Thursday, October 8, 2009

Karva Chauth

Yesterday night Delhi celebrated Karva (or Karwa) Chauth. Karva Chauth is a traditional Hindu festival during which married women fast one entire day to favour long, safe, and prosperous life to their husbands.

The ritual represents extreme love and devotion of women to their husband, as evidenced by the wives’ willingness to suffer for their husbands’ well being. Indeed, it is an extremely romantic ritual:

Women start fasting the previous night, after the appearance of the moon. On the following day, they dress their best clothing, adorn themselves with jewels
and henna, and wait until the new moon-rise to break the fast. At the appearance of the moon, women pray and offer water to the moon, and only after having seen it, they look at their husbands, who are close to them. The husbands then offer the first bite of food and the first sip of water to them, and shower them with gifts…

1 comment:

  1. It is a pity (for you) that Mathilde could not take part to Karwa Chauth. Anyway I suggest you to prepare a shower of gifts when she' ll be to India at the end of October...and I'm waiting also for Mathilde's comments about India.
    Ciao, M2

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