonical texts such as the Manusmriti, Yagyavalkya Smriti, and the Grihyasutras make no reference to it.
However, some Puranic texts, including the Bhavishya Purana and the Naradiya Purana, do describe women fasting on the Chaturthi Tithi for their husbands’ long life, suggesting a precursor to the modern observance.
Stories surrounding Draupadi and Sita are often cited in popular lore as early examples of this fast. Folk narratives say that Sita, during Lord Rama’s exile, prayed to the moon for her husband’s safety while in Ashoka Vatika. While devotional, there is no scriptural evidence to confirm that Sita observed a fast equivalent to Karva Chauth.
Similarly, the association of Draupadi with the fast stems from later folk traditions rather than the original Mahabharata. As the tale goes, during the Pandavas’ exile, Arjuna embarked on a penance in the Himalayas, leaving Draupadi anxious for his safety.
According to texts such as the “Vrat-Khand” and stories compiled in works like the Kathasaritsagara, Lord Krishna advised Draupadi to observe the Karak Vrat on the Chaturthi Tithi of Krishna Paksha in Kartik month. The ritual involved filling an earthen pot with water, worshipping Lord Ganesha and the moon, and vowing for her husband’s longevity. Draupadi’s devotion, according to these accounts, ensured Arjuna’s successful penance. Over time, this Karak Vrat evolved into the Karva Chauth fast widely observed today.
Etymologically, “Karva” refers to an earthen pot, while “Chauth” denotes the fourth day of the lunar fortnight. Scholars suggest that the practice emerged in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan within agrarian communities. Historically, it coincided with the period before sowing Rabi crops, a time when women would pray for their husbands’ well-being and their family’s prosperity. The ritual gradually incorporated elements such as moon worship and ceremonial adornment, forming the Karva Chauth that is familiar today.
Some traditions also credit Goddess Parvati with observing the first Karva Chauth for Lord Shiva, reinforcing the association between the fast and marital devotion.
October 09, 2025, 16:54 IST
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