Ahmedabad's women gear up for Karwa Chauth

The week began on a hectic note for most women in Ahmedabad having to juggle out time in-between their daily chores and additional burden of annual diwali cleaning and making a beeline to shops and an a trip to beauty parlours - the reason being the much awaited festival of Hindu women, Karwa Chauth which falls
on Tuesday.

Binita Grover, a resident of Satellite, who got married last year said, "This is my first Karwa Chauth and I am so excited."
Many ladies were seen thronging the beauty parlours. "The preparations for this year are on full swing as women in large numbers have come to us for elaborate mehendi and other beauty treatments" said Sumitra Punjabi, who runs a beauty parlour at Ramdevnagar.

While fasting during Karwa Chauth by Punjabi women is common, Gujaratis observing fast on the day is a new phenomenon.

Gujarati housewife Arpita Dhorajia says: "I celebrated karwa chauth even before I got married. But it is not observed in our caste. One of my Punjabi friends asked me to start celebrating it to get a good husband. I started believing and made it a point to follow it religiously every year. In fact, this has also influenced my sisters in law also to start fasting for their respective husbands. This year too, I along with my relatives will fast for our husbands."
"We have planned to have a bhangra and traditional dance for the ladies at our home in the afternoon. We will have a dhol wala
for playing music for us," said Binita.