There are some villages in North India where the Karva Chauth ritual is considered a “curse” and it is not observed.
Although it is generally seen as an auspicious ritual and
fasting, in some villages of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, the ritual is not
observed. The people there believe that observing the Karva Chauth fast can
bring great misfortune to their families. Because of certain ancient incidents,
they regard this fast as inauspicious.
For instance, in Raiva village in the Mathura district of
Uttar Pradesh, Karwa Chauth has not been observed for about 500 years.
According to legend, on the day of Karva Chauth about five centuries ago, a
married woman received the news of her husband’s death. Since that day,
villagers have believed that observing this fast would bring misfortune.
According to folklore, the grieving woman cursed the entire
village. She declared that if any woman in that village ever observed the Karva
Chauth fast, her husband would die prematurely. Out of fear of this curse, even
today, women in that village do not observe the fast - it is considered a forbidden
practice there.
Similarly, in Bagherwas near Jaipur and Bamtoli in Sawai
Madhopur district of Rajasthan, there are similar beliefs. It is said that in
ancient times, a woman in Bamtoli cursed the ritual after losing her husband.
Therefore, women in these villages also refrain from observing the Karva Chauth
fast.
However, in these villages, an alternative custom has
developed for praying for their husbands’ well-being. The women take a vow and
observe a different auspicious fast instead on another day. These exceptional
traditions illustrate how folk beliefs can influence even a deeply rooted religious
festival.