Karva Chauth brings a married Hindu woman’s life into a state of exuberance. She begins preparing for this festival a few weeks in advance. It is one-day fasting festival celebrated in Northern and western parts of India on the fourth day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Karthika. It is considered to be a romantic festival that strengthens the bond between couples. The sight of a full moon fills their hearts with happiness and love.
Karva Chauth 2018 will be celebrated on October 27, Saturday. You all must be busy buying new attires and jewellery and must be excited to follow the unique fast without food and water just to pray for the longevity and well-being of your husband. Nowadays, the festival has turned into a full-fledged event and the fad for it is growing with each passing year. Come Karva Chauth, every women oriented shop starts offering plenty of attractive options to choose from. Beauty parlors also report a busy day every year. Various ladies clubs organise special events with various games like tambola, competitions and useful stalls to add to the pleasure of women. With so much fun added to the nirjala fasting day, it has become very popular across the nation. When the modern Indian woman still believes in this type of age-old fasting day, she should wear a few fascinating accessories associated with Karva Chauth traditions.
Wear sindoor in the parting of your hair: Sindoor finds a mention in the Puranas, Lalitha Sahasranaman and soundarya Lahharis. According to Hindu mythology, red is the color of power and vermillion represents the female energy of Sati and Parvati. Mythology says that Sati was an ideal Indian wife and she gave her life to save her husband’s. Religious scriptures also say that goddess Parvati, who also used to wear sindoor, grants akhand suhaag to those women who wear sindoor on their forehead. It is a symbol of a long life of a woman’s husband.
Wear mangalsutra: Mangalsutra is an auspicious thread tied by a groom to his wife on the wedding day. This ornament binds the couple forever. It is an identifiable mark for a married Hindu woman. So, it should be worn especially on Karva Chauth day.
Wear a red bindi: On a religious note, the colour red symbolises ‘Shakti’, the goddess of strength. The red coloured bindi made of kumkum contains chandan, haldi and lime. All these ingredients are considered to be pious and skin friendly. A bindi can keep the stress away if worn in the centre of eyebrows on the forehead. It helps to maintain harmony with your husband and signifies honour, love, prosperity, and peace in married life.
Decorate your hands with mehndi: Mehndi is considered as an indicator of good fortune. It connotes the adoration and love between spouses. It not only adds extra beauty to your hands but it’s a symbol of prosperity. Being an integral part of Karva Chauth festivities, it is fun for ladies to sit for hours with henna applied on their palms and feet so that the mehndi comes out dark in colour. The darker the colour, the stronger bond is believed to be there between a husband and his wife.
Wear glass bangles: Bangles are also considered auspicious and signify good fortune for a married woman. It is a part of traditional Indian jewellery that has become popular with its growing fashion trends and chic designs. Glass bangles have the ‘Sattva’ component. The sound generated by glass bangles destroy negative energies around you. By wearing plastic or metallic bangles, don’t depart yourself from the benefits that glass bangles can bring you. This jewellery is primarily associated with matrimony signifying marriage in the same way that the Western wedding ring does. After the wedding, the woman continues to wear her bangles as a charm of safety and luck for their husband.
Wear anklets: This fashionable piece of jewellery is an important icon in India that adorns a woman’s feet beautifully. It has both spiritual and social significance. A married woman announces her presence in her husband’s house with the tinkling sound of anklets/payal. You can get a heavily carved anklet embellished with exquisite meenakari at good silver jewellery shops. It can be your all-time favourite piece of jewellery. There is also a science behind wearing anklets. It is said to prevent the release of one’s energy and insulate the woman wearing it from a negative environment.
Wear toe rings or bichchiyas: Toe rings are again a symbol of a married woman in India. They are worn on the second toes of both the feet. Wearing them on Karva Chauth is considered to be auspicious. They come under the category of Solah Shringaar which a married woman is supposed to do on Karva Chauth. At the time of Ramayana, when Ravana kidnapped Sita, she threw her bichchiyas on the way to Lanka so that her husband, Lord Rama could find her.
If you love to add a dash of chic to every traditional accessory, how about going for a super glam look while keeping these traditions intact. These accessories now come in fusion form and suit well for such celebrations. To look glamorously traditional, choose the chic outfit, subtle makeup and trendy hairstyle wearing these old-style accessories. Their ethnic look never goes out of fashion. You are always free to buy new designs launched by various designers from time to time if you love to wear everything trendy.
Wishing you love, laughter, and good luck. May this Karva Chauth be super special for you!