The Karvachauth story

Her: She wakes up when the alarm goes off at 4 am, although she has slept only past midnight. With a smile on her face, she proceeds to prepare her sargi, a ghee dolloped paratha, a cup of fenia, cashewnuts, pistachios and a bottle of water. She opens the fridge, takes the dough and milk out. As she scuttles around the kitchen making her enriching sargi, she thinks fondly of her day ahead… the fast, dressing up in bright reds and maroons, the pooja, the sighting of the moon, having her first morsel of the day with her husband thereafter… she silently hugs herself with this warming thought…She turns on the stove, places a skillet to warm and cooks the fenia, as she rolls out her paratha and generously applies ghee on it. She turns the paratha out on the skillet to cook reminiscing about her earlier karvachauths - similar yet special in their own way. She hears the sound of her husband coming into the kitchen. She turns to greet him. “Happy Karvachauth, dear!” They say hugging the other warmly. “Now go back to bed,” she admonishes him gently, “you have a long day at work!” “ Hmmm”, he mumbles, eyes half closed and sleepily turns around, walks into the bedroom goes back to sleep. She gathers her plate, walks into the living room, sits down and devours her sargi. Done, she puts her plate in the sink and decides to go back to bed – she’s so sleepy! Stifling a yawn, she turns in, to find her husband fast asleep.


Him: He is disturbed when the alarm rings at 4 am………hasn’t he only just slept, he wonders. Returning late from his EMBA classes, a heavy dinner, a long day at work - he hasn’t slept well in a week. He hears his wife getting out of bed. He pulls the blanket closer and manages to sleep. He can hear sounds in his head – is he hallucinating? She has forgotten to shut the bedroom door. A tad awake yet half asleep, he can feel the light turned on in the kitchen, the bathroom door closing, the fridge being opened, the stove turned on, the clanging of various vessels…. She’s preparing her sargi he thinks, grinning mentally. He is unable to sleep properly. He bundles out of bed and walks towards the kitchen with heavy steps. She hears him come. They fondly hug each other with a smile, “Happy Karvachauth dear”. “Now go back to bed, you have a long day at work!” she admonishes him in her usual way. He smiles inwardly, nods in agreement to her and turns around. Staggering and sleepy-headed he goes back to bed. The noises from the kitchen continue but slowly fade in his head. He falls asleep.

Same story but two sides….. Felt it was a nice way to describe our first phase of Karvachauth. Happy Karvachauth to you! :)