Hindu community celebrates Karva Chauth

Ritual is for married women who fast for their husbands’ health, long life

KARACHI: Karachi’s Hindu community celebrated the Karva Chauth festival in different temples of the city on Monday night.
Karva Chauth is a festival celebrated by married Hindu women who fast from dawn to dusk for their husbands and pray for their long lives and health.
While explaining the rituals associated with the festival, Punam, who has been married for the past 10 years, said that on this day women from the community dress up in colourful attire and apply henna. “We prefer going to the Sri Laxmi Narayan Mandir near the Native Jetty Bridge,” she said. She added that, as per tradition, the mother-in-law serves a meal before dawn, and for the entire day, the wives are not supposed to do any housework. In the evening, wives gather on the rooftop of their house or mandir accompanied by their husbands, said Punam.



Once the moon appears, the wife has to gaze at her husband through a sieve, as per tradition, she said, adding that right after this wives are offered water and dessert to break their fast, whereas in a thali coconuts, rice and flowers are offered to Shiva and candles are also lit at the mandir.
The ritual includes tying a piece of thread around a peepal tree outside the temple and circling it seven times while sprinkling water, she explained.



“On this day, we express our loyalty to our husbands and this fast helps protect them from trouble,” said Punam.
Punam’s husband, Sanjesh, said that the festival helps husbands become closer to their wives as they understand their sufferings during the fast. He added that on Karva Chauth instead of going to work, husbands spend time with their wives and give them presents.