Karva Chauth

[ms_jinga_lala 0]

I've never done this before. My fiancee has never paid attention to the customs before. I have 2 questions. First one, in the morning before the sun comes up and we eat something, does it absolutely have to be sargi or can I eat something else? To be quite honest this is a laziness issue. I don't want to go through all the trouble to learn the new recipe right now, I'm just getting over the flu and it doesn't look especially appealing. I had much rather have some fresh fruit and oatmeal that morning.

Second question. I was unable to get the day off work and I work in customer service. I am on the phone all day and they keep the fans and air conditioning blowing in the building and I'm a little concerned about being hydrated enough to make it through all that talking. I have read online that if necessary the woman observing the fast for the first time can have a few sips of water. I think in my case it would be better if I could have a piece of candy or something similar to keep my throat from drying out too bad. If it's necessary can I have a piece of candy or is that against the rules (so to speak)?

I'm not worried about going without food. I've done this kind of fast before for other reasons. This time of year I only have to go without food for about 11 hours anyway which isn't that much of a challenge for me. I'm just really concerned with the fact I'm still coughing some from that stupid flu and my throat is still irritated and I have to work. I don't want to have to put off my first karva chauth until next year if I don't have to, but my fiancee is panicking thinking I'm not going to make it and something bad will happen to him.

Thanks for your help in advance!

[trinket 30]

I wish I could help you but Bengalis don't celebrate Karva Chaut, and even if they did, most probably I still would have been the ignorant one

[jessarien 0]

well if you want to start this then you will have to follow the way it is done, you will not be able to eat or drink anything till about 4 in the evening when the puja or katha is done. Ather this yes you can drink whatever youwish to .then again you will have to wait for the moon to finish the whole process.

hope you would be fine by then...its on 7 th...so still have some time.

[ms_jinga_lala 0]

well if you want to start this then you will have to follow the way it is done, you will not be able to eat or drink anything till about 4 in the evening when the puja or katha is done. Ather this yes you can drink whatever youwish to .then again you will have to wait for the moon to finish the whole process.

hope you would be fine by then...its on 7 th...so still have some time.

Thank you. I feel pretty confident that I can do this, I just like to plan ahead. I barely coughed any today so hopefully my throat will be fully better by Wednesday. I guess the only way I will know if I can commit to it for sure is to wake up Wednesday morning and see how my throat feels.

[Imua 0]

In Nepal there is a similar festival called Tij or Teej where the wife fasts for her husband's good health and believe it or not we did not realize the day until after I had already eaten and we looked at the Nepali calendar... This year the festivals all were so early, usually Tij is in Sept. but this year it was in late August... Next year I will observe it properly.

[trinket 30]

PattuRani,

A lot of Hindus in India also celebrate Teej, especially with Bihari community. I think the difference is in Nepal both married and unmarried women do the fasting along with the rituals but in India only the married women take part in it.

[sachinky 465]

I'm a Bengali too so I don't know about the Karva Chaut rules. And I wouldn't take part in it unless there was a similar festival requiring husband's to fast for their wife's health and prosperity. Hey, I'm all for equality.

[Twisted K 2]

my husband asked me after the fact if i was going to fast. so i looked into it, and discovered i wouldn't be able to eat until my husband feeds me. um... i don't think so. seeing as though, even if he got his visa earlier, i am not expecting him to get here until the end of january. i always wanted to be "thin" but i do not want to be anorexic maybe next year

[ms_jinga_lala 0]

I'm a Bengali too so I don't know about the Karva Chaut rules. And I wouldn't take part in it unless there was a similar festival requiring husband's to fast for their wife's health and prosperity. Hey, I'm all for equality.

Lol. I decided to do it because my fiancee has prayed for me every Tuesday for 18 months now. I have been going through so much and I felt like this is something I wanted to do. I can't say I'm going to do it every year. I won't do it unless I feel led to just like this year. I grew up in a religion that believes in fasting and prayer and I had always heard that partaking in a fast like this could bring you closer to God. Now that I experienced the fast, I must say it was enlightening and I physically feel better after the fast. I don't feel like it was any kind of serious life altering experience, and I don't feel like I'm one with God. I did enjoy the experience.

my husband asked me after the fact if i was going to fast. so i looked into it, and discovered i wouldn't be able to eat until my husband feeds me. um... i don't think so. seeing as though, even if he got his visa earlier, i am not expecting him to get here until the end of january. i always wanted to be "thin" but i do not want to be anorexic maybe next year

No one needs that kind of diet lol. My fiancee won't be here until our visa gets approved and we work out the details, I'm not starving till then. I did a lot of research too and it seems that nothing in India is that serious and most of it is open to flexibility. So I didn't get all the gifts, fancy dinner, etc that my "husband" is supposed to do for me either.....but I did tell him he owes me on Valentines Day All kidding aside, I don't ask him for gifts. He got overly excited while I was fasting and went out and bought me some stuff, then exchanged it cause he didn't think it was good enough, then exchanged it again because he didn't like something else. So I would have to say, with all the excitement he had and the happiness this brought him, it made this fast more than worthwhile for me.

[Twisted K 2]

right on. my mother-in-law tells my husband he needs to buy me jewelry. when i told her i got my second holes in my ear, she said good, he needs to buy you more earrings

I'm a Bengali too so I don't know about the Karva Chaut rules. And I wouldn't take part in it unless there was a similar festival requiring husband's to fast for their wife's health and prosperity. Hey, I'm all for equality.

Lol. I decided to do it because my fiancee has prayed for me every Tuesday for 18 months now. I have been going through so much and I felt like this is something I wanted to do. I can't say I'm going to do it every year. I won't do it unless I feel led to just like this year. I grew up in a religion that believes in fasting and prayer and I had always heard that partaking in a fast like this could bring you closer to God. Now that I experienced the fast, I must say it was enlightening and I physically feel better after the fast. I don't feel like it was any kind of serious life altering experience, and I don't feel like I'm one with God. I did enjoy the experience.

my husband asked me after the fact if i was going to fast. so i looked into it, and discovered i wouldn't be able to eat until my husband feeds me. um... i don't think so. seeing as though, even if he got his visa earlier, i am not expecting him to get here until the end of january. i always wanted to be "thin" but i do not want to be anorexic maybe next year

No one needs that kind of diet lol. My fiancee won't be here until our visa gets approved and we work out the details, I'm not starving till then. I did a lot of research too and it seems that nothing in India is that serious and most of it is open to flexibility. So I didn't get all the gifts, fancy dinner, etc that my "husband" is supposed to do for me either.....but I did tell him he owes me on Valentines Day All kidding aside, I don't ask him for gifts. He got overly excited while I was fasting and went out and bought me some stuff, then exchanged it cause he didn't think it was good enough, then exchanged it again because he didn't like something else. So I would have to say, with all the excitement he had and the happiness this brought him, it made this fast more than worthwhile for me.

[ms_jinga_lala 0]

right on. my mother-in-law tells my husband he needs to buy me jewelry. when i told her i got my second holes in my ear, she said good, he needs to buy you more earrings

You do need more earrings. They are important beauty items so you can look your best....for him...yeah that's it...lol. I think you need matched sets so you don't look like something is missing. B)

[Twisted K 2]

right on. my mother-in-law tells my husband he needs to buy me jewelry. when i told her i got my second holes in my ear, she said good, he needs to buy you more earrings

You do need more earrings. They are important beauty items so you can look your best....for him...yeah that's it...lol. I think you need matched sets so you don't look like something is missing. B)

you were reading my mind

[Imua 0]

right on. my mother-in-law tells my husband he needs to buy me jewelry. when i told her i got my second holes in my ear, she said good, he needs to buy you more earrings

You do need more earrings. They are important beauty items so you can look your best....for him...yeah that's it...lol. I think you need matched sets so you don't look like something is missing. B)

This usually works for me when my husband wonders why on earth I need so many salwar kameez....

[ms_jinga_lala 0]

This usually works for me when my husband wonders why on earth I need so many salwar kameez....

Good point.....I have a serious need for those as well. I don't even have all the colors yet, and not even 1 winter suit.....hmm.....time to start sweet talking lol