For Karvachauth, women bond over praying, observing fast

ALLAHABAD: Karvachauth, a fast that married women keep for the long lives of their husbands, was celebrated with fervour in the city on Wednesday.
Married women, in colourful sarees, sat in a circle and listened to the katha before performing the ceremonies.
"This is my first Karvachauth. I have waited for this day since my marriage early this year," said Jyoti Sharma, a Rajurupoor locality resident."Preparations began last week and other women in my apartment building shared my enthusiasm," she added.
Similar preparations were made at Ashok Nagar where women assembled in one place to perform the ceremonies of the evening. "It was fun as there were so many women who were fasting," said Shalini.
Another common celebration was held at Ram Mandir, Civil Lines, where women from different localities assemble each year. "This is one place where I have been coming for the past 62 years and now my daughter-in-law also follows suit," said Savitri.
She added that the festival was traditionally celebrated in Punjab and neighbouring states but now it has spread to other parts of the country.
She said she was glad that despite Internet and westernisation, Karvachauth was one festival that was still celebrated as per tradition by married women.