Comparing The

Karwa Chauth Thali

: Traditional vs Contemporary

Quick Summary

From Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s dew-drop backgrounds to Karan Johar’s big, fat celebrations of Indian (diaspora) festivals, Karwa Chauth has long been a part of movies. And as the festival went from traditional to cinematic, so did the celebrations (including the food!). So, how exactly has this annual Hindu festival, celebrated by married women, evolved with the passage of time? And how does the traditional Karwa Chauth thali differ from its contemporary version? Let’s find out.   

Deep Dive

Karwa Chauth is an annual Hindu festival, widely celebrated by married women in North India, West India, and even Nepal. As per the festival, married women observe a fast (abstaining from all food and even water) from sunrise to moonrise for the well-being of their husbands. The fast is broken with a sip of water, consumed only after the first sighting of the moon. As part of the festival, women follow certain rituals that differ across regions. But what remains common is the Karwa Chauth Thali - a decorated puja thali (plate) and sieve, used to look at the moon, offer prayers, and take the first sip of water after fasting. However, over the years, the traditional thali has undergone a contemporary transformation, blending aesthetics and ease with rituals. Read ahead to find out more.

The Traditional Karwa Chauth Thali

The word Karwa Chauth is made up of karwa, meaning pot, and chauth, meaning fourth. While the latter indicates the date on which the festival falls as per the Hindu calendar, the former refers to the small earthen pot in which water is stored and sipped from when breaking the fast. The “karwa”, in this manner, links the festival to the wheat-sowing time when big earthen pots called karvas were used to store wheat. 

That’s just one of the many origin tales associated with the festival. 

Typically, the traditional thali (a wide, round steel plate) includes the following elements: 

• Karwa: A minimally decorated, small pot of water. It represents long-flowing life. 
• Sieve: A small sieve. Women look at the moon through the sieve, before looking at their husband (again, through the sieve). It represents a filter to ward off against evil eye.  
• Diya: A small lamp, with the wick dipped in ghee. It’s a symbol of light and blessings. 
• Chawal: A small handful of rice grains, supposed to symbolise prosperity. It is also considered a “pure” offering to the deity (Moon God). 
• Kumkum: Red vermilion powder used by married Indian women to indicate the divine, feminine energy. It’s also a symbol of marriage in India. 

In a few regions, the plate may also include a small sweet offering (like a sweet mathri or ladoo), which the women consume after sipping water. 

The Modern Karwa Chauth Thali

Over the years, the karwa chauth thali has evolved from being purely performative to being more decorative. The contemporary karwa chauth plate, thus, is a mix of the traditional items serving the same purpose, along with a few items that add to the overall appeal. 

Let’s take a look at what makes up the contemporary Karwa Chauth thali:

• Traditional puja items: This includes the kumkum and chawal that are a part of most puja plates in Hindu rituals. 
• Karwa (or its variations): Similar to the traditional plate, it’s a small pot full of water. However, most households may use steel pots instead of the traditional earthen or clay pots. A small steel, brass, or silver glass of water may also be used instead. 
• The diya/LED lights: The original ghee-laden clay lamps may be replaced by LED-light lamps. The latter are considered more sustainable. 
• Decorated plate: Traditionally, the thali is plain or covered with a simple cloth. However, the contemporary thali is often decorated with clothes featuring vibrant beadwork, mirror work, or gota work (depending on the region) and embellishments like pearls or artificial flowers. This indicates a growing focus on using the plates as a keepsake item.
• Personalisation: The modern-day thali often includes an element of personalisation. It could be a photo print of the couple, or the name of the husband decorated through beadwork/mirror work. 

Traditional vs Contemporary Karwa Chauth Thali: A Comparison

Now that you are aware of the items that make up the traditional and contemporary Karwa Chauth thali, let’s see how the two compare: 

Purpose

• The traditional thali acts as a vessel, holding the essential items for the Karwa Chauth prayer and ritual. 
• The contemporary thali is elevated to a keepsake item, blending tradition with aesthetics and adding a festive flair to the ceremony. 

Items

• Traditionally, clay or simple metal items were used to hold the water, kumkum, chawal, diya, and other items. 
• Today, apart from the traditional items, plates also include innovative items like LED lights, decorative stones, and non-plastic, sustainable accessories. 

Assembling items

• Traditionally, the items placed on the thali (sieve, pot, puja items, etc.) were sourced separately and assembled at the time of the prayer. 
• Today, multiple online and offline channels offer a combined Karwa Chauth plate set, where the pot and sieve are decorated in similar patterned fabrics. This adds to the overall aesthetic appeal. 

Decor

• Traditional plates featured clothes with simple, intricate patterns or plates with traditional, religious symbols. 
• Contemporary plates are elaborately decorated with beaded fabrics, personalisations (names or initials, photos, etc.), and luxurious finishing touches. 

Whether you prefer the traditional thali for Karwa Chauth or opt for a contemporary version, the ultimate purpose remains the same — offering prayers to the deity and keeping alive an old tradition.

Karwa Chauth: Other Common Rituals

Thali isn’t the only thing common to Karwa Chauth celebrations across India. In most regions, women eat a meal before sunrise (often prepared by mothers-in-law or any older women), dress up (including applying mehendi on their hands and feet), and participate in communal storytelling in the evening. 

Communal storytelling involves women coming together at a common point (traditionally, around a source of water; today, around a common area) and listening to the tale of Karwa Chauth from an elder female or female priest. In some regions, women also pass along decorated Karwa Chauth thalis during storytelling. In this way, communal storytelling also signifies another purpose of Karwa Chauth – promoting the female bond among women, especially between a new bride and her husband’s family and community. 

Love In The Time Of Fasting

Over the years, Karwa Chauth has evolved not just in terms of rituals and aesthetics, but also as a source of advertising and sales campaigns for many Indian brands. Not just that, the trend that DDLJ apparently started has caught on today with many men also fasting with their wives, thali, or no thali! And while some criticise the festival, many others have adapted it to suit their needs and look at it as a celebration of love.