India

Women of Diverse Faiths Observe Karwa Chauth in Lucknow

By Mariyam Shakeel

In Lucknow, women from different religious backgrounds celebrated Karwa Chauth, a festival traditionally associated with Hindu married women. Roman Catholic Marian Sharma, inspired by a scene in the film “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” has incorporated the ritual into her personal celebration of her marriage to Ravi Sharma. This year, her daughters‑in‑law joined her in the day’s prayers, continuing a practice rooted in mutual care and affection across generations. “It is a beautiful way of honouring someone who has stood by you,” she said, referring to her spouse.

The city’s Ganga‑Jamuni culture has allowed the festival to transcend religious boundaries. In Vikasnagar, Eram Asim observed the day by praying for her husband Asim Anjum’s well‑being as the moon appeared. Married for 28 years, the couple observes the day together, with Asim Anjum joining her in the day‑long abstinence despite his busy schedule. Their families also support the celebration, honoring a partnership that has endured.

Eram Asim’s hands were adorned with mehndi on the eve, with her husband’s name written in Urdu. While she prayed for his health, he offered his own dua for her good health. Christian Emerenziana Yowanka Khongwir has embraced the ritual for six years, viewing it as an expression of her commitment to marriage. Before the festivities, her husband Daksh takes her shopping and gifts her a saree and other items. A gesture she particularly cherishes is his tying a hand gajra around her wrist, a tender symbol of his promise to care for her. In return, she dresses up for him in bridal finery. “This is my way of expressing gratitude to the man I chose to spend my life with,” she said, a Mall Avenue resident.