For the first six years of my marriage, I kept Karva Chauth (a custom in North India where women fast for one day of the year praying for their husband's long lives). Truth be told, I kept it more for my mother, who I felt would have a heart attack if I didn't.
My poor husband suffered too, since feeling guilty about the biwi not having any food and water, he would fast as well. But well, then came our firstborn - and there was no looking back. Soon, from tolerating a festival I had grown up seeing, I started scoffing at women who kept the fast, and turned into a firm member of the club of "Oh you keep the KV fast, c'mon, yaar, you are educated."
So is it as simple as that? Is it really about choice, or is it years of conditioning and cultural programming that we fall for?
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But does keeping anyone hungry ever strengthen any bonds? What's to say that a woman who has been hungry all day wouldn't just simply go ballistic and take her ire out on the man who is she is fasting for?! "No" say the women who say it's a belief .
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Or is it, as an anti KC activist put it: Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish?
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Lots of questions and no easy answers. This is one of those arguments where for and against have to agree to disagree, and hope that if you are doing, it is because you want to and not because you are coerced into it. Resentment and hunger are not good companions, after all.
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It reads: Congratulations to all husbands for renewing their annual life insurance.
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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
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