Thousands of women fast for Karva Chauth puja

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Thousands of fasting women perform Karva Chauth puja

New Delhi | October 21, 2005 1:48:06 AM IST

 

 

Thousands of Hindu women, decked up in all the symbols of 'suhag'-

bindi, sindoor, nath, bichhuas, mangalsutra, bangles, hennaed palms et

al -- gathered to perform the Karva Chauth puja before the sun set

today.

Sitting in a circle, they passed on their puja thalis among themselves as

they listened to the story of Veeravati, the sister of seven brothers, who

broke her fast by mistake and almost lost her husband. She however,

got him back after diligently observing the fast.

 

The festival, reflecting the unique devotion of the wife to her husband,

also caught media attention with television channels vyiing with each

others in beaming special features showing women political leaders

waxing eloquent about the importance of the day.

 

But the news stealer of the day was a Ludhiana businessman who

booked a prominent hall in the city for his wife and family for exclusive

screening of ''Baghban.'' Needless to, he had kept the fast with his wife

just as Amitabh Bachchan had kept for wife Hema Malini in the film.

 

In a bid to encash on the ''gender-equality'' scenario, gift shops have

been exhorting men to buy expensive and beautiful gifts from jewellery

to durables for their spouses who go without water and food for their

sake and restaurants have been prompting them to treat their wives to

sumptuous feasts prepared specially for the occasion. Many couples,

specially from the nuclear families, have bitten the bait and booked

seats in advance, a survey of food joints has revealed.

 

The buying spree on the occasion is expected to earn the market an

estimated Rs 90 crore of sales as the business community, cashing in

on the growing spending power of the Indian consumers, unleashed an

advertising blitzkrieg to promote the event once considered a close

family affair.

 

Henna artists, bangle-vendors, sweet shops, earthern potmakers, gift

shops and beauty parlours raked in moolah hand over fist this past

week as women thronged markets to get ready for the big occasion.

 

Special packages were offered on products related to the fair sex -- be it

sarees and dresses, jewellery or beauty products and packges. Beauty

parlours were booked in advance as women decided to indulge

themselves. According to Alpana Gupta of Alpanaz Skin and Hair Care

parlour in Noida, apart from ever popular Fruit and gold facials, skin

polishing and hair streaking were a rage this year.

 

On the eve of the festival, traffic snarls were commonplace throughout

the city's markets, choc-a-bloc with special roadside stands of henna

artists and bangle-sellers, which remained open till late last night.

 

The festival was a veritable bonanza for Rama, a henna artist at the

Delhi Haat, who made as much as Rs 200 for decorating a palm as the

occasion drew nearer. Hasina Begum, at Hanuman Mandir in

Cannaught Place, did brisk business as her stock of special red n'gold

Karva Chauth bangle sets, was in great demand.

 

The henna decoration and bangles were part of the adornments that

maried women, who dressed themselves in finery reminiscent of their

wedding day, donned on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Kartik.

 

The day began well before the break of dawn for them today as they

woke up early to partake of 'Sargi,' consisting of the traditional sweets

offered by the mother-in-law.

 

However, the fast will be broken only after seeing the moon and offering

water to it from the Karva, the earthen pot with a spout, now available in

a variety of fancy adornings and taking the food offered by the husband.

 

UNI JN RR KP1841

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