Karva Chauth Festival

Karva Chauth festival is characterized by romance, as women observe a fast to pray for the long life of their husbands.Karva Chauth is perhaps the most romanticized of all Indian festivals, and is celebrated by the North Indian community like the Punjabis and UP-ites. But while many festivals that are particular to a community seem alien to those outside the community, almost all of us Indians have some basic knowledge of Karva Chauth, thanks to the extensive appearance of this festival in romantic Hindi films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.Karva Chauth is so named as it is celebrated on the 'chauthva' or fourth day of the Kartik month every year.

Mehendi

Women traditionally apply mehendi (henna) to their hands in preparation for this festival. They either get it done by a professional mehendi walla, or apply a little mehendi on their hands by themselves as they may not have the time to get it done, but do want to observe all the rituals.

Fasting

Married women wake up before sunrise, at around four in the morning, and eat food called the Sargi. Sargi is gifted by the mother in law, or is bought from the money sent by the mother in law, and often consists of pheni kheer and matthis in addition to other foods like parathas, almonds, coconut and so on. They finish their meal by drinking sufficient water. The fast begins at sunrise. Women now cannot eat or drink anything including water until the moon rises at night. However, if the mother in law gives her daughter in law permission, she can drink a glass of water after the 'puja'. Pregnant and nursing women however eat fruit and drink milk or juice through the day.