Karwa Chauth is one of the most revered festivals for married Hindu women, observed with devotion and love for their husbands. Beyond fasting from sunrise to moonrise, the festival is rich with symbolic rituals that signify marital devotion, protection, and prosperity. Among these rituals, the humble kitchen sieve, or chalni, holds a unique and important place.
The Role of the Sieve in Karwa Chauth
During the evening rituals, after the moon rises, married women look at the moon through a sieve before gazing at their husband. This practice may seem simple, but it is deeply symbolic.
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Filtering Negativity: Just as a sieve separates impurities from grains, the ritual signifies filtering out negativity, obstacles, and misfortune from a married woman’s life. It is believed that by looking through the sieve, women can focus on positivity and auspiciousness in their marriage.
Symbol of Separation and Unity: The sieve represents a barrier that is overcome when a woman looks at her husband through it. This act is symbolic of overcoming challenges together and reinforcing marital unity.
Focus and Devotion: The ritual of looking at the moon and then at the husband through a sieve enhances mindfulness and devotion. It is a moment that reminds couples of their commitment, love, and mutual respect.
The Ritual Step by Step
Moonrise: Women observe the moonrise and offer prayers to the moon (Chandra Dev), which is believed to bless their husbands with long life and prosperity.
Looking Through the Sieve: Holding the sieve, women first view the moon through it, then their husbands, symbolizing protection, love, and purification of the marital bond.
Breaking the Fast: After the ritual, husbands offer water and food to their wives, marking the end of the fast and expressing mutual care and respect.
Cultural Significance of the Sieve
The kitchen sieve is more than a household tool on Karwa Chauth—it is a spiritual instrument. It embodies purity, filtering out unwanted energies, and focusing on what is valuable. The ritual connects women to ancient traditions and reinforces the festival’s core values of love, patience, and devotion.
The kitchen sieve may seem ordinary, but on Karwa Chauth, it becomes a powerful symbol of marital devotion, protection, and spiritual focus. By looking through it at the moon and their husband, women celebrate the purity of love, the strength of commitment, and the timeless tradition that continues to enrich marriages across generations.
(This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.)
