Karva Chauth (करवा चौथ) is an event when married women fast and pray for their husband’s health and long life. Women apply henna to their hands, arms and feet. Henna is a dye used to draw intricate designs on the body. A henna design is considered a symbol of marital bliss and good fortune. Sometimes unmarried women who have fiancés participate in this tradition too. When the fast is over, the husband will feed the first morsel of food to show his appreciation for his wife.

Karva Chauth is also a time when women bond together as women. There is a traditional ceremony where women dress is beautifully decorated saris. They sit in a circle and pass around a plate of fruits, incense, spices etc. During this time an older woman will narrate stories, like the one about Queen Veervati and how her devotion to her husband revived him from the dead. There will be several pauses in the story where the women will chant in unison.