Today is the Hindu festival of Karva Chauth on which hindu women keep a day long fast and pray for the long life of their hubbies. The follwing video is a jewellry ad but its very pretty.
The fast of Karva Chauth is of particular importance to Hindu women as they believe it ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands.
Karva Chauth has become more of a community festival Karva Chauth is one such occasion when most married Hindu women in North India seek the blessings of God for their husband's long life. Karva Chauth is observed on the fourth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin, which is also called Kartik according to some calendars.
Though it is a day marked with neither food nor water, this festival is quite popular among the newly weds. A few days before the festival, markets are full of items needed for the festival. The preparations for this festival start a week in advance. Appointments are made with beauty parlours, hands are decorated with intricate mehendi (henna)designs and jewellery and cloth merchants do a brisk business.
Before evening, the married woman receives a basket full of goodies from her mother, which is meant for the mother-in-law. The basket contains sweets, fruits and a sari. Before the sun sets, most of the women in a locality gather in one house and prepare a corner for the puja. This puja chowk (altar)is beautifully decorated and a small platform is prepared against a wall. On this, the image of Gauri Mata or Goddess Parvati is placed. In the olden days, this image was made of cow-dung.
A festive as well as enjoyable occasion for newlyweds. The day of Karva Chauth is celebrated mostly amongst the entire North Indian community settled either in India and other parts of the world. The most important aspect of this day is that a dawn to dusk fast is undertaken by the North Indian ladies and seeing the moon they finally break the fast. The fast is unique perhaps because nowhere in the world does a wife go without food or water just to pray for the longevity and well-being of her husband.Prior to the breaking of the fast it is mandatory to look at the moon and then the face of the husband through a colander.If the sky is overcast with clouds or hubby darling is late coming home, it becomes a difficult job and the wifey has to wait. the movies dramatize it a lot.
In modern day, with all the trappings of commercialisation attached, Karva Chauth, the big fasting day has turned into a full-fledged event. The event is growing bigger with each passing day. Karva Chauth celebrations promise to grow bigger with each passing year. The Halwais,(sweet shops) the Mehendi(henna) and Churiwallis (clothes)have traditionally been busy on this auspicious day. But joining the bandwagon in recent times are the beauty parlour owners, the event managers and the restaurant owners.
Karva Chauth special eateries are gearing up for now. Cashing in on the popularity of 'eating out' most restaurants have special menus for this special day. No wonder almost every happening-eating joint around town is offering plenty of attractive options to choose from. Various clubs organize special events on this festive day with various stalls, bumper Tambola and even a dance competition. With so much feasting and fun added to it, fasting had never been so good before.You can celebrate according to your economic level.
This is another video clipping from a Bollywood movie in which the girl celebrates KC with her husband or boyfriend (I don 't know as I have not seen the movie) in secret as the parents don 't approve of him.In the end the girl touches the hubby 's feet as a mark of respect and submission
The fast of Karva Chauth is of particular importance to Hindu women as they believe it ensures the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their husbands.
Karva Chauth has become more of a community festival Karva Chauth is one such occasion when most married Hindu women in North India seek the blessings of God for their husband's long life. Karva Chauth is observed on the fourth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin, which is also called Kartik according to some calendars.
Though it is a day marked with neither food nor water, this festival is quite popular among the newly weds. A few days before the festival, markets are full of items needed for the festival. The preparations for this festival start a week in advance. Appointments are made with beauty parlours, hands are decorated with intricate mehendi (henna)designs and jewellery and cloth merchants do a brisk business.
Before evening, the married woman receives a basket full of goodies from her mother, which is meant for the mother-in-law. The basket contains sweets, fruits and a sari. Before the sun sets, most of the women in a locality gather in one house and prepare a corner for the puja. This puja chowk (altar)is beautifully decorated and a small platform is prepared against a wall. On this, the image of Gauri Mata or Goddess Parvati is placed. In the olden days, this image was made of cow-dung.
A festive as well as enjoyable occasion for newlyweds. The day of Karva Chauth is celebrated mostly amongst the entire North Indian community settled either in India and other parts of the world. The most important aspect of this day is that a dawn to dusk fast is undertaken by the North Indian ladies and seeing the moon they finally break the fast. The fast is unique perhaps because nowhere in the world does a wife go without food or water just to pray for the longevity and well-being of her husband.Prior to the breaking of the fast it is mandatory to look at the moon and then the face of the husband through a colander.If the sky is overcast with clouds or hubby darling is late coming home, it becomes a difficult job and the wifey has to wait. the movies dramatize it a lot.
In modern day, with all the trappings of commercialisation attached, Karva Chauth, the big fasting day has turned into a full-fledged event. The event is growing bigger with each passing day. Karva Chauth celebrations promise to grow bigger with each passing year. The Halwais,(sweet shops) the Mehendi(henna) and Churiwallis (clothes)have traditionally been busy on this auspicious day. But joining the bandwagon in recent times are the beauty parlour owners, the event managers and the restaurant owners.
Karva Chauth special eateries are gearing up for now. Cashing in on the popularity of 'eating out' most restaurants have special menus for this special day. No wonder almost every happening-eating joint around town is offering plenty of attractive options to choose from. Various clubs organize special events on this festive day with various stalls, bumper Tambola and even a dance competition. With so much feasting and fun added to it, fasting had never been so good before.You can celebrate according to your economic level.
This is another video clipping from a Bollywood movie in which the girl celebrates KC with her husband or boyfriend (I don 't know as I have not seen the movie) in secret as the parents don 't approve of him.In the end the girl touches the hubby 's feet as a mark of respect and submission
7 Fertilize my soul:
Wonderful post Amrita, the way you put up our enriched culture is excellent. The people and culture are the part of our vibrant society and we are proud to be a part of Indian culture.
A good informative post,Amrita.
My best wishes.
good post, very much information.
That was cool. I learned something about another's culture. :)
See, even I didn't know about this...probably because I am from south India? Anyways, another wonderful, educating post.
Hi Amrita, You are tagged for something, check my blog :-) Tk cr
wow! You are a fantastic writer, I watched both video's I love the way the wborth woman are dressed , beautiful!!!
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