Who doesn’t remember the famous DDLJ scene when Kajol aka Simran faints so that only Shahrukh aka Raj can give her the first sip of water after she breaks the fast.
No other festival has been glamourised so much by Bollywood, infact to the extent that keeping the fast has the feminist brigade up against you.
On the one hand, it is proclaimed to be regressive, proving the upper hand of patriarchy. The other advocates are those of love in the modern brigade where both husband and wife keep the fast for each other.
I have been keeping this fast ever since I got married. Though being a feminist, I always was in awe of the fast. My mum would buy new cosmetics, get heena tattoo on her hands, get dressed up, wear her wedding saree( the one I was so fond of) accessorize with her gold jewellery which would come out of locker only for that day.
The sargi in the morning used to be the wow part. There would be so many sweets on the platter.
The Pooja with exchange of thalis was exciting for us kids. As the sun would set, there would be search parties for moon. Moon as always would go into hiding on this very day, after all so many females decked in their best are waiting for him.
So when my time came, I was pretty sure I wanted to keep this fast for the love of my life. I got married in a family where this was not a tradition. I am a hard core Punjabi married into a Multani family. My mother on law did not keep this fast. Still I went ahead and kept the fast the same way as my mother used to keep.
Over the years, this has become one festival which I truly love. Of course, getting ready and wearing your traditional attire takes away half of the hunger pangs. Somewhere along, the hubby realized that why should I be the only one fasting, so for a past few years he joins me in fasting.
We celebrate Valentine’s day, isn’t karva chauth our Desi Valentine?
Marriages don’t remain rock solid by luck or chance. They require a constant investment of time, thoughtfulness, love, affection, forgiveness, prayer, mutual respect and two people who never give up on each other.
I believe this day to be that celebration of being together for each other. In the busy lives we lead, the closest relations are the ones which get neglected the most. Mom, Dad, siblings, spouse and even children are left behind in the rat race to earn and have a successful career.
These small celebrations in life bring you back to roots, to the awareness that family comes first. Whatever may happen to the pyramid of your career which has become the top priority for everyone these days, it is these grounding moments which give you that feeling that he/she would be there to hold your hand when you need the most.
Happy Karvachauth to all those fasting.
May you have a happy married life.
The Vagabond 