• A Pre-Dawn Rise

Usually, wake up call is at 4:30 am on this day. Prayers are offered to Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh, Kartikeya and the moon for health and long life for your husband. According to tradition, your mother-in-law will give you food called 'Sargi'. You will have to eat this before sunrise.

Your mother-in-law will prepare some special sweets and a coconut dish for your pre-morning breakfast. The fast starts before sunrise and ends in the late evening, only after you see the moon.

• The Evening

You will have a shower and then deck up in your bridal finery in the evening.

Your mother-in-law will give you some gifts once you are ready. Apart from that, your mother will give you a basketful of gifts, which you are supposed to give your mother-in-law. This gift includes sweets, fruits and a saree.

By the time the evening sets in, you and your friends will gather at one of your homes. Each of you will place a karva or a pitcher full of water and seven pieces of pua. A red thread is tied round the karva. You will then perform the puja according to rituals.

After this an elderly woman will narrate the legend of the karva chauth. After this, there will be continuous prayers for the husband. This continues while waiting for the moon to rise. Once the moon rises, prayers are offered to the moon.

Once this is done, first the moon is observed through the strainer or sieve. Then you look at your husband through the strainer or sieve and pray for his good health and long life.

Your First Karva Chauth

If this is your first karva chauth, here are a few pointers you must keep in mind:

• The fast is a difficult one but not impossible. Be mentally prepared for a whole day without food or water.
  
  
• Make sure you eat at your pre-dawn breakfast (even though you may not feel like). You will be thankful for it during the day.
  
  
• Do ask your mother-in-law or anyone else about the festival if you don't know much. This way you are not just following a fast blindly, but you will know the significance of the festival.