Today, Indian women across the world celebrate Karva Chauth, a Hindu festival exclusively for married or betrothed couples. Read our guide
Origin This festival is believed to have come to practice in north India when Hindus conducted military campaigns against Mughal invaders and the men had to leave their homes for war. The women of the community came together to pray for the safe return of their husbands or fiancés.
What happens? The day of Karva Chauth, married women would take a day-long fast with no food or water. In the evening, there is a community women-only ritual where hymns and prayers are chanted to cleanse sins and to protect the husbands from danger.
The women are dressed in their finest clothes and get henna designs on their hands and feet. When the moon rises, they look indirectly at the moon through a sieve or as a reflection in water kept in a vessel. The woman then looks at her husband through the same sieve or reflective vessel. The husbands then proceed to feed their wives the first sip of water and first morsel of the day to break the fast. This is the only part where men participate in the rituals.
It is believed that in the combination of the fast, prayers and the blessings of the lunar deity, the woman has the power to confront and defeat death for her husband. This festival is considered very important for women in north India and any anomaly is associated with danger to the husband.
Here are five famous Bollywood Karva Chauth songs;
1. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge
It has been 21 years since DDLJ but we cannot get enough of this beautiful movie. The festivities of Karva Chauth have been captured in 'Ghar aaja pardesi' where Simran (Kajol) fakes a faint so that Raj (Shah Rukh Khan), whom she loves, would give her the first sip of water instead of her fiance. In this movie, unknown to Simran, Raj also keeps the fast for her.
2. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Dubbed as the most beautiful woman in the world, Aishwarya Rai’s performance in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is mesmerizing. In 'Chaand chhupa baadal mein' she remembers how she had followed the rituals for her lover (Salman Khan) and being forcibly married to her husband (Ajay Devgan), she reluctantly follows the festival for him.
3. Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum
The song 'Bole choodiya' from K3G (as the movie is referred to by many fans) has been played, performed to and sung way too many times but yes, this one also is set on the night of Karva Chauth with a star studded cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
4. Ishq Vishk
Amrita Rao, in her character as Payal, keeps a fast for Rajiv (Shahid Kapoor) and professes her love to him.
5. Baabul
In Baabul, we see a family where the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, played by Hema Malini and Rani Mukherjee keep fasts for their husbands played by Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan. The father reiterates to his son about how his wife’s prayers will keep him with his loving wife for seven lives.
