Karwa Chauth or Karak Chaturthi is an auspicious Hindu festival celebrated with enormous zeal across the country. This year, the festival will be observed on November 1. Married women fast for their husband’s safety and well being from sunrise to moonrise.

Also Read | Karwa Chauth 2023: Do’s And Don’ts For Those Fasting

This day is celebrated to strengthen the bonds between a couple. On this day, women dress traditionally, apply henna on their hands, receive gifts, and get together to enjoy the auspicious day.  

Most women, especially Punjabis, receive sargi from their mother-in-law. Here’s what you need to know about the Karwa Chauth fast.

What is Sargi?

A sargi is a pre-dawn meal traditionally prepared by mothers-in-law to bestow blessings upon their daughters-in-law for a joyful and prosperous marriage. This custom is prevalent among women in northern India, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. It involves women rising before sunrise, typically around 4-5 am, and consuming a plate filled with a variety of savory and sweet dishes to sustain them throughout the day without food or water. According to the ritual, the mother-in-law presents her daughter-in-law with a thali (plate) containing sweets, snacks, dried fruits, coconut, matthri, and various gifts such as sarees and jewelry.

Also Read | Can Unmarried Women Also Observe Karwa Chauth Fast? All You Need To Know

What Goes Into The Sargi Thali?

Sargi comprises a selection of scrumptious and delightful foods believed to assist women in sustaining their fast throughout the day. Here’s what goes into the sargi thali:

Fruits: Fruits have a high water content that will help keep you hydrated during the nirjala vrat. Moreover, they are rich in fibre content that will keep you fuller for longer. Fibre takes time to digest, hence, keeping you off from feeling hungry.

Dry fruits: Raisins, almonds, cashews and pistachios are given, considering they come packed with numerous nutrients that will give you energy and keep you active through the day.

Sweets: Eating anything sweet before you start something is considered auspicious. So a few sweets are kept to lift your spirits and complete the fast on a positive note.

Light-cooked foods: Generally, light-cooked foods are prepared that are nutritious and filling at the same time. Heavy foods will only make you sluggish and lethargic through the day.

Importance of Sargi?

The Sargi is considered a special thali containing different food items and gifts, it is prepared by mother-in-law.

Navy Chief Admiral Hari Kumar today said that the Centre is making “every effort” to secure the release of eight Navy veterans who have been handed death penalty in Qatar.

“Every effort is being made by the government to ensure we take up through the legal course and we get relief for our personnel,” he said.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar today met with the families of eight former Indian Navy personnel. Mr Jaishankar said India will “continue to make all efforts to secure their release.

“Met this morning with the families of the 8 Indians detained in Qatar. Stressed that Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families. Underlined that Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release. Will coordinate closely with the families in that regard,” he said on X – formerly known as Twitter.

Met this morning with the families of the 8 Indians detained in Qatar.

Stressed that Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families.

Underlined that Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release.…

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 30, 2023

The men, including decorated officers who once commanded major Indian warships, were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private firm that provided training and related services to Qatar’s armed forces.

Sources said some of them were working on a highly sensitive project — Italian technology-based midget submarines with stealth characteristics.

Reports claim the eight Navy veterans have been accused of spying.

The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier said it was shocked by the verdict and would take up the issue with Qatari authorities. “We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” the ministry had said.

Those sentenced are Capt Navtej Singh Gill, Capt Birendra Kumar Verma, Capt Saurabh Vasisht, Cdr Amit Nagpal, Cdr Purnendu Tiwari, Cdr Sugunakar Pakala, Cdr Sanjeev Gupta and Sailor Ragesh.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said a three-member committee of experts will be set up to advise the state government on submission of a proposed curative petition in the Supreme Court in connection with the Maratha quota issue.

Members of the Maratha community have been staging protests seeking reservation in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

The agitation intensified after quota activist Manoj Jarange sat on an indefinite fast from October 25 at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district as part of the second phase of the protest.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Shinde said, “An expert committee will be formed which will advise the state government for a proposed curative petition, which the state will file before the Supreme Court. The expert committee will have three retired judges.” “I do not want to go into the details of why the previous government failed to retain the Maratha reservation in the state. The Supreme Court has struck down the reservation upheld by the Bombay High Court,” he said.

The state government has already formed a committee, headed by retired judge Sandeep Shinde, to submit a report on how to issue Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community.

“The committee will submit its report tomorrow and it will be discussed in the cabinet meeting,” CM Shinde said.

Activist Jarange has announced that fast-unto-death protests will begin in villages across Maharashtra if the state government fails to act on the pending demand of the Maratha community.

The Maharashtra government’s stated position is that it is committed to granting reservations to the Maratha community which stands legal scrutiny.