Karwa Chauth

Karwa Chauth falls about nine days before Diwali. It is the most important fast observed by Hindu women of North India. On this day married Hindu women offer prayers seeking the welfare, prosperity, and a long life of their husbands.

The fast is very difficult to observe as it starts before sunrise and ends only after offering prayers and worshipping the moon, which usually rises at about 8.45 p.m. No food or water is to be taken after 4 a.m. or after sunrise.

The fast is broken once the moon is sighted and special rituals and prayers marking the day have been offered.

In the evening women dress up in special clothes, usually red or pink coloured and apply bindis on their foreheads.
New brides wear their bridal outfits and others wear outfits woven with gold. Bangles and other jewellery are worn and special henna patterns are applied on the hands.
The fasting women in a neighbourhood usually gather in a group and narrate mythological stories illustrating the importance of fasting on Karwa Chauth. After the moon rises, the women try to spot its reflection in water. Then they pray for their husband's safety and long life, and finally break their fast.