It is that time of the year when Dussehra celebrations have wrapped up to give way for Karwa Chauth festivities, where married Hindu women, predominantly in northern India, fast from sunrise till sunset without consuming even a drop of water and prayer for the long lives of their respective husbands. Karwa Chauth, for this year, will be celebrated on October 13 which means that Hindu women from Northern and Western parts of India will observe a strict fast or nirjala vrat for almost the entire day of Karwa Chauth, without eating any food or drinking even a single drop of water, pray for their husband’s longevity, safety and prosperity, then break the fast after looking at their husbands’ faces upon sighting the moon at night.
The ritual traditionally starts with the consumption of ‘Sargi’ – a meal and assortment of delightful sweets and snacks that is consumed by the fasting women before sunrise on the morning of Karwa Chauth, which helps the fasting women prepare for the day-long fast. Want to fuel your wife’s energy levels as she observes this strict fast for you? Here are tips for husbands to make fasting easier for wives:
1. Make sure that your wife eats well before the fast and consumes foods rich in energy (carb-heavy foods are a safe bet).
2. To avoid having fatigue, dry mouth and headaches later, make sure she is hydrated and has had enough water and liquids like coconut water or lassi or chaach before she begins her fast.
3. Exercises will consume a lot of her energy, resulting in hunger pangs so,make sure she avoids exercising on Karwa Chauth day.
4. Do not let her think of food. Plan some interactive activity, watch your favourite movie, read, listen to music or plant trees during the hours that collide with the meal time. The idea is to turn away her attention, keep her mind busy and not idle so that she won’t remember that she hasn’t eaten.
5. However, these activities should not seem robust. Make sure she does not indulge in strenuous activities and gives her body adequate rest so that she can conserve energy.
6. Make sure she stays in a cool place and not in warm and humid temperatures as it can exhaust her and make her feel hungry.
7. As a husband, it is your duty to ensure that your wife does not fast if she’s unwell because it is no secret that she needs to eat so that her body gets the necessary nutrients to keep going. If she is sick or tired, do not let her attempt the practice and women with health conditions (including diabetes, pregnancy, low blood pressure, blood sugar regulation problems, underweight, history of eating disorders, on medication, trying to conceive, history of amenorrhea or breastfeeding) should speak to a doctor before attempting to fast on Karwa Chauth.
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