Colourful bangles in a market, Andhra Pradesh

© Tim Gainey/Alamy Stock Phot

A day of love and devotion. A day of love and devotion

Today is the fourth day in the Hindu lunisolar calendar month Kartik – in other words, it’s the Karva Chauth day. This is an observance followed in many parts of north India, and also in the Andhra region by some. The tradition had begun as a prayer for the safety of soldiers away at war. Today, the tradition is observed as a prayer for the safety and longevity of the husband.

Another possible origin of Karva Chauth could be to do with the ‘Karva’ or earthen pots in which wheat is stored. It is also the time of the year when wheat-sowing is in full swing, so it could have begun as a prayer for good harvest in the days to come.

Yet another legend tells us that the festival began as a form of sisterly bonding, wherein women would use the Karvas to store bangles, ribbons and other ornaments after carefully painting the Karvas, and then exchange the Karvas as gifts on this day.