Why should a woman turn into a man to prove that she is not servile?
Karwa Chauth is a festival in which married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and long life of their husbands.
India is a country of festivals and rituals. From north to south, east to west there is a number of festivals. One of the major and significant festivals celebrated in northern part of the country is Karva Chauth. Married, Hindu and Sikh woman celebrates Karva Chauth by fasting for the long lives of their husbands. The idea behind celebrating the festival is to pray and wish for the well-being, prosperity, longevity of their husband.
It’s a celebration of the beautiful bond between a husband and wife celebrating love and togetherness. Today Karva Chauth has become an occasion rather than a prayer.
The fast of Karwa Chauth is of particular importance to all Hindu married women in India. They believe that the festival ensures prosperity, longevity and well-being of their husbands.
The etymology and history behind the origin of this festival is vast and varied.
The festival and fast of Karva Chauth is celebrated with much exuberance and fanfare. It is considered an important and auspicious day for married women. The fast has all the trappings of festivity. Women dress up in their best finery, with henna-decked hands, bindis, colourful bangles, vermilion in their hair-parting and the best of jewellery.
Karwa means pot and Chauth mean fourth. This festival falls on the fourth day of the dark-fortnight in the month of Kartik. The etymology and history behind the origin of this festival are vast and varied, ranging from women praying for men who went off to war, to celebrating the ending of the harvest season, to attempt to forge bonds with the women folk in their in-laws’ homes. Karwa Chauth is not just a tradition it’s all about love and celebration.
To all the feminists who question women observing this festival, I ask, why are you always angry? With all the men in the world, and the women who are happy being women. Why are you always trying to tell women that they need to grow a moustache and be aggressive? How does following tradition make you servile? What is wrong in following a ritual/tradition if it makes you happy?
Why not give the womb the respect it deserves and quit male bashing for a change?
What is wrong with a woman trying to put a smile on her husband’s face, offering prayers for the welfare of her family? Don’t men do the same for women, though in different ways? Why is this feminist brigade so hell-bent on confusing equality with sameness? Why should a woman turn into a man to prove that she is not servile? Why confuse equal opportunity and equal wage with tradition and sentiment? Why confuse all this with rape, eve-teasing and purdah? Aren’t they completely different issues? Why not give the womb the respect it deserves and quit male bashing for a change?
So dear feminists, sit back, take a deep breath and relax. Instead of cursing so hard that it’s a man’s world and trying to turn it into one yourself, how about you try being a woman in it instead? It’s a beautiful thing trust me – learn to enjoy it.
Note:
1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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- Dear feminists, try being a woman this Karwa Chauth - October 6, 2017
Good! Glad to see someone not following the herd blindly and celebrating WOMANHOOD! If I may add women also give gift of sweets, clothes etc. to the mother-in-law to honour her as the mother and as a token of thanks for the gift of her son.
Good article