‘If fasting for a day makes my family happy, I am more than willing to do it’: Why women observe ‘nirjala’ Karwa Chauth vrat

Some time ago, veteran actor Ratna Pathak Shah had stirred up a hornets’ nest over her comments about Karwa Chauth, a festival celebrated married (and even unmarried) women primarily in north India.
“Nothing has changed for women, or very little has changed in very crucial areas. Our society is becoming extremely conservative. We’re becoming superstitious, we’re being forced into accepting and making religion a very important part of one’s life. Someone asked me for the first time last year if I’m keeping ‘Karwa Chauth ka vrat’. I said, ‘Am I mad?’” the actor told Pinkvilla in a July 2022 interview, adding that educated women observing Karwa Chauth for their husbands’ long life is a regressive, and primitive sign.

She added that “Isn’t it appalling that modern educated women do Karwa Chauth, praying for the lives of husbands so that they can have some validity in life? A widow in the Indian context is a horrible situation, isn’t it? So anything that keeps me away from widowhood. Really? In the 21st century, we are talking like this? Educated women are doing this.”
As such, this Karwa Chauth, being celebrated across the country today, we reached out to some women who are observing Karwa Chauth for the first time to understand what makes them observe the fast that has often been termed “superstitious” and “primitive.”
Here’s what young women feel about observing the fast (Express Photo Gurmeet Singh)
“Married women observing nirjala (sans water) fast wake up before sunrise to eat sargi (food items eaten before the fast). After sunrise, they’re not allowed to drink or eat anything till the time they present arghya (offering) to the moon, making it one of the most difficult fasts,” Pandit Jagannath Guruji, an astrologer, told .
Also known as Karak Chaturthi, on this day, many women fast without food and water for their husband/partner’s long life, safety, and prosperity. The fast is only broken after sighting the moon which is expected to rise around 8:10 pm in India.

“If fasting for a day makes my family happy, I am more than happy to do it,” Niharika Sharma, a brand solutions expert, told . “As a modern educated female, I definitely know that fasting will not yield any results for anyone’s long life. For me, it’s more to do with respect for my elders and the culture they believe in,” Sharma, 27, who got married in January 2022 said. She added that this year, she will be fasting for the very first time.
For Abha Kumari, 28, who got married this year in July, “observing Karwa Chauth or any other fast is about your own belief and faith”. “This day not only gives you the opportunity to bond with your husband and create memories but also helps you to detoxify yourself and your gut. Additionally, it’s on me to bend the rules to suit my preference, and no one in my family has any issues. In fact, my mother-in-law is encouraging me to ensure I keep myself hydrated throughout the day. Ultimately, it’s about your faith in the custom,” Kumari, a public relation professional, said.
Abha Kumari shares her thoughts on fasting for Karwa Chauth (Source: Abha Kumari)
According to legend, a queen named Veervati — the only ser among seven brothers — was the first to observe such a strict fast for the long life of her husband. But as the hours passed, she started to feel dizzy only to get anxious for moon rise to break her fast. After realising how unwell she felt, her brothers decided to deceive her into breaking her fast. But sadly, as soon as she did it, she learned about her husband’s demise, which left her inconsolable. When Goddess Parvati learned about the same, she appeared in front of her and told her that she was tricked her brothers. Seeing her devotion and dedication towards Karwa Chauth fasting, Yama — Lord of death — restored life to her husband. “The tale went famous, eventually influencing married women to observe this fast for ensuring the good health of their husbands,” shared Guruji.
Chhavi Auplish with her future in-laws’ family (Source: Chhavi Auplish)
But it is not just married women, soon-to-be brides also revel in the idea of fasting for their would-be husbands. So is Chhavi Auplish, 29, who will get married in January 2023, despite her husband-to-be asking her not to. “You’ll see all happy couples together, re-living their marriage/relationship, and spending time together. I feel it’s all about expressing love to and for your partner. Besides, I’m sure a dinner date after breaking the fast would be a cherry on the cake,” Auplish mentioned.
The occasion is also when many women, including Sharma, get a chance to “doll up,” something they do not do on a regular basis. “I am looking forward to all the special treatment and attention for my first Karwa Chauth. I usually don’t dress up much — no sindoor, no mangalsutra, or chooda (bangles). So, I guess, this would be a good excuse to get all dolled up and click a lot of good pictures and indulge in the festivities with my family,” Sharma said.
Sharma shared that her husband “definitely plans to fast this year at least”. On men also observing such fasts for their wives, Guruji said that it indicates the “changing times which have turned this festival more special and significant”.
Niharika Sharma is excited about Karwa Chauth (Source: Niharika Sharma)
However, like Kumari mentioned that the day is a great occasion to detoxify the gut, does fasting actually help do that? Anupama Menon, nutrition and food coach said that “this fast does nothing to detoxify the gut”. “The body is extremely powerful and really doesn’t need our help to detoxify. It’s a natural working process that happens on a daily basis anyway. If our liver does need help to detoxify due to a compromised state like imbalanced enzyme levels, there are specific detoxes that last for two weeks that will help the liver pick up pace and improve it’s state,” she shared.
Agreed Dr Vishakha Shivdasani, a physician who specialises in reversing obesity, type 2 diabetes, PCOS and other lifestyle ailments, and said that she won’t use the term detoxification for the gut. “Everyone’s body has several natural ways of detoxification whether it is through the lungs or skin. Since we are constantly eating, the gut doesn’t get time to reboot itself. So, Karwa Chauth or any kind of fast expedites repair, helps increase the diversity of microbes in the gut, and reduces inflammation which is the rootcause of most diseases,” said Dr Shivdasani.

Deepti Khatuja, head clinical nutrition, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon shared that there is no harm in fasting as long as pre-hydration and post-hydration are taken care of. “Fasting has been a part of our culture since time immemorial. So, there is is no harm in giving rest to one’s digestion,” Khatuja mentioned.
“The primary focus of fasting is to have unadulterated food that the digestive system can conveniently break down. Simultaneously, staying hydrated also plays a vital role in the body’s detoxification,” said Vikas Chawla, Ayurveda expert, founder and director, Vedas Cure
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