For Gen Next, Karva Chauth retains its charm

NEW DELHI: The tradition of Karva Chauth has not lost it's charm with generation next. Despite long working hours and tight schedules, many young married women in Delhi believe in carrying forward the age-old tradition of fasting without food and water for the long life of their husbands. In fact, touchingly in many cases the husbands, too, fast with their wives.Anjali Kalra, a housewife in Noida, said, "My husband has been keeping the fast with me for several years. I ask him not to, but he still insists. He says `if you can go without any food or water all day for my long life so can I'. In fact, youngsters keep the fast with a lot of enthusiasm.''
Karva Chauth is observed by married women across North India. While newly-wed brides celebrate their first fast with great rejoice, nowadays even unmarried girls fast and pray for a good husband. Twenty-one-year-old Deepika who gets engaged on October 10 is eagerly waiting for Wednesday her first Karva Chauth. Her mother-in-law has showered her with gifts and jewellery. Women flock to the markets and buy sweets, bangles, almonds, sarees and seviyan.
For Sakshi Malhotra, an entrepreneur, keeping the fast is not difficult because of the sweetness of the thought behind it. "In our house, the puja is not done at a specific time but any time before sunset. Not eating all day is not such a problem since even otherwise we skip lunches because of work. But I don't get up early morning to eat sargi.'' Usually, those who are pregnant avoid keeping the fast. "Last year, I was expecting so my husband kept the fast. As some women feel dehydrated, they can have tea or water when they do their puja in the evening,'' said Neeta Mehta, a CA working with an MNC.
A day before Karva Chauth, mothers of married girls send `Bayaa' sari, sindoor, bangles, bindi, sweets and a token gift for the mother-in-law to their daughter's house. And the mothers-in-law send sargi, which comprises food and gifts, to the daughter-in-law's house. Women observing the Chauth vrat wash their hair and apply mehendi on this day.
For many, the tradition is an occasion for the entire family to get together. "On Karva Chauth, women wake up before sunrise about 5am, eat food from their sargi and drink a lot of water. We eat paranthas and seviyan with milk as shagun.'' said Seeta Khanna, an assistant manager with an MNC.''
The fast is broken after sunset, with the sighting of the moon. "But sometimes the moon tests our patience and takes its own sweet time to appear. I just hope we spot it early this time.'' added Khanna.