Karwa Chauth is celebrated annually by married women as they pray and fast for the health and wellbeing of their husbands. Women are expected to fast from the break of dawn till the moonrises. In the due course of the day, women are expected to abstain from eating or drinking anything and pray with other women in the family for the husband's long life. Women dress up as newlywed brides wearing shades of red complete with sindoor, mehendi to complete the 'solah shringar' to look their best on Karwa Chauth. On this auspicious full moon day, wives break their fasts at night after sighting the moon with their husbands. The husbands feed their wives mithai and water to break their wives' fast to reflect the couples' love on this day. Women have been observing a fast on this day since time immemorial and continue to do it to this day. However, many couples are changing the way customs are practiced in the country.
The millennial way of changing and tweaking traditional norms is not new. We have seen a trend for some years now that husbands too have started observing keeping an arduous fast throughout the day that they break with their wives. This trend was considered taboo earlier but is now catching up with urban men who don't see fasting as a compulsion for wives at all or alone. In a country where women are often seen as the homemaker and not the breadwinner, these changes in tradition and norms are seen as a way to modernize societies and outlook of people. This positive change in the mindset has also given way to equality among women in many traditional and urban families. This gesture is being well perceived and appreciated among families and couples alike. People are slowly developing a notion of how traditions don't need to forge bonds nor be a single person's prerogative; rather a cumulative effort to sustain a healthy relationship among 2 people.
Not only does fasting together bring you closer to your partner but also increases the respect you have for each and in turn value each other and your bond even more. The greatest secret to a successful marriage and relationship is to be on the same page together. This gesture will definitely do so! Having empathy for your wife and trying to make a conscious effort to support her and be there for her is one of the best gifts you can give a woman. Knowing that her partner is supportive of what she does and knowing she has someone to fall back with every step of the way is reassuring and to be able to pave the same footsteps with her would mean the world to her.
To be able to be on the same page in your relationship reflects on your maturity and your ability to give back to the relationship. Not only is this respectful but will also bring you closer. This is also a great excuse for you to celebrate with your partner with a candlelight dinner at a fancy restaurant once the fast is broken. Imagine how close would two people be who are hungry from a day's fasting and good food to bring them closer?
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Not just this year, but make this a tradition every year to fast along with your partner and you'll soon see your bond getting stronger. Don't hesitate to show your partner affection each day even in the smallest ways possible.
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