Should the festival of Karwa Chauth be celebrated by married women only or by the entire womenfolk ?

The history of India not only shows but amply proves, that the women in India have always been a subject of exploitation, discrimination and humiliation on personal, financial, social and religious grounds, whether it was sati pratha, child marriage or the prohibition of remarriage of widows. One other form of discrimination, which is being highlighted here is, on the basis of social and religious festival and its practices i.e. the celebration of Karwa Chauth festival allegedly meant for married women with a complete exclusion of widows, divorcees, separated and also the women living in live-in relations (This relationship has been sanctioned by the Apex Court).  The festival of Karwa Chauth, which is celebrated in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Prades crores of married women celebrate this festival. The concept of the festival of  Karwa Chauth meant only for married women finds its moral, ethical, religious and spiritual sanction, strength and support from the Sanskrit shalokas given in Hindu scripture i.e Nirñaya Sindhu Purana.

The relevant shalokas with their puranic and ancient interpretation is given hereunder; On the day of Karwa Chauth, after taking a morning bath, women perform the Sankalp, a pledge to observe the fast for the well-being of their husbands and families. This vow is made with the commitment of fasting without food or water until the moonrise. The mantra recited during the Sankalp is:

मम सुखसौभाग्य पुत्रपौत्रादि सुस्थिर श्री प्राप्तये करक चतुर्थी व्रतमहं करिष्ये।

Translation: I will observe Karak Chaturthi Vrat for the health, prosperity, and for longevity of my husband, sons, and grandsons.

Now, word for word translation is being given which is as follows;

मम सुखसौभाग्य:  for the sake of my health, prosperity, good luck and fortunes

पुत्रपौत्राद सुस्थिर:  For longevity of my sons, and grandsons (there is no reference of husband)

श्री प्राप्तये:   And to obtain wealth

करक चतुर्थी व्रतमहं करिष्ये : I will observe Karak Chaturthi Vrat

 The best time to perform Karwa Chauth Puja is during the Sandhya time, which begins after sunset. Women gather together for the puja, which is primarily dedicated to Goddess Parvati. They either draw an image of Goddess Gaura (another form of Parvati) or use a printed Karwa Chauth calendar with Her image. During the puja, women recite the following mantra:

नमः शिवायै शर्वाण्यै सौभाग्यं संतति शुभाम्। प्रयच्छ भक्तियुक्तानां नारीणां हरवल्लभे॥

Translation:  O beloved consort of Lord Shiva, grant long life to the husbands of your devotees and bless them with beautiful children.

Word for word translation is given as under;

नमः शिवायै शर्वाण्यै: O beloved consort of Lord Shiva

सौभाग्यं संतति शुभाम् प्रयच्छ: Bestow upon them good luck and good fortunes with beautiful children. (no reference of husband)

भक्तियुक्तानां नारीणां हरवल्लभे: And bless the women, who are devotees of Lord Vishnu

The above-mentioned shalokas clearly mention that this vrat is meant for womenhood on the whole without any exclusion of widows etc. Since, the Nirnaya Sindhu Purana was written 3500 years ago, when the womenhood was divided into two parts i.e married and widows. But today in the age of corporatization, industrialization, universalization and westernisation, when the womenfolk is facing further ramifications i.e divorcees, separated and the women living in live-in relations. The interpretations done by the-then scholars exhibit male-chauvinism, gender-superiority, biases of patriarchal society with male-dominance using husband as a license and permit for the successful completion of the festival of Karwa Chauth.

These misinterpretations are pseudo-interpretations, which are misleading, misguiding and contrary to the inherent and underlying sacred spirit and soul of the Nirnaya Sindhu Purana. Such misinterpretations have made the day of  this sacred festival as a day of gloom, demean, demoralization, sinfulness  and cursedness  for our proud war-widows, widows of security personnels and  the sacrificial widows , who avoided  remarriage for the sake of  the better future of their childrens and also lawfully divorced and separated women and also the women , who preferred to remain unmarried for the sake of family responsibilities and  due to personal, social, religious and spiritual reasons.

So, a festival, which could be and which should be an occasion of glorification of women of all folks, classes and sections of society have become an occasion of stigma, disgrace, ignominy, disrepute, dishonour and disesteem.

This misinterpretation is in stark contradiction of the shaloka from Manusamruthi, which is as follows;

“यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवता:। यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफला: क्रिया

Translation:  Where Women are honoured, divinity blossoms there, and where ever women are dishonoured, all action no matter how noble it may be, remains unfruitful

This interpretation is also in strong contradiction of The Hindu concpt of marriage (vivah) , which is not a social contract but a religious sacrament  performed in the presence of God of fire( Agni Devta), In a traditional Hindu marriage,  a wife is considered as Ardhangini , which is composed of two halves i.e. the man and the woman an  eternal being , for an eternal bondage  for the life even beyond death. In Hinduism, both the halves are equal and one-half is incomplete without the other. The husband and wife fulfil the fourfold aim of the dharma of life,that is Ethical perfection, Karma, Artha, and Moksha.

The vrat, in which only married women with bridal make-up do participation in villages, mohallas, colonies and societies in the modern cities. The groups’ strengths vary from 50-100 women and maybe more but there is a complete exclusion of widows, divorcees, separated women and also women who are in live-in relations.

Herein lies, the social discrimination arising out of a religious practice cum ritual of Hindu religion, which is absolutely in contradiction of Fundamental Rights enshrined in the constitution of India i.e.

1. Right to equality, which are Natural, Social, Civil, Political, Legal and Economic
2. Right to freedom of religion Equality before the law (Article 14)

Article 14 of Indian Constitution treats all people the same in the eyes of the law. Article 14 is described in two parts – which states and commands the State not to deny to any person ‘equality before the law’. Another part of it, also commands the State not to deny the ‘equal protection of the laws.

• This provision states that all citizens will be treated equally before the law and avoids any kind of discrimination.
• The law of the country protects everybody equally.
• Under the same circumstances, the law will treat people in the same manner.

3. Prohibition of discrimination (Article 15)

This article prohibits discrimination in any manner. This article secures the citizens from every sort of discrimination by the State, on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth or of them.

No citizen shall, on grounds only of race, religion, caste, place of birth, sex or any of them, be subject to any liability, disability, restriction or condition with respect to:

• Access to public places
• Use of tanks, wells, ghats, etc. that are maintained by the State or that are meant for the general public
• The article also mentions that special provisions can be made for women, children and the backward classes notwithstanding this article.

4. Abolition of untouchability (Article 17)

• Article 17 prohibits the practice of untouchability.
• Untouchability is abolished in all forms.
• Any disability arising out of untouchability is made an offence.
• Right to Freedom of Religion
• The Constitution of India guarantees the right to freedom of religion to not only individuals but also religious groups in India. This is enshrined in Articles 25 to 28.

Read about Fundamental Rights here.

5. Article 25 (Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion)

• Article 25 guarantees the freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion to all citizens.
• The above-mentioned freedoms are subject to public order, health, and morality.
• This article also gives a provision that the State can make laws:
• That regulates and restricts any financial, economic, political, or other secular activity associated with any religious practice.

That provides for the social welfare and reform or opening up of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all sections and classes of Hindus. Under this provision, Hindus are construed as including the people professing the Sikh, Jain, or Buddhist religions, and Hindu institutions shall also be construed accordingly.

6. Article 26 (Freedom to manage religious affairs)

So, these rights nowhere permit to any community of society to do discrimination on the basis of social and religious functions. Two judgements of Supreme Court are being quoted hereunder as relevant authorities in support of the above-mentioned purpose.

Supreme Court clearly laid down in Shayara Bano Union of India (Triple Talaq Case) AIR 2017SCC 1388 Judgment, the relevant portion is as follows;

“What is bad in theology cannot be good in law”, the Court also observed that laws must be subject to the test of constitutional validity and gender justice, and Article 25(2) says that if any religious practice violates the fundamental rights, then it can be struck down by the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court, Indian Young Lawyers Association vs. the State of Kerala, in case of Sabarimala Temple, states, the relevant portion of judgement is as follows; SC stated that ‘devotion cannot be subjected to gender discrimination’ against any Hindu on the ground that she belongs to a particular section or class. Supreme Court condemned the prohibition as “hegemonic patriarchy” (hegemonic patriarchy means that patriarchy has become such an over-arching idea that discrimination based on it appears to be common sense to such an extent that not only men, even women become the supporter and perpetrator of the very notion which discriminates them). SC said that prohibition founded on the notion that women are “polluted and impure” is a form of untouchability and the notions of purity and pollution stigmatized women. SC further held that immunizing customs takes away the primacy of the constitution. No customs or usages can claim supremacy over the Constitution and its vision of ensuring the sanctity of dignity, liberty, and equality and customs.

It is amply proved beyond all doubts that the above-mentioned interpretations are wrong literally, morally, religiously, philosophically, spiritually, legally, rationally and constitutionally. These interpretations are against the spirit and soul of the nirnaya Sindhu Purana. It is equally against the Fundamental Rights of the constitution of India, in particular the right to equality, the right to religious freedom and the rights against discrimination.

Therefore, the Govt. Of India and all the states, where this festival is celebrated, must declare the celebration of this festival of Karwa Chauth by womenfolk irrespective of their status of being widows, separated, divorcees and the women in live-in relations.

This festival may be declared as a festival of good fortunes of womenfolk or Maa Gaura utsav or Maa Parvati utsav Govt of India and the states of Punjab and Haryana must take suitable measures for implementation of the same provision by doing relevant amendments in law to ensure participation of all the sections and classes of women in the Karwa Chauth Puja held in the evening of the day of festival and the denial or refusal by any group of persons to such participation must be declared punishable.

Article written by Narender Malhotra Ex-Magistrate and Motivational Speaker

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