As many of the married couples know that "Karva-Chauth Fast" is fast-approaching. The Karva-Chauth will be celebrated on 19th of October this year.
Karva-Chauth is a one-day fast when women avoid Food and Water from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and long life for their husbands. However, they may inhale oxygen. Without an exception, I have seen ladies of my family keeping the fast on Karva-Chauth.
I inquired all the ladies of my family "Why do you keep the fast?" They echoed that it is the pleasure for women to sacrifice for their men. Though it hardly satisfied me but my further arguments were rejected.
Yesterday I was googling about the origin of Karva Chauth. As Google knows everything, it didn't disappoint me this time either.
Out of several speculations, one story made much more sense to me. Long time back, Indian soldiers were often defending their homeland from the foreign invaders. They were usually on wars leaving their wives and children behind. The women had several limitations that time. By keeping the fast suited their two purposes. They could socialize with other women in the community with a reason of sacrificing for their men. It was well accepted in the patriarchal society.
Why Karva-Chauth Fast needs to be customized now ?
Many of our traditions originated long time back based on the contemporaneous philosophies. In simple words, how people thought, their life styles and their surroundings. It's our responsibility not to forget our traditions because they make history and present united. However, as we humans evolve through education, life styles, technological advancements and surroundings, we must customize our traditions. Its kind of versioning of the traditions for 21st century yet keeping a historical flavour in it. I mean we do it anyway. Few thousands years ago, when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya, people had welcome him by lighting diyas. Today the entire cities are decorated by Chinese lights, still we use diyas. They look beautiful.
Coming back to Karva-Chauth. I firmly believe that men should also keep the fast for their women. After all we want their safety and longevity too. What would we men do to have a long life if our women are not together with us. Today many of us are not fighting for our country but only with our daily struggles. Today the women are working. They handle both their professional and household works. Their daily struggles are twofold. Still they are happy to keep the fast for their beloved husbands. May be, they are just following the long tradition and the feelings are not deeply routed. As I said women are working, they go out, make friends and hang out. They really don't need Karva-Chauth as a way of socializing. However, we cannot overlook the sacrifice.
We have two options for its customization.
Stop them keeping the fast. But if we stop our women to keep the fast on Karva-Chauth, we would somehow kill one of our traditions that teach us sacrifice for our beloved ones.
What about if men keep the fast for their women ! What about cooking food together on Karva-Chauth ! Karva-Chauth can be romantic. It can strengthen the bond of love if jointly participated by the couple.
I am keeping the fast for my wife as I have been doing since marriage. My father does it. My younger brother does it. Many people laughed and may continue to laugh at this idea. Let them laugh. They also laugh when the husbands sit on the rear seats of the scooter their wives are driving. Patriarchy. So keep the fast. It feels good.
Karva-Chauth is a one-day fast when women avoid Food and Water from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and long life for their husbands. However, they may inhale oxygen. Without an exception, I have seen ladies of my family keeping the fast on Karva-Chauth.
I inquired all the ladies of my family "Why do you keep the fast?" They echoed that it is the pleasure for women to sacrifice for their men. Though it hardly satisfied me but my further arguments were rejected.
Yesterday I was googling about the origin of Karva Chauth. As Google knows everything, it didn't disappoint me this time either.
Out of several speculations, one story made much more sense to me. Long time back, Indian soldiers were often defending their homeland from the foreign invaders. They were usually on wars leaving their wives and children behind. The women had several limitations that time. By keeping the fast suited their two purposes. They could socialize with other women in the community with a reason of sacrificing for their men. It was well accepted in the patriarchal society.
Why Karva-Chauth Fast needs to be customized now ?
Many of our traditions originated long time back based on the contemporaneous philosophies. In simple words, how people thought, their life styles and their surroundings. It's our responsibility not to forget our traditions because they make history and present united. However, as we humans evolve through education, life styles, technological advancements and surroundings, we must customize our traditions. Its kind of versioning of the traditions for 21st century yet keeping a historical flavour in it. I mean we do it anyway. Few thousands years ago, when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya, people had welcome him by lighting diyas. Today the entire cities are decorated by Chinese lights, still we use diyas. They look beautiful.
Coming back to Karva-Chauth. I firmly believe that men should also keep the fast for their women. After all we want their safety and longevity too. What would we men do to have a long life if our women are not together with us. Today many of us are not fighting for our country but only with our daily struggles. Today the women are working. They handle both their professional and household works. Their daily struggles are twofold. Still they are happy to keep the fast for their beloved husbands. May be, they are just following the long tradition and the feelings are not deeply routed. As I said women are working, they go out, make friends and hang out. They really don't need Karva-Chauth as a way of socializing. However, we cannot overlook the sacrifice.
We have two options for its customization.
Stop them keeping the fast. But if we stop our women to keep the fast on Karva-Chauth, we would somehow kill one of our traditions that teach us sacrifice for our beloved ones.
What about if men keep the fast for their women ! What about cooking food together on Karva-Chauth ! Karva-Chauth can be romantic. It can strengthen the bond of love if jointly participated by the couple.
I am keeping the fast for my wife as I have been doing since marriage. My father does it. My younger brother does it. Many people laughed and may continue to laugh at this idea. Let them laugh. They also laugh when the husbands sit on the rear seats of the scooter their wives are driving. Patriarchy. So keep the fast. It feels good.
