Karwa Chauth is a festival celebrating love, devotion, and the sacred bond between husband and wife.
Karwa Chauth is almost here, and married women across India are preparing to celebrate it with great sincerity, devotion, and love. In 2025, Karwa Chauth will take place on October 10 (a Friday). The day is very important for married women who observe the fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband’s long life and happiness.
A highlight of the festivities is the sargi, a pre-dawn meal that embodies blessings, maternal care, and traditions. This event is very significant to all who participate in the Karwa Chauth fast but always begins with the ceremonial sargi prepared by the mother-in-law for her daughter-in-law.
What Is Karwa Chauth?
Karwa Chauth is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in North India. It is a symbol of deep faith, marital devotion, and love between husband and wife. On this day, married women perform a nirjala fast (do not eat or drink anything from sunrise to moonrise). The fast is performed with personal prayer for the husband’s long life and prosperity.
The day concludes with a lovely custom in which women gaze at the moon via a sieve and then at their husbands. The husband then provides his wife with the first sips of water and food, thus concluding the fast. Karwa Chauth has transformed from its roots into a festival of companionship, confidence, and love in the couple’s relationship.
What Is Sargi?
Sargi marks the beginning of Karwa Chauth and is considered a very special ritual. It is a pre-dawn meal given to married women by their mother-in-law before sunrise. The fasting woman must finish her Sargi before the first rays of sun light up the day.
Sargi is not merely food but instead represents the love and blessings from the mother-in-law. It provides the fasting woman with power and energy to fast throughout the day and symbolizes the caring bond between those two women. For newly married women, receiving their first Sargi is an emotional and historical memory that commences their new life in the family.
What Do You Eat for a Traditional Sargi Thali?
A traditional Sargi Thali consists of energy-boosting and hydrating foods, providing the fasting woman with stamina throughout the day. The contents of the thali may vary by region and family tradition, but most include some essential items such as
- Dried fruits and nuts, including almonds, cashews, and pistachios, serve as good sources of energy and nutrition.
- Fruits, including bananas, apples, and pomegranates, should also be consumed since they help with hydration.
- Traditional sweets such as laddoos, halwa, or mithai serve as instant energy and sweetness.
- Seviyan, or pheni, is a sweet milk-based vermicelli dish that is an essential part of Punjabi Sargi.
- Light snacks like mathri or paratha that keep hunger away for long hours.
- Dates and milk provide some natural sugar and hydration before the fast begins.
There are people whose Sargi thali is beautifully arranged in homes and may also include traditional items such as sindoor, bangles, and some small gifts as a sign of love. Today, families that are more distanced from their relatives often send premade Sargi boxes with healthy options and sweets included for the overall idea of Sargi to continue from a distance.
The Importance of Sargi
Sargi is important not only emotionally but also practically. Practically, Sargi is full of nourishment and hydration for the woman, who had to fast for the whole day and was on her feet in the home. Emotionally, Sargi will create another bond between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The act of preparing and sharing Sargi represents love, care, and blessings for a happy and long married life.
In many families, the mother-in-law also gives her daughter-in-law gifts such as clothes, jewelry, or sweets as part of the ritual. This exchange deepens their connection and symbolizes mutual respect and affection within the family.
Health and Preparation Tips
Experts advise including light, nutritious, and hydrating foods in Sargi to help women sustain their energy throughout the day. Spicy and oily foods should be avoided, as they can cause discomfort later during the fast. Drinking milk or buttermilk before starting the fast can help prevent fatigue.
Women who cannot eat a heavy meal early in the morning can focus on small, healthy portions such as fruits, dry fruits, and a bowl of milk-based kheer or oats. These provide slow-releasing energy and help them stay active during the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Karwa Chauth in 2025?
Karwa Chauth will be observed on Friday, October 10, 2025.
- What time should Sargi be eaten?
Sargi must be eaten before sunrise, usually around 4:00–5:00 AM, depending on the location. Once the sun rises, the fast officially begins.
- Who gives Sargi to the fasting woman?
Traditionally, Sargi is prepared and gifted by the mother-in-law to her daughter-in-law as a token of love and blessings.
- What does a Sargi thali contain?
It usually includes dry fruits, fruits, sweets, milk-based dishes, parathas, dates, and sometimes symbolic items like sindoor, bangles, and gifts.
- Can unmarried women observe Karwa Chauth?
Yes. Unmarried women sometimes keep the fast wishing for a good life partner or for their future husband’s well-being.
- Is drinking water allowed during the Karwa Chauth fast?
Traditionally, Karwa Chauth is a nirjala fast, which means no food or water is consumed until moonrise.
- What time does the fast end on Karwa Chauth?
The fast ends after women see the moon and perform the Karwa Chauth puja, usually between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM, depending on moonrise time in their city.
- What is the significance of looking at the moon through a sieve?
The sieve represents purity and faith. Women first look at the moon through the sieve and then at their husbands, symbolizing their prayers for their long and healthy lives.
- What if the mother-in-law is not present to give Sargi?
If the mother-in-law is far away or unable to prepare Sargi, women can prepare it themselves or receive it from another elder female relative. Many also buy ready-made Sargi boxes to follow the tradition.
- Are there any modern twists to the Sargi ritual?
Yes, in many families, husbands also join their wives in fasting or help prepare Sargi as a gesture of love and support. Social media has also made sharing “Sargi thali pictures” a popular trend each year.
