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Karwa Chauth festival has an extraordinary observance rate among married women in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. This is a significant day for married women as they keep fast for the long-life and well-being of of their husbands. The way of celebrating Karwa Chauth vary from each other on regional basis.
Punjab : The festival of Karwa chauth is one of the most important festival for married women in Punjab. Few days before this auspicious festival, all the markets in Punjab gets flooded with various accessories and decorative items including bangles, beautiful sarees, embroidered suits, stalls of sweets and eatables. Number of artists from different cities like Agra, Jaipur, Delhi, etc gather here with their special mehndis to decorate hands of women. In some parts of Punjab, young damsels too keep the fast in the hope of winning a loving husband.
Rajasthan : Among the women of Rajasthan, the festival of Karwa Chauth has its own meaning. The women make the karwas with mud and fill them with rice and wheat. They wear their wedding-day dress or chunris on this auspicious day. Karwa Chauth generally falls on the full moon day of the month Jyeshtha. This is also known as 'Vata Purnima'. Interestingly, the woman who observes this fast is not only blessed with welfare of her husband but also wins the same husband for the next seven births.
Uttar Pradesh : In Uttar Pradesh, the married women keep the fast and pray for the long-life of their husband. They decorate the walls of their home with drawings of Gauri Ma, the moon and the sun. They also make the karwa with mud and perform the evening puja with earthen lamps. Before looking at the moon, the women pray to the figurines at their doorstep.
Other States : Other Indian states also observes this fast. In Gujarat, many women observe this fast with great spirit. In Madhya Pradesh also, most of them follow the traditions of the women from Uttar Pradesh. In all these states the first 'Karva Chauth' of any new bride is a very important festival. New clothes, new jewelery and gifts from both mother and mother-in-law are received. The wedding day outfits are worn once again, mehndi is applied and the family gathers to celebrate it with them. There are many similar stories associated with this festival in different parts of India. In Maharashtra this particular fast is not very popular but a similar one called 'Vaat Savitri' is kept by married women.
