Move over husbands! Karva Chauth is all about the ladies

Remember the over-the-top Karva Chauth song sequence Bole Chudiyan from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham? Even if not everyone celebrates festivals with such extravagance, for the women of Delhi-NCR, Karva Chauth is one of the biggest and most-awaited festivals, and just not for the love of their husbands. From finalising an outfit months in advance, to dressing up like a bride when the day comes, women don’t mind going overboard because ‘it’s just one day’.And while this keeps the festive spirit roaring, it also helps keep the ‘healthy competition’ alive among peers. When women get together in their societies, homes, or at a friend’s place for Karva Chauth puja, the conversation revolves around unspoken ‘rivalries’, healthy gossip and a barrage of compliments on each other’s’ attire, gifts received and jewellery donned. “From playing games after the puja, to keeping a check on who is wearing what, it is a very common conversation that most women have. Sometimes the gossip is healthy but sometimes there is definitely pressure to look better than the others,” say the women to DT.
‘Karva Chauth pujas are like social gatherings’
Padma Swaroop, a resident of Sector 57, Gurgaon, says, “I have noticed that it is a day for women to impress their husbands, mothers-in-law and peers. There’s this pressure among women to look their best because everybody is flaunting their look, but with subtlety. When everybody around you is dressed up in their best, you have to match up as well. Gurgaon mein phir bhi thoda kam hai, par Delhi mein toh koi end hi nahi hai iss competition ka.”
For some, the pressure extends from their social circle to their social media. Meenakshi Dutt from Vasant Kunj says, “For me, my Karva Chauth photos always get the maximum number of likes on social media. It is a lot of pressure to look your best because people look forward to what you will be wearing. For many women, it is only about how they look and puja becomes secondary. Yeh toh sab hi karte hain ki kisne asli jewellery peheni hai ya nahi? I go out of my way and dress up, I always wear red,accessorize with a maang teeka and dress up like a bride. It is like a social gathering and there is nothing wrong with looking your best, because we all dress so casually otherwise, so what’s harm in flaunting a bit on that day?”

Kam Sachdeva
Gifts are a hot topic too
Other than appearances, another topic of gossip for the puja is ‘who got what presents from their husbands or mothers-in-law’. Gurgaon-based fashion designer Charu Parashar says, “Once all of us are done with the puja, we relax and chit-chat. The conversations are all about dressing up, who is wearing what, and whose mother-in-law has given what. Who is newlywed and what is she wearing? And while admittedly all of that does happen, it is still a very sacred moment for us all. The women bond since they are doing this puja for a purpose. I won’t call it competition when we all dress up and meet. We gossip, but that’s all in good spirit.”
Rashmi Khanna, a resident of Karol Bagh, adds, “Other than mothers-in-law, husbands also shower gifts on their wives on Karva Chauth. And we always discuss who got what gifts. Sab hi batate hain ki unhe kya mila, aur milna bhi chahiye.”
Too much competition?
While some may not mind going overboard with their attire, there are some who like to keep it casual for the puja, but share that you cannot ignore the competitiveness. Such is the case of Sonika Uppal, a resident of Sector 56, Gurgaon. She says, “Over the years, I dressed up nicely only because I have wanted to. The place where I live, it has a mixed crowd, but you get to hear all sorts of things during the puja, like, ‘She is not wearing a good dress’, ‘Kuch zyada hi overdressed hai’, ‘Bilkul achhi nahi lag rahi’. These people need validation from others on Facebook and Instagram, when this should be about having fun.”
Gunjan Babbar, a resident of Sector 50, Gurgaon, concludes as she says, “While I may choose to dress up only for myself, there are plenty others who go overboard with the intention of showing off. Though dressing up is primarily intended for the husbands, it is also done keeping the competitive spirit in mind. People want to be talked about online, as well as offline. They post pictures on social media, and if you don’t comment, you get a private message asking, ‘Why didn’t you comment on the picture?’.”

(L-R) Gunjan Babbar, Anupama Rai, Shefali Gupta and Supriya give us Karva Chauth feels