Karwa Chauth is a Hindu festival that celebrates the eternal bond between a married couple. It is a festival of ritualistic fasting followed by married Hindu women. They keep fast without eating anything and drinking even a drop of water throughout the day for the long and healthy life of their husbands. The fast is broken only after sighting the moon at night.

As we all know that the festivals are coming knocking the doors, Karwa Chauth comes nine days before Diwali and immediately after Dussehra in the month of October-November. It is mainly celebrated in northern and western states of India. Although the way of celebrating it can differ from region to region its essence and significance remain the same among all married women who follow this fast across the country.

On this auspicious occasion, all the markets in North India are flooded with various women’s accessories like bangles, makeups, jewellery, ethnic dresses, etc. Women love to adorn their hands with exquisite mehndi designs especially designed by skilled henna artists.

Sargi is an important meal prepared by mother-in-law for their daughters-in-law to be consumed before the dawn of Karwa Chauth. This special meal includes sweets, dry fruits, and other food delicacies. The mothers-in-law bless their daughters-in-law and give them jewellery, saree, and other gifts. In return, mothers-in-law receive ‘baya’. Baya consists of sweets, dry fruits, namkeen maththi, saree or suit, and other gift items.

In the evening, married ladies do preparations for pooja with utmost devotion and zeal. They embellish themselves with heavy traditional attires, gold jewellery, and makeup. The story of Karwa Chauth is recited by an elderly woman of the family. After that, the wait for moonrise begins with full enthusiasm. As soon as the moon arrives in the sky, it is sighted through a sieve. Prayers are offered with a lamp, kumkum, incense sticks, and sweets. Then the day-long fast is broken by taking the first sip of water and the first bite of food by the husband.

Apart from keeping fast and doing ritualistic pooja, women now shop for ethnic clothes and elegant jewellery few days before Karwa Chauth to dress in the most exquisite way on this day. The grandeur of the festival is reflected in the finery adorned by women on this special day. Few accessories which play an important part in Karwa Chauth dressing include:

Ethnic dresses: On Karwa Chauth, women dress up in attires that are usually worn at weddings or special occasions. The hues of the clothes are generally bright which figures prominently in Indian weddings. The outfits display a variety of elaborate motifs and embroidery in Zari and Zardozi. Indian ethnic wear for Karwa Chauth has a rich and colourful history. With the passage of time and fusion of fashion with clothing, the modern designer ethnic wears have become the choice of modern women today. Being inspired by the national and international fashion arena, these dresses reflect a beautiful blend of style with functionality. Numerous fashion trends bring the dawn of a new fashion season every year to make all fashionista’s dreams come true. So jump out in your best and latest traditional cum modern outfits to celebrate the extravaganza. Keep track and wear ethnic styles in modern ways. The dress you wear and Karwa Chauth festivity go hand in hand. So the festival cannot be complete without dressing up well.

Makeup: Simple and sophisticated makeup is the one quality that always makes you stand out. Sport an elegant makeup with any ensemble of your choice and let its charm elevate your style status. A decent makeup with a perfect hairdo will set your Karwa Chauth outfit and appearance on a soaring fashionable fire. Your hairstyle and makeup should reflect the perfect blend of beauty, charm, and elegance. The large red bindis form a part of Indian culture as well as Karwa Chauth festivities as it usually signifies the marital status of a woman in the Hindu religion. Wear a red bindi with your traditional attire. A gajra on your bun can spread a sweet fragrance wherever you go. Define your eyes with kajal, eyeliner, and mascara. A shade of a matching eye shadow complementing your attire can be paired with a matte or glossy lipstick.

Jewellery: The Karwa Chauth look is complete with heavy gold jewellery. Rajwadi jhumki earrings, chandbalis, trendy temple jewellery sets, long layered string necklace, matha patti styled maang tika, kundan polki bangles, stone studded anklets and diamond rings all form an essential part of Karwa Chauth jewellery. The traditional gold jewellery will always keep you ahead of even the most stylish fashionistas. The maang tika is a great way to focus everyone’s attention on your face.

Mehndi: Mehndi tattoos are essential to complete the Karwa Chauth look. Mehndi is not only one of the greatest symbols of Indian married culture for women but it also glams your look during this festival. Ladies love to style their hands and feet with beautiful mehndi patterns on Karwa Chauth. While planning for your clothes, jewellery, and makeup, choose your mehndi design as well. There are abstract mehndi patterns, Arabic style mehndi, flower bail designs, leaf and dot patterns and a lot to choose from the internet. You can also select and book a skilled mehndi artist prior to the festival to get your hands and feet adorned beautifully.

All these are Karwa Chauth essentials. Celebrate the festival and enjoy its charm.

Happy Karwa Chauth!